Eggs Benedict (United States)

      I always wonder where the idea of brunch came about.  My theory is that a certain someone woke up after a long night of drinking and tried to get breakfast at two in the afternoon.  So in order to make the waitress agree he gave it a catchy name.  No matter how it came about, I love this honorary meal time because it spawned one of my favorite egg dishes... Eggs Benedict.
      Now there is a long going war concerning the true originator of the first Eggs Benedict.  Delmonico's on Beaver Street and the Waldorf Hotel on Park Avenue both have claimed that there chefs created the dish.  No matter the maker, the dish is a true example of the American melting pot.  An English muffin toasted and topped with a slice of Canadian bacon and with a nice drizzle of French hollandaise sauce; Now that is the true American spirit.
      My version of Eggs Benedict is an omage to my dream of having breakfast at a steakhouse.  I take a piece of tenderloin wrap it in bacon then grill to perfection.  I then placed this and the poached eggs over a toasted sour dough roll.  Then for the topping I switch out the Hollandaise for a Bearnaise sauce which is a signature for any good steak.
      A note to all who are trying to make this dish for a special someone.  Poaching eggs is not easy if you have never attempted this before.  It is a process which many tend to screw up.  If this is your first time then use a measuring cup.  Place the eggs in the cup and gently flip the egg into the boiling water.  Afterwards quickly use a wooden spoon to push the white over the yolk.  After a few minutes you will have a gently poached beautiful egg.

Steak House Eggs Benedict

1/2 pound beef tenderloin

1 pound bacon

8 eggs

4 sourdough rolls

1 large bunch of tarragon

1 shallot finely chopped

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

2 egg yolks

3/4 cup butter, cut into small cubes

Slice the tenderloin into 4 equal pieces.  Using mallet tenderize the meat so that it will cook more evenly.  Wrap each in two slices of bacon and set aside.  Heat a large skillet and drizzle with olive oil.  Cook the tenderloins until the beef is medium, at least 10 minutes. 

Cover and allow to rest while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Place the eggs two at a time and cook for 2-3 minutes until softly poached.  Remove from the water and set aside.

Slice the rolls in half brush with olive oil and toast over a low heat.

To prepare the sauce remove the most tender leaves from the tarragon and finely chop the leaves, set aside. Roughly chop the tougher parts of the tarragon and place in a small sauce pan with the shallots, vinegar and bring to a simmer. Simmer the mixture until it has reduced to about a tablespoonful. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the tough pieces of tarragon.

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, and place a heatproof glass bowl over top to create a double boiler. Whisk the egg yolks with the tarragon reduction, continue to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the butter a piece at a time and whisk it until the sauce is begins to thicken further. Add in the finely chopped tarragon leaves and mix with the dash of pepper.

To assemble place the bottom of the roll onto a plate, place the tenderloin on top, top with two of the poached eggs drizzle the sauce over top, finish the top of the roll.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4