| Healthy Eggs Benedict |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-706 |
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Q: I'm hosting a Sunday brunch and plan to serves eggs Benedict. Do you have a recipe that cuts down on the fat and cholesterol?
A: (DIY's "Dr. Gourmet," Tim Harlan) Eggs Benedict are indeed a succulent breakfast or brunch dish, but the traditional recipe is fairly high in calories and fat. The dish as served at a restaurant (figure A) contains about 600 calories and 20 grams of fat. However, it's possible to make a healthier version that weighs in at 300 calories and 8 grams of fat. Here's how.
- Begin with the hollandaise sauce -- typically the source of much of the fat and caloric content in this dish. To make a healthier version, begin by placing 1/2-cup of 2-percent milk into a saucepan.
- Add 1-1/2 tbsp. of corn starch, a small amount of lemon juice, a pat or so of butter, a single egg-yolk and about 1/4 tsp. of salt. These ingredients will create and maintain much of the flavor and creamy texture of traditional hollandaise sauce. Whisk thoroughly over low heat.
- With the sauce left to simmer and thicken over low heat, you can start on the eggs and asparagus. Cooked asparagus will serve as a substitute for Canadian bacon or other meats typically used in eggs benedict.
- In a skillet filled with water, bring the water to a temperature of about 180 degrees -- known as a "shiver," the point just before boiling. Add to the water about 1 tbsp. of vinegar. The acidity of the vinegar helps the egg whites coagulate more quickly and evenly. Crack and place an egg into a custard cup to make it easier to gently lower the egg into the hot water (figure B). The egg white should begin to coagulate immediately.
- Cut the tough ends off of some spears of preblanched asparagus, and place the spears into a second skillet filled with warmed water (figure C).
- Place a warmed English muffin on a plate.
- Remove the warmed asparagus from the water and drain it. You may want to have some paper toweling handy to blot the spears dry. Place the asparagus on the muffin.
- Once the eggs are nicely poached, carefully remove them from the water using a slotted spoon, and place it on top of the asparagus (figure D).
- Top off the dish with a dollop of the warmed, thickened hollandaise sauce (figure E).
"Ask DIY" factoid: A single egg contains about 225 mg of cholesterol, and about 5 grams of fat. Though for a time maligned as unhealthy, high-cholesterol food, recent studies have shown eggs to be less problematic than once thought. As long as you eat them in moderation, there shouldn't be a substantially increased risk of heart disease or stroke. In fact, one famous study done at Harvard indicates that, for women, eating eggs daily doesn't substantially increase those risks.
RESOURCES :
Get Cracking: The Definite Guide to Choosing, Cooking and Enjoying Eggs
By Alex Barker
ISBN# 1842154001
(2001)
Southwater Publishing (The Manning Partnership Ltd.-- Imprint of Anness Pub)
Phone: 0-1225-852727
Fax: 0-1225-85282
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