EGGS ELLEN
From Breakfast at Brennan’s

Ingredients:

8 salmon fillets, about 3 ounces each
salt and black pepper
8 poached eggs
2 cups hollandaise sauce (see note*)

Method:
Preheat a grill or broiler. Season the salmon with salt and pepper, then grill or broil the fish until flaky and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Divide the salmon between four warm plates and top each fillet with a poached egg. Spoon hollandaise sauce over the eggs and serve. Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Makes 4 servings

*Hollandaise Sauce Ingredients:
1 pound butter
4 egg yolks
11⁄2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
11⁄2 teaspoon water

Preparation of Hollandaise:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, skim and discard the milk solids from the top of the butter. Hold the clarified butter over very low heat while preparing egg yolks.

Place the egg yolks, vinegar, cayenne and salt in a large stainless steel bowl and whisk briefly. Fill a saucepan or Dutch oven large enough to accommodate the bowl with about 1 inch of water.

Heat the water to just below the boiling point. set the bowl in the pan over the water; do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk the egg yolk mixture until slightly thickened, then drizzle the clarified butter into the yolks, whisking constantly. If the bottom of the bowl becomes hotter than warm to the touch, remove the bowl from the pan of water for a few seconds and let cool. When all of the butter is incorporated and the sauce is thick, beat in the water.

Serve the Hollandaise immediately or keep in a warm place at room temperature until use.
Yields 2 cups.