Eggs Benny: Dirty South Style with Jalapeño Hollandaise

I’m a total brunch girl. A melding of assorted breakfast and lunch foods – many of which are slathered in some manifestation of butter – enjoyed at an hour that ensures you a few extra hours of glorious sleep before imbibing on a bellini or two. Brunch is pretty much the shining epitome of all that is right in the world. One thing I can hardly ever pass up on a brunch menu: Eggs Benedict.

Eggs Benny is a study in just how much numminess can possibly be crammed into one taste-bud tantalizing dish. Light, buttery hollandaise and rich, saucy egg yolk cascading down over salty, smoked ham, anchored with a chewy, slightly crisped english muffin?? I’m so down. Only, as usual, I wanted to switch things up a little, pay homage to my sassy southern roots with a pan-fried grits cake in place of the english muffin, and a little jalapeño kick to spice up the hollandaise.

There are several steps involved here, but they’re all super simple, and the grits cakes can be prepped in advance so all you have to do is pan-fry them for a few minutes when you’re ready to serve.

The result: some straight-up creamy, dreamy south in yo mouth that’ll make you wish you wore your stretchy pants to brunch.

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Eggs Benny: Dirty South Style with Jalapeño Hollandaise

Eggs Benny with a southern spin. A crazy delicious dish for a special occasion brunch. It's a lot of steps, but the grit cakes can be prepped up to a day before, it's easy, and the finished product is so worth it.

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Courses

Brunch

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 8 slices applewood-smoked bacon
• Grit Cakes:
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup grits
• 2 Tbsp salted butter
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Coconut oil for frying
• Hollandaise:
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp chopped seeded jalapeños
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

Courses Brunch Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 8 eggs 2 tsp white vinegar 1 tsp sea salt 8 slices applewood-smoked bacon Grit Cakes: 3 cups water 1 tsp sea salt 1 cup grits 2 Tbsp salted butter 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Coconut oil for frying Hollandaise: 3 egg yolks 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp chopped seeded jalapeños 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

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Instructions

1. Make grit cakes:
2. Bring the 3 cups of water and 1/2 tsp sea salt to a boil.
3. Add the grits, stir and bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until very thick, about 15 minutes or so, stirring often.
4. When fully thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, the cheese and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
5. Pour grits mixture in an even layer into a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate overnight or for several hours.
6. When you're ready to make the grits cakes, use a round 3-inch cookie cutter to cut out as many rounds as you can from the grits.
7. Mix together 1/4 cup cornmeal and 1/4 cup flour, and dredge each grits round in the mixture.
8. Heat a few Tbsp of coconut oil in a large frying pan, and then fry each grits round for a few minutes on each side, until golden.
9. Drain grits cakes on paper towels and keep warm in toaster oven until ready to use.
10. When ready to poach the eggs, put two cakes on each plate.
11. Cook the bacon:
12. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until golden, a few minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Split each slice in half and place two halves on top of each grits cake.
13. Poach the eggs:
14. Fill a medium or large skillet about halfway with water, mix in 2 tsp of white vinegar and 1 tsp sea salt and bring to a simmer. Crack an egg into a small ramekin, and holding the ramekin right over the simmering water, gently slide the egg into the pan. Cook the egg for two minutes or so, using a slotted spoon to gently keep the egg white as close to the yolk as possible, then when the white looks opaque, use the spoon to very gently turn the egg over in the water. Cook for another couple minutes or until white appears to be cooked through. Place poached egg on top of grits cake and bacon. Repeat poaching process with the rest of the eggs.
15. Make hollandaise:
16. Put egg yolks, lemon juice and salt in a blender and blend until incorporated, a few seconds.
17. Remove the feed tube on the blender lid and slowly pour in the melted butter with the blender running. The sauce will immediately thicken and turn light yellow.
18. Add jalapeños, cover and blend until all mixed.
19. Drizzle the finished sauce over the top of each poached egg.