Holy guacamole, this one’s a keeper. As you may have noticed, especially if you follow me on Instagram, brunch is the organizing principle behind my weekend schedule. If you don’t brunch at least once, was it even a weekend? Is life even worth living? I think not.
When I go for brunch, I have a really hard time ordering something OTHER than eggs Benedict, I’m a benny girl through and through. There are some notable exceptions, if I’m lucky enough to be dining at Edgar, I’ll be having the Dutch Baby topped with that perfect slab of pork belly, aged white cheddar and apple compote.
That being said, I’m not a big fan of peameal bacon, so, when I do order eggs Benedict I’m usually opting for a variation that uses a different kind of animal protein or bypasses the meat altogether. I’m quite partial to the Eggs Florentine at Wilf & Ada’s, for instance.
I made this Halloumi Eggs Benedict for you last year (still a favourite) and wanted to try something with a bit more kick this time around. This is what brings us to today’s offering, Southwestern Eggs Benedict.
I wanted to take every opportunity to build flavour so I swapped out the classic English muffin for a much more interesting Cheesy Sweet Potato and Cornmeal Biscuit. I had the pleasure of hosting my friend Erin for brunch yesterday (thank you for the extra day of brunch opportunity Family Day) and know she is partial to cornbread.
I found this biscuit recipe from the Food & Drink magazine and knew it would be the perfect foundation for my southwestern inspired benny. The biscuits involve lots of deliciousness: sour cream, cornmeal, cilantro, and lots of cheddar.
Top with some freshly sliced avocado (I know, we’re trending dangerously close to avocado toast territory), crispy bacon, poached eggs and an extra special Hollandaise sauce to achieve the ideal breakfast.
I used the classic Hollandaise base, as seen on that Halloumi Eggs Benedict recipe from last year, but added two chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to give it the smoky spice I was looking for.
This was so good, I ate it twice yesterday; once with Erin and a second time after this photo shoot. Honestly, if you have the time and ideally someone to do the dishes (my kitchen looked like a bomb went off in it after I was done cooking), you should DEFINITELY make this for your next at-home brunch.
I promise, you will not be disappointed.
Southwestern Eggs Benedict
- 4 cheesy sweet potato cornmeal biscuits, recipe follows
- 2 avocados, peeled and thinly sliced
- 8 slices bacon, cooked
- 8 eggs
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- ¾ cup chipotle hollandaise sauce, recipe follows
- 2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
- Butter or nonstick spray for greasing
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup grated sweet potato about 1 small
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 4 egg yolks
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
- pinch cayenne pepper
- pinch salt
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
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Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease small muffin pans with butter or nonstick spray.
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Combine eggs, sour cream, sweet potato and oil in a bowl.
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Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, mustard powder and salt in a separate bowl. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir in the cilantro and cheese until just combined.
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Fill muffin cups two-thirds full with mixture, about a scant ¼ cup. Place muffin pans on a baking sheet.
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Bake 17 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from muffin pans and serve warm.
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Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl and until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne, minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the eggs benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.
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Fill a 10-inch nonstick skillet half full of water. Add 1 tbsp white vinegar to the cooking water. This will make the egg white cook faster so it does not spread. Bring to a slow boil. Gently break 1 of the eggs into a shallow bowl/ramekin. Stir boiling water with a wooden spoon to create a vortex and gently slip 1 egg into the water. Repeat with remaining eggs. By stirring the water, the egg white will wrap around the yolk to keep your poached eggs nice and tight. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook 3 1/2 minutes until the egg white is set and yolk remains soft. Remove with a slotted spoon, onto a plate lined with paper towel, allowing the egg to drain .
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On each plate, slice a cheesy sweet potato cornmeal biscuit in half and place cut side up. Top each half with sliced avocado and strips of bacon. Place poached egg on top of bacon and then spoon over chipotle hollandaise. Sprinkle with finely chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
Recipe for Cheesy Sweet Potato Cornmeal Biscuits from: Waverman, Lucy. “Sweet Potato Cornmeal Biscuits.” Food & Drink. Summer 2018.
