Eggs Royale is a variation of eggs Benedict made with smoked salmon (instead of ham) and is my big favourite for the weekends. Delicious flavours and easy to make. It’s the kind of brunch that will make anyone feel a bit more special.
When it comes to seasoning, I often use chilli in every form. Recently I tried a new chilli oil. Banhoek is a premium, handcrafted and all natural chilli oil from the Cape in South Africa. They use a neutral tasting high-quality, non-GMO, rapeseed oil. It’s a perfect partner to the sun ripened, hand crushed Bird’s Eye chilis which are gently infused into the oil to deliver the perfect balance of flavour and heat.
Banhoek Chilli Oil is halal certified and vegan friendly. Banhoek Chilli Oil is a ‘Great Taste 2019 Award Winner” having received an award at The Great Taste 2019 competition where there were almost 13,000 products blind tasted from over 100 countries. It can be purchased from their online store at Banhoekchillioil.co.uk and the website shows you where to find a retailer in your area that has stock of the product. You can also buy online from Amazon and thefoodmarket.com.
Ingredients for the Eggs Royale:
4 large free-range eggs
50 g smoked salmon
a pinch of salt
Hollandaise sauce:
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon butter
2 drops of lemon
120 g unsalted butter
Banhoek chilli oil
Cayenne paprika powder
Method
- Make the hollandaise firstly. Gently melt the butter in a small pan.
- Whisk the egg yolks, add water and squeeze a lemon (2-3 drops are enough) in a heatproof bowl set over a shallow pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat, stir in the melted butter, add it constantly and whisk it until you get a thoroughly cream. Keep it in a warm place while the eggs are being prepared.
- Have a taste and season to perfection. Turn the heat off and keep warm over the pan of water, stirring occasionally. Loosen with a splash of water if needed.
- Boil water in 2 pots, pour vinegar into one and salt the other for the boiled eggs. When the water with vinegar is boiling, beat the egg carefully – the yolk must remain intact – and pour into a deep spoon.
- Reduce the heat under the pan.
- Carefully lower the spoon with the egg into the water for a few seconds and then slide the egg out into the water. The egg-white can be formed with a spoon and cooked in a frothing water for 4-5 minutes.
- Take out the eggs after 4-5 minutes and dip them in the salt water pot to rinse so they don’t taste like vinegar.
- To assemble, warm 4 muffins and divide 2 slices of smoked salmon between each. Drizzle a few drops of Banhoek chilli oil on the muffins. Top with a poached egg, then pour a tablespoon of hollandaise over each one. Finish with a final sprinkle of Cayenne paprika powder.
