Gastor Almonte took a break from his busy schedule back in 2018, before his hit comedy album ‘Immigrant Made’ dropped, to help JR Bruno make Eggs Benedict on the first episode of Cooking with Comedians by Newdie Mag. Will it turn out eggscellent? Will they be the butt of the yolk? You can only find out by watching.
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Pop Quiz:
True or False?
Was Eggs Benedict named after Benedict Arnold?
False
Eggs Benedict is a classic American breakfast dish with a rich history that dates back to the late 19th century. There are several stories surrounding its origin, but the most popular ones involve the culinary scene in New York City.
One story suggests that a Wall Street broker named Lemuel Benedict invented the dish in 1894. Seeking a cure for a hangover, he reportedly ordered buttered toast, crisp bacon, two poached eggs, and a hooker of hollandaise sauce at the Waldorf Hotel (now the Waldorf Astoria New York). The hotel’s maître d’hôtel, Oscar Tschirky, was so impressed with the dish that he added it to the menu, substituting ham for bacon, and an English muffin for toast.
Another account attributes the dish’s creation to Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York, claiming that it was created for Mrs. LeGrand Benedict sometime in the 1860s. Chef Charles Ranhofer, who authored the cookbook “The Epicurean,” reported working on a new kind of breakfast dish for her, resulting in what we now recognize as eggs Benedict.
Whoever actually created it, eggs Benedict typically consists of two halves of an English muffin topped with ham or Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce. The combination of rich, creamy hollandaise and runny poached eggs with salty ham and crusty muffin makes it an enduring favorite.
Throughout the years, numerous variations of eggs Benedict have been developed, including eggs Florentine (with spinach instead of ham), eggs Royale (substitute ham with smoked salmon), and avocado Benedict, among others. It remains a staple of brunch menus worldwide and reflects the creative culinary exploration of early 20th-century America.
The complete recipe is below:
Eggs Benedict (2 servings)
Ingredients:
2 English muffins
4 slices of Canadian bacon
4 eggs
One lemon
Hollandaise sauce (recipe follows)
Parsley or chives for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Begin with all ingredients at room temperature.
Make Hollandaise sauce first, using recipe below.
Then split English muffins using a fork and lay 2 halves on each serving plate. Cover each muffin half with a slice of Canadian bacon.
Then, make poached eggs as follows:
Crack an egg into a fine weave strainer positioned over a small cup or bowl. This will remove excess liquid. Then squeeze a few drops of lemon juice onto the egg. This will “shock” the egg and allow it to maintain its shape better in the poaching liquid. After a moment or two, transfer the egg into a tea cup. Repeat for each egg.
Meanwhile, bring a small skillet filled to a depth of no more than one inch of water to a simmer. Do not allow to boil. You should see only a few bubbles (at most) at the edge of the pan.
Once water is simmering, gently tilt the tea cup just over the water and allow the egg to slide in. Repeat with each egg. Each egg should remain in the pan for no more than 3 to 3½ minutes. Gently remove with a slotted spoon and place each egg onto top of the muffins with bacon. Pour Hollandaise sauce over each egg and garnish with parsley or chives, if desired.
Hollandaise Sauce
Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
½ TB lemon juice
¼ cup butter (melted, but room temperature)
Salt (pinch)
Red pepper (pinch), if desired.
Directions:
Whisk eggs yolks and lemon juice together in a medium sized glass bowl. Whisk until mixture is frothy and has roughly doubled in volume. Place bowl over a small sauce pan of simmering water. Continue to stir while adding the melted butter in a steady stream until the mixture has again roughly doubled in volume. Add salt and red pepper, if desired. Cover and keep in a warm area.
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Comedian: Gastor Almonte
Instagram and Twitter: @gastoralmonte
Website: http://gastoralmonte.com
Host: JR Bruno
Instagram and Twitter: @jrbrunony
Website: https://www.jrbruno.com
Cinematographer/Editor: Jonny Tompkins
Website: http://jonnytyo.com
