Alexander Middleton (Class of 2011), Masterchef contestant 2022
Enough for: 4 people
Ingredients:
4 eggs
Splash of white vinegar
2 English Muffins
4 slices of Black Pudding (240g)
1 tsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
5 peppercorns
1 dried bay leaf
2 egg yolks
125g melted butter
lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste
Pea shoots
2 tsp chilli jam
Method:
Put the vinegar in a small pan with the peppercorns and bay leaf. Reduce the vinegar over a high heat until there is only 1 tbsp left. Strain the vinegar reduction and allow to cool completely.
Whisk together the egg yolks with the white wine vinegar in a heat-proof bowl until light and “frothy”. We are looking to incorporate some air into the mixture. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow the bowl touch the water otherwise you will scramble the egg yolks) and whisk the mixture continually until lukewarm.
Slowly add the melted butter to the egg yolk and vinegar mixture ensuring you whisk continuously. This process is called “emulsification” and is what makes the hollandaise silky and creamy in texture. The mixture should not be too runny and should coat the back of a spoon. Once the mixture has thickened, remove it from the heat.
Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper and a little lemon juice. Keep warm until required. A flask will keep the hollandaise at the perfect temperature until required.
Meanwhile, place your black pudding in a frying pan with a tsp of oil and fry gently until crisp on both sides. Keep warm until required.
Heat a large pot of water on a medium heat until the water is barely boiling. We do not want the water to boil aggressively otherwise it will break up the egg. Drop a splash of vinegar in the water and carefully add your eggs. It helps to crack your eggs into a small dish first. Cook the eggs on a very gentle heat for 3/4 minutes until the white is fully cooked and the egg has a “wobbly” texture.
Place the eggs on a paper towel to remove some of the liquid.
Half your English muffins and either pop them in the toaster or under the grill to brown. Once browned, you are ready to plate.
Add your toasted muffin halves to a plate and top with a tsp of chilli jam. Then add your black pudding, followed by your poached eggs and finally a tbsp of hollandaise sauce on top of each egg.
Garnish with some pea shoots, lemon and some freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!