Classic eggs Benedict call for sliced ham to nestle luxuriously into the pile of toasted English muffin, poached egg, and rich hollandaise sauce. The twist here is smoked salmon as a stand-in for ham, yielding a splurge-y brunch dish with a hint of lox and bagels. Hollandaise sauce can seem a little tricky (if you don’t add the warm clarified butter slowly enough, the whole thing can separate), but take a deep breath, avoid over-caffeinating to keep your hand steady, and you’ll be fine.

For more, check out our Classic Eggs Benedict, Steak and Eggs Benedict with Béarnaise Sauce, and Egg-in-a-Nest Benedict Sandwiches. And see other smoked salmon recipes that go way beyond the bagel.

  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Total: 40 mins 
  • Active: 40 mins 

Ingredients (15)

For the hollandaise sauce:

  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • White pepper to taste
  • 6 ounces warm clarified butter or ghee
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste

For the poached eggs:

  • 4 large eggs, as fresh as possible
  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

To assemble:

  • 4 English muffins
  • Unsalted butter
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 ounces sliced smoked salmon
  • Fresh dill or chives, minced

Instructions

For the hollandaise sauce:

  1. Fill a large saucepan about one-third full with water and bring it to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat so the water stays at a light simmer.
  2. In a medium stainless steel bowl, whisk the yolks, water, salt, and a pinch of white pepper until light and foamy.
  3. Place the bowl in the pot of simmering water. Whisk rapidly until the mixture triples in volume and you can see the bottom of the bowl as you whisk. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and continue whisking for a few seconds to dissipate the residual heat.
  4. Add the clarified butter to the yolk mixture in a small, steady stream, whisking constantly, until it is all incorporated and the sauce is smooth and thick. (Don’t be tempted to add the butter too fast; this will cause the sauce to separate.) Add the lemon juice, taste, and adjust the seasoning, adding a bit more lemon juice or white pepper as needed. Hollandaise sauce can be held over warm water, covered, for 1 1/2 hours.

For the poached eggs:

  1. Add water to come 2 inches up the sides of a nonstick sauté pan set over high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low to keep the water at a bare simmer. Stir in the vinegar and salt.
  2. Crack 1 egg into a small dish or ramekin. Gently slide the egg into the simmering water. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs, making sure to evenly space them in the water. Turn off the heat and cover the pan with the lid. Cook until the whites are just set, about 3 to 4 minutes. Lift the eggs out of the water with a slotted spoon and place them on a clean towel to drain or, if you are making them ahead, set into an ice bath to store up to 8 hours in the refrigerator. (If you poach the eggs ahead of time, reheat in warm water for 1 minute before final assembly.)

To assemble:

  1. Split and toast the English muffins. Coat the cut sides of the muffins with a thin layer of butter and season with salt and pepper. Place the muffins on serving plates and divide the smoked salmon slices among them.
  2. Slide the eggs onto the smoked salmon. Top the eggs with the desired amount of hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle the dill or chives over the eggs, then serve immediately.