Treat mom to an extra-special brunch for Mother’s Day with crab eggs benedict. This recipe is a tasty variation on the classic with fresh crab salad, a poached egg, baby arugula, and topped with Hollandaise sauce.
- 1 lb lump crab meat, picked over
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- dash of cayenne pepper
- 2 Tbsp red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp chives, minced
- 2 Tbsp parsley, minced
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt (I like Greek yogurt)
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 8 oz unsalted butter, cold and chopped (2 sticks)
- water, as needed
- 8 eggs
- 4 whole wheat english muffins
- 4 cups fresh baby arugula, dressed with a drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice
- crab salad
- poached eggs
- easy hollandaise sauce
- minced chives, for garnish
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Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Toss well and reserve in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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Heat water in a medium saucepan. Combine all the ingredients in a heat-proof bowl. Set the bowl on top of the pot of just simmering water and whisk until the mixture is thick and lightened, about 4 mins.
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Add the butter to the egg mixture, a couple pieces at a time, whisking constantly. Be sure the previous pieces are dissolved before adding more butter. It should take about 10 mins.
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Thin with a little water if needed. Whisk in just 1-2 tsps at a time to reach the desired consistency.
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Bring a saucepan of water to simmer. Add a small splash of plain white vinegar to the water.
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Crack two eggs into two small ramekins. Create a small whirlpool with a spoon in the water and carefully pour one of the eggs into the whirlpool. Create another whirlpool and add the other egg.
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Cook the eggs at a simmer (not a boil) for exactly three minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining eggs, two at a time.
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Split the english muffins and toast.
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Divide the lightly dressed arugula and top the english muffins. Top with a scoop of crab salad.
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Top the crab salad with a poached egg, a big spoon of hollandaise sauce, and a sprinkle of minced chives. Serve immediately.
- Check the crab for tiny bits of shell and be sure to remove it before mixing in the other ingredients.
- Whisk the hollandaise sauce consistently as it cooks to prevent curdling and scrambling.
- Thin the hollandaise sauce if needed, with a teaspoon of water at a time. Whisk and check the consistency and be sure to hold it in a warm place (but not hot).
- Don’t reheat the sauce if it cools (keep it warm) as the sauce will break (separate).
- IF your sauce breaks, you can try to fix it by whisking a fresh yolk with a couple teaspoons of boiling water and slowly adding the sauce to the yolk, whisking constantly.
- When poaching the eggs, follow the recipe exactly! By cracking the eggs into ramekins before adding to the water you’re ensuring that the yolks are intact and no shells make their way into the dish.
- Three minutes for the eggs means THREE MINUTES. That yolk is runny and wonderful in exactly three. Removing the eggs to a paper towel lined plate allows the water to drain away.
- Don’t skip dressing the arugula lightly with a squeeze of lemon and a little drizzle of olive oil. You want every element to add flavor!