Eggs benedict taste like vacation, don’t they?
Maybe it’s just me, but vacation is the only time I order eggs benedict. With apologies to the layer farmers that I grew up with, eggs may be healthy–but bathe those babies in creamy, buttery hollandaise sauce and you’re probably not talking about diet friendly fare.
It’s not the kind of thing you’d eat every day.
It’s not the kind of thing you’d make every day, either. The swirling water, the precisely dropped eggs–it’s all pretty time consuming. And it’s especially difficult when you’re trying to cook breakfast for about 60 people, and all you have is a little four-burner stove!
That’s why, when I saw this recipe in the breakfast issue of Cooking with Paula Deen, I knew I had to try it.
We tried it a couple of weeks ago in our test kitchen (don’t be too impressed–that just means I tried it in my tiny house kitchen instead of our tiny bed and breakfast kitchen).
*Everyone* wants to try our test recipes, and this one was no different–people started streaming into the kitchen even before I had put it down on the counter.
I couldn’t blame our team–the recipe is a beauty, very elegant and colorful. And the fresh asparagus just makes you think ‘spring’.
Our crew is an interesting mix of people from around the world–Brazil, Hungary, Germany, Russia, North Carolina, Florida. Their tastes are just as varied–some people think everything in America is too sweet, or too rich. Some people would add maple syrup to everything if we let them, along with a healthy shake of confectioner’s sugar. So if everybody on our staff likes a dish, it’s a pretty sure hit for our guests.
I held my breath as, one by one, they wandered into the kitchen and tried a piece. They chewed slowly. I’m never sure if they enjoy the recipe, or if they just enjoy torturing me.
After a few seconds, in every case, there was a big smile and a quick “Oh, that is SO GOOD.” And then there were requests for seconds.
That was all I needed to hear! We made it one more time–at the inn–then added it to our spring menu rotation. Our guests have loved it!
If you make it, let me know how it turns out!! Or share a pic on our Facebook page…I’d love to see your version!
Eggs Benedict Strata
Serves 6
- 1 cup fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into one inch pieces
- 6 English muffins, halved and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup chopped Canadian bacon
- 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 7 large eggs
- 2 packages of hollandaise sauce mix, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-1/4 cup whole milk
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add asparagus. Bring back to a boil, then immediately drain and transfer asparagus to ice water to stop the cooking process.
- In a 2-quart baking dish (an 8×8 is the perfect size), layer half each of English muffin pieces, Canadian bacon, asparagus and Swiss. Repeat layers. Try to use the prettiest pieces of asparagus on the top.
- Whisk together eggs, 1 package of hollandaise mix, salt, and pepper; whisk until smooth. Slowly pour onto casserole; gently press layers with a spoon to soak bread.
- Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Uncover and bake until golden brown and set, 50 to 60 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
- Prepare hollandaise sauce. Rather than using all water, as directed, I use 1/2 water and 1/2 whole milk.
- Drizzle hollandaise sauce over casserole right before serving. Finish with fresh cracked pepper and fresh thyme, if available.
Enjoy! And let us know if you like this recipe as much as we did!