How to make cheat’s Eggs Benedict, by The Goring’s Shay Cooper

In honour of Great British Egg Week – which begins on October 9 – the head chef at The Goring has shared his recipes for Eggs Benedict and the Full English Breakfast, as served at the London hotel.

But for many of us, time and energy are short. So he's also shared his easy-to-make 'cheats' versions of the same recipes.

Recipe: Cheat's Eggs Benedict

Prep time 5 minutes, cooking time 10 minutes – serves 1

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 2 rashers of smoked back bacon
• 1 English muffin
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp chopped chives

Method

• Bring a large saucepan of water to just below a simmer. Stir the water to create a whirlpool effect. Crack an egg into a small bowl and as the whirlpool is dying down carefully drop the egg into the water. Leave to poach for about three minutes, until the white is set and the yolk is still runny. Then remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the second egg.
• In the meantime, heat a griddle pan over a high heat and add the bacon. Cook for around 3-4 minutes. Then turn over and continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes or until cooked to your liking.
• Slice the English muffin in half and toast until golden. Top each half with the bacon and a poached egg.
• Combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl and season to taste. Spoon over the eggs. Then sprinkle with chives and an additional grating of black pepper.

Recipe: The Goring's Eggs Benedict

Prep time 10 minutes, plus time needed to reduce the vinegar. Cooking time 5 minutes. WARNING: This recipe contains the word 'emulsify'.

Ingredients

• 2 large British Lion eggs
• 1 English muffin
• 2 slices of back bacon

For the hollandaise

• 150g unsalted butter
• 2 large British Lion egg yolks
• 100ml white wine vinegar reduced to 25ml

Method

• Fill a large deep pan with water and a splash of vinegar and bring to a rapid boil.
• Crack each egg into an individual small bowl.
• When the water comes to a boil, add in the eggs one at a time, letting them sink down to the bottom of the pan, they should form a teardrop shape.
• Turn the pan down to a simmer and cook the eggs for three minutes for a runny yolk or five minutes for a harder yolk. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon and drain on a kitchen towel.
• To make the hollandaise, put the butter into a microwaveable container and heat in the microwave until the solids separate from the fat and the butter is clarified, this should take around 1 minute.
• Take the two egg yolks and put them in a round bottomed bowl along with the vinegar reduction and place over a pan of simmering water, whisking the eggs continuously until they begin to become thick and aerated.
• Once the eggs are light, fluffy and stable enough to hold a figure of eight pattern when stirred with a spoon, they will be ready (this is known as ribbon stage).
• Slowly drizzle the clarified butter into the egg yolk mix to emulsify, take care at this stage, if you go too fast the mixture will split.
• To serve, cut the muffin in half and toast each side under the grill.
• Place the bacon on an oven tray and grill to your liking
• Place the bacon on top of the toasted muffin, and the eggs on top of the bacon. Spoon a generous amount of hollandaise over the eggs and return the finished Eggs Benedict, on an ovenproof plate, under the grill to slightly toast the hollandaise. Place the Eggs Benedict on a cool plate and serve.

Get more recipes at www.eggrecipes.co.uk and www.thegoring.com.