breakfast for dinner/lox eggs benedict

I am a big fan of breakfast for dinner.  As a vegetarian/pescatarian, it's really one of the easiest things for me to eat, and me and Darrell usually devour a stack of pancakes or a few eggs at least one night a week while the rest of the world is eating, say, spaghetti.  

Eggs Benedict is one of my favorites, and as a person with a well-known affinity for lox (insert shoutout to my Jewish college roommates for introducing me to this magical food) I like it with with a smoked salmon twist.  

I am going to make one thing easy on you, and one thing kinda hard.  

Let's start with the easy - by God do not attempt to make your own hollandaise.  Trader Joe's carries some that comes in a tub, and it's very inexpensive and delicious.  

As for the hard, well, you are going to need to poach your own eggs and PUH-LEEZ do not use one of those plastic microwave egg poachers.  It really isn't that hard to do it on your own.  PROMISE!  

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

(recipe by me, not adapted from anywhere, so if you steal it credit please!)

serves 2

2 english muffins

4 eggs

4-6 big slices of smoked salmon, Costco's is the best in my humble opinion, but you can also get it at Trader Joe's & Whole Foods

Trader Joe's hollandaise sauce (find it by the eggs)

salt & pepper

1.  First thing to do is get the water for the eggs going.  The most important thing is to get the water to that almost-boiling-but-still-not-quite-simmering point.  It's a toughie, and really tends to go best if you're using a gas stove.  If desired, you may also put your hollandaise in a little saucepan to get it slightly warmed at this time.  

2.  Once the water is there, salt the heck out of it.  A lot of people add white vinegar here too, but I don't ever find that necessary.  Then crack in two eggs (unless you have a REALLY wide pan, it's really best to only do two at a time).  When you crack the eggs, you want to hold them down close to the water and do it SLOWLY.  That way the egg WILL stay together in the water.  

3.  If you need to, slowly coax the white to form around the yolk.  Let the eggs cook for 3-4 minutes, I'm good with 3 but it's personal preference.  Then lift them out with a slotted spoon.  I usually pat mine dry with a paper towel.  

4.  While you're doing the second round of eggs, pop the english muffins into the toaster.  Butter them lightly when they come out.  

5.  To assemble, top your english muffins with a few slices of smoked salmon.  Then put on a poached egg and pour hollandaise all over.  Salt & pepper lightly!