Active Time: 40 MINTotal Time1 HR 10 MIN
Yield: Serves : 8
I love hosting brunch—even packed into my tiny New York City apartment—because the bloody Marys are always bottomless and I get to showcase some of my favorite Mad Genius tips. One of my all-time favorites: make-ahead poached eggs!
Believe it or not, you can poach eggs in advance by shocking—the process of plunging just-cooked food into ice water to stop the cooking—and then storing them in the ice bath until you’re ready to serve them. Just one minute in simmering water is all it takes to reheat them. I learned this technique as a line cook, and I’ve put it to good use when making everything from poached eggs on toast to eggs Florentine. Or in this case, a superb riff on traditional eggs Benedict.
In this take on eggs Benedict, crispy potato rounds are a fun, gluten-free substitute for the everyday English muffins. A combination of extra-virgin olive oil and butter gives the potatoes incredible flavor and a golden, crunchy crust that provides the best-ever canvass for poached eggs. My favorite accompaniment is a hollandaise that’s laced with assertive horseradish. But, the zingy Celery Salsa Verde and nutty Crunchy Seed Oil (below) are also excellent alternative toppers for the potato benedict.
Celery Salsa Verde
Whisk together ¼ cup finely chopped celery stalks, ¼ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, ¼ cup roughly chopped celery leaves, ¼ cup minced fresh chives, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp. kosher salt, ½ tsp. black pepper in a medium bowl.
Crunchy Seed Oil
Toast 1 Tbsp. each coriander, mustard, sunflower, and sesame seeds in a large skillet over medium-low, shaking skillet frequently, until very fragrant and sunflower seeds are golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a mortar; let cool 5 minutes. Using a pestle, lightly crush. Transfer to a small bowl. Whisk in 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; season with salt.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 8 large eggs
- Crispy Potato Rounds
- 1/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- Horseradish Hollandaise
How to Make It
Step 1
Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside. Fill a large, deep skillet with water; add vinegar, and bring to a simmer over medium. Crack each egg into a separate small bowl or custard cup, and gently slip eggs into simmering water. Poach over medium, maintaining a simmer, until whites are set and yolks are still runny, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer poached eggs to ice water bath to cool. (The eggs can be refrigerated in the ice water bath for up to 24 hours.)
Step 2
Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a simmer over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low. Using a slotted spoon, return poached eggs to simmering water, and poach just until eggs are warmed through, exactly 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, remove each egg, and place 1 egg on each Crispy Potato Round. Sprinkle with hot smoked paprika and flaky sea salt. Serve immediately with Horseradish Hollandaise.
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