Megamania: Minifood1: eggy benediction

A benediction (Latin: bene, well + dicere, to speak) is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually at the end of worship service.

When life is getting stressful, when fatigue sets in and the heart starts to hurt, when there seems to be no place to go... no matter what we believe, most of us ask for benediction... whether to ourselves, to some sort of divine being or maybe our loved ones. Some of us may turn to food for comfort...

I'm not religious, but I do believe that eggs are divine.

A full meal in a shell, eggs are a great source of protein and choline (grouped with the B-complex vitamins used for neurotransmission etc etc - i'm no nutritionist) and these little Quail eggs I have always adored. Good things come in small packages.

Whilst most of us would only think of ordering Eggs Benedict in a café, they're really quite easy to make at home. Poached eggs, ham (or avocado/spinach/asparagus if you are feeling virtuous/vegetarian) and the divine but somewhat devilish Hollandaise sauce. Eggs Benedict is a perfect mixture of naughty and nice.

Eggs Benedict

Eggs12 quail eggs or 4-6 Fresh Eggs Hollandaise
125 gm	unsalted butter, coarsely chopped
2 tsp	white wine vinegar
½	golden shallot, finely chopped
1	black peppercorn
1	fresh bay leaf
2	egg yolks
	lemon juice to taste

To assemble

4 -5 slices of fresh bread, toasted

5 slices of leg ham/ serrano ham/prosciutto

(alternatively avocado, sautéed spinach or mushrooms, grilled vegetables, poached spinach)

Fresh eggs

Water, vinegar, bay leave and finely chopped shallot and peppercorn.

Simmered over a low heat until flavours are infused and reduced by half.

Left to cool.

One extra egg yolk is added to the vinegar infusion.

Whisked in a heatproof bowl over a gently simmering water bath until pale and creamy (4-6 minutes)

At this stage, make sure the heat is low enough so that the eggs do not curdle.

Remove from the heat and stir in cooled, melted butter .

Stir once in a while. Add lemon juice to taste.

Oh no!

Poach the eggs by cracking them very closely over the surface of the water and leaving for a minute or so - or in the case of quail eggs, under a minute until the white has become opaque.

Yes, poaching eggs is not easy... the water should be brought down from a boil to complete stillness before you drop them in- and eggs very fresh!