Brunch-Ready: Portobello Eggs Benedict

Try this twist on a classic comfort food favorite.

Ingredients

Roasted Portobello Mushrooms:

4 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt, dash

Hollandaise Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

3 egg yolks

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

hot water, as needed

4 eggs

2 tbsp white vinegar

chives, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub portobello mushroom caps with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread on a baking sheet, cap side up, and roast 15-20 minutes, or until tender.

To make hollandaise sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Place egg yolks, lemon juice and salt in blender, and blend for a few seconds on high. Remove blender lid, and slowly pour in one third of the melted butter. Replace lid and blend for a few seconds on high. Remove lid and pour in another third of melted butter; blend. Repeat with final third of melted butter. Return to saucepan and keep warm with element on the lowest heat setting. If hollandaise sauce is too thick, add some hot water, a tablespoon at a time, while whisking constantly until desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust lemon juice and salt as needed.

Fill a large saucepan (9-inch minimum) with 2-3 inches of water. Add vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; reduce heat to low. Crack eggs one at a time into a small dish, and gently slip them into the barely simmering water. Cover the pan and cook about 4 minutes, till whites are cooked but yolks are still runny (you can test this by gently touching them—they should jiggle). Remove eggs with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.

To assemble, place one mushroom cap on each of 4 plates. Top with a poached egg, and a spoonful of hollandaise sauce. Garnish with chives, if desired. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Jennifer Hill is the writer, photographer and cook at foodess.com. Jennifer’s blog documents an obsession with comfort food; cooking from scratch with fresh, seasonal ingredients; and a serious penchant for desserts.

By day, Jennifer is a dietitian, recipe developer and writer. When she is not in the kitchen licking spoons and making notes on sauce-splattered paper, she dabble’s in pottery, painting, and yoga. Jennifer lives in Vancouver, BC with her hungry boyfriend and adorable Irish Setter.