Miso Eggs Benedict

Miso has a salty flavor that replaces the Canadian Bacon used in traditional eggs Benedict. Have all the ingredients ready to go, and set the English muffins to toast at the same time as you put the eggs in to poach, so you can place the fresh poached eggs onto the freshly toasted muffins. Adapted from The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook. The Hollandaise sauce is what the French call a "mother sauce" meaning that it can be transformed into other sauces by adding just a few ingredients(tarragon, pepper, and shallots-bearnaise; mustard-Dijonnaise; orange concentrate-maltaise, etc.)

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons white vinegar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 4  extra large eggs
• 2  English muffins, split
•  butter
• 1⁄2 teaspoon miso
• 1⁄2 cup  hollandaise sauce (see below-or use storebought)
•  chives (optional)
•  hot pepper sauce (optional)

• Hollandaise Sauce

• 3  egg yolks
• 1  lemon, juice of (about 1/4 cup)
• 1  tablespoon cold water (plus a few more drops)
• 8  ounces  melted butter
• 1  pinch cayenne pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Combine the vinegar and salt in a deep skillet with 2" of water. Crack each egg into its own cup. When the water boils, lower flame as low as you can. Gently lower the eggs into the hot water, one by one, and pour them from the cups into the pan. Toast the English muffins.
2. Poach the eggs for no more than 3 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drain back into the skillet. Transfer the poaced eggs to a waiting plate.
3. Mash the butter and miso together; spread this mixture onto the toasted muffins.
4. Place 1 poached egg onto each muffin half. Spoon generous helpings of hollandaise sauce onto each, and serve immediately with a sprinkling of chives and hot pepper sauce on the side.
5. To Make Hollandaise Sauce:.
6. In a large, steel mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water, or in a double boiler over a very low flame, whisk together the yolks, half of the lemon juice, and 1 tbls. cold water.
7. Whisk vigorously until the yolks attain a lemon yellow color and become thick(about the consistency of creamy salad dressing). Be careful not to let the eggs cook into lumps-keep whisking all the time, and remove the bowl from the heat if it starts getting too hot. Once yolks are ready, set the bowl they are in onto a damp towel on a firm surface. Whisk in a few drops of cold water, then a few drops of the melted butter. Gradually whip in the melted butter in small increments, making sure that each addition is thoroughly incorporated before adding any more. Season with cayenne, salt, and remaining lemon juice.