Poached Eggs, Truffle Hollandaise on Sourdough

Servings

Yields 2 eggs 

Timing

Prep time: 10mins, cooking time: 25mins, Total time: 35mins  

Notes / tips

• Use the best-quality eggs you can afford; the better the quality, the better the flavour. You can tell whether an egg is fresh by cracking it on to a saucer. If the yolk stands up and the white isn't watery, it's fresh. The simplest way to store eggs is in the box you buy them in. Keep them away from anything strong-smelling, like fish.
• Here a link to Jamie Oliver's video to help with the hollandaise sauce. 

Ingredients

For the Hollandaise:

• 130g White Truffle Butter  
• 40g unsalted butter   
• 1 dessert spoon white wine vinegar 
• 2 large free range egg yolks 
• 1 lemon

For the poached egg:

• 2 large free range eggs
• 2 pieces of good sourdough bread or crumpets
• 10-20g White Truffle Clarified Butter to toast
• Freshly chopped chives 

Method:

Hollandaise:

1. Get a saucepan and a heatproof mixing bowl that will sit stably over the pan. Half-fill the pan with water and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat as low as it can go but still have the water simmering.
2. Place the truffle butter and unsalted butter in a medium pan over a low heat, so it starts to melt but doesn’t burn. When the butter has melted, take it off the heat.
3. Place the egg yolks in your heatproof mixing bowl, which you should then place over the pan of just-simmering water. It’s important that the saucepan is on a low heat, or the eggs will scramble.
4. Using a balloon whisk, start to beat your eggs, then whisk in your white wine vinegar.
5. Keep whisking, and then start adding the melted butter by slowly drizzling it in, whisking all the time, till all the butter has been incorporated. The result should be a lovely, smooth, thick sauce.
6. Season carefully with sea salt and black pepper, and loosen if necessary with little squeezes of lemon juice. Keep tasting the sauce until the flavour is to your liking.

Poached egg:

1. Half-fill a wide pan with boiling salted water, and bring it to a light simmer over a medium heat.
2. Crack one of the eggs into a cup and gently pour it into the water in one fluid movement. Repeat with the other egg. You’ll see them begin to cook immediately. Depending on the pan, a really soft poached egg should take around 2 minutes and a soft to firm one will need 4 minutes (it depends on the size of the eggs and whether you’re using them straight from the fridge).
3. To check whether they’re done, remove one carefully from the pan with a slotted spoon and give it a gentle push with a teaspoon. If it feels too soft (use your instincts), put it back and give the eggs a minute or two more in the water to firm up.
4. Meanwhile butter the sourdough in some white truffle clarified butter
5. When the eggs are ready, remove them to some kitchen paper to dry off.
6. Serve with buttered sourdough / crumpets and the chives.