Crab Cakes Benedict

Crab Cakes Benedict

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Author: Caroline Artiss

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 2

This is a mega impressive brunch to make for that really special occasion. It’s a different take on the delicious Eggs Benedict and it’s well worth the effort.

Ingredients

• Crab cakes
• ¼ red pepper, finely diced
• 200g white crabmeat chunks
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tbsp mayonnaise
• ½ cup 50g fresh breadcrumbs
• ½ a beaten egg (just enough to bind)
• ½ tbsp flour
• 1 tsp fresh chives
• 1 tsp fresh chopped parsley
• Pinch black pepper

• Hollandaise sauce
• 2 eggs, yolks only
• 125g/4oz butter/ 1 stick butter
• ½ juice of a lemon,
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Pinch cayenne

• Other Ingredients:
• 6 cooked spears of asparagus if it’s in season as it’s cheaper and saves air miles or use watercress
• 2 large eggs for poaching

• Utensils needed:
• Double boiler – heatproof bowl and a saucepan
• Hand whisk
• Frying pan / skillet
• Pan to poach the eggs in

Instructions

1. Start by preparing the crab cakes as they can be kept until you need them in the fridge
2. You can even make them the day before to save time and be super organised
3. First of all just give the crab a quick check to make sure there is no cartilage in there
4. Mix all the ingredients together gently in a large bowl
5. Shape the mixture into 2 large cake shapes, wrap and chill for 20 minutes in the fridge
6. Heat a little olive oil in a pan then fry the cakes for 3-4 minutes each side until golden and cooked through
7. (As there are a few processes in this recipe, I would make these in advance and keep warm until your ready to serve)

1. Next make the Hollandaise sauce:
2. Fill a saucepan with a small amount of water and put on to simmer
3. This is going to be used to cook your eggs on, you can also cook the asparagus in this water too

1. In another pan gently melt your butter until it is just above warm
2. It’s important that it’s not too hot; you can test it by sticking your finger in carefully, if it’s too hot leave it to cool a little
3. In a heatproof bowl, add the egg yolks and lemon juice and whisk together
4. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan with the hot water and keep whisking until it begins to thicken up about 2 – 3 minutes
5. It’s important to watch this bit really carefully and to keep whisking so that the eggs don’t scramble
6. You will know it’s ready when it turns a shade lighter in colour and it thickens up to make ribbons
7. Immediately take off the heat and start to whisk in your melted butter a tiny bit at a time
8. About a tablespoon amount at a time
9. Keep whisking until all the butter is absorbed before you add the next bit
10. Keep adding until all the butter is used up
11. If your sauce is too thick just add a couple of tablespoons of semi hot water until you get the consistency you like
12. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper

1. To make poached eggs:
2. You can buy special poached egg pans to make poached eggs or do it the old fashioned way. Using a shallow pan, fill about 3 inches of water and bring to simmering point
3. Add a drop of vinegar to the water, I find this helps hold the eggs together
4. When the water is simmering gently, crack an egg into the water
5. Get as close to the water as you possibly can and drop the egg in slowly so it doesn’t spread all over the place
6. If you use very fresh eggs they should hold together better in the pan well
7. Let the egg simmer for about 3 minutes then take out of the pan with a slotted spoon and serve straight away.

1. Plate up:
2. Now to plate up, place your asparagus or watercress on a plate, top with a crab cake, poached egg then drizzle with hollandaise sauce and sprinkle a pinch of cayenne pepper on top! Next – enjoy all your hard work, it’ll be well worth it and everyone your cooking for will love you for it!