Eggs Benedict With Homemade English Muffins

 Studies show that organic eggs from hens raised on pasture offer better nutrition than typical supermarket eggs and contain:

• four to six times more vitamin D
• two-thirds more vitamin A
• double the amount of omega-3 fatty acids
• three times more vitamin E
• seven times more beta carotene
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  English Muffins
  

4 cups freshly ground Organic Hard White Wheat (I used 1 cup Spelt in place of 1 of the cups flour)
1/2 tsp. Celtic fine grind Sea Salt
1 tsp. Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
Generous 1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 Cup Organic Sour Cream, or Daisy Pure & Natural Sour Cream (It has no added ingredients, just cultured cream and is from cows not receiving synthetic hormones)
Softened butter for mixing bowl and skillet

In medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar and yeast.  Make a well in the center and add the lukewarm water and sour cream.  Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together, then knead with your hands until it comes away from the side of the bowl.  Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 5-10 minutes, sprinkling lightly with flour as you knead until you are able to knead the dough  without it sticking to the counter.  Continue to knead until smooth and elastic.

Brush a medium bowl with softened butter and shape dough into a smooth round ball.  Place dough into greased bowl, turning to coat all sides as you do.  Cover with a moist dish towel and place in a warm place to double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Dust a cookie sheet with flour and tap off the excess into a garbage can.  Turn out the dough onto the counter and knead lightly.  Roll out to a thickness of  just under1/2 inch, and stamp out 10-12 rounds with a 3 inch cookie cutter.  Transfer the muffins to the prepared cookie sheet, cover with a damp dish towel, and let rise in a warm place until just under 1/2 inch in height.(Muffins will continue to rise as they are cooked.)

Heat a large skillet (I used my cast iron skillet) on medium to medium high heat (I needed the lower heat with my cast iron skillet) putting some of the softened butter in the skillet and turning to coat.  Add half of the muffins and cook for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, again, depending on what type of skillet you will use until golden brown.  Cook the remaining muffins the same way. If you prefer, you can make the muffins the night before and reheat in the morning if mornings are quite hectic for you. (Recommended)

Cut muffin in half and butter. Lay a slice of Hormel Natural Choices ham on buttered half of muffin, put a poached egg on top of it, season with sea salt and pepper, and pour hollandaise sauce over the egg.  Add a sprig of fresh lemon thyme as a garnish.

Poached Eggs

Fresh, very cold Organic eggs
Water for poaching in

Pour water into a deep saucepan to equal 1 1/2 inches deep.  Let boil, and then turn to low to simmer. Gently break a fresh, (needs to be fresh so that the egg white will set properly) cold egg onto a saucer without breaking the egg yolk, and gently slip it into the simmering water.  Cook for 3-5 minutes depending on whether you like your egg yolk runny or not.  Dip some of the simmering water gently on top of the egg yolk to cook the top to the desired stage of cooking.

Hollandaise Sauce

3  Organic egg yolks
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed organic lemon juice
1 Tbsp. white cooking wine (or another tablespoon lemon juice)
1/2 Cup butter from grass fed hens
1/4 Tsp. Celtic fine grind sea salt


Place the bottom of a double boiler with water in it on the stove.  Heat until hot, but not boiling.  Place egg yolks, lemon juice and cooking wine in top part of double boiler, and beat until well mixed. Place pot on top of the double boiler bottom with hot water in it.  While beating with a wire whisk, add 1/3rd of the butter into the yolk mixture and cook, beating constantly, until butter is completely melted.  Add another third of the butter, repeat with remaining third, beating until mixture thickens and is heated through.  Remove from heat; and stir in the salt. 

To Assemble Eggs Benedict:

Cut muffin in half and butter. Lay a slice of Hormel Natural Choice (without antibiotics, hormones, nitrates or nitrites) ham on buttered half of muffin, put a poached egg on top of it, season with sea salt and pepper, and pour hollandaise sauce over the egg.  Add a sprig of fresh lemon thyme as a garnish.