Monday, March 28, 2011

Brunch for the Haters

4eggbenedictSome people, so I’m told, don’t like brunch.

I’m not sure how this happens.

2eggbenedictHere are my theories:

1) Tragic family death occurring in IHOP

2) Deathly allergy to maple syrup

3) General disdain for anything everyone else likes.

Poor, poor souls.

I suspect these people have never eaten a liege waffle, either.

Well, here’s my stick-it answer to those brunch haters. We’ll turn you yet. Eggs Benedict is the best excuse for messy pictures there is.

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Maybe brunch was invented by parents. The easiest meal to make, and it satisfies the requirements for two meals at once, which is necessary when anything other than cereal in a bowl is a production. Luckily, my daughter could eat breakfast for every meal. So she’s definitely mine. She’s even a fan of runny poached egg, which I previously thought was only for adults.

Island Eggs Benedict (serves 4) Click Here to Print

Sweet bread with a sauteed butter crisp, lemony hollandaise, perfectly poached local egg that just oozes yolk, with a savory/sweet combo of hash. A tomato, optional, I think makes it. Saucy, sweet, and savory.1eggbenedict

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, this is a sponsored post. King’s Hawaiian teamed up with Foodbuzz as part of a brunch series that will be featured in April’s Flavor of the Month. As you can see, I couldn’t keep myself from just tearing it off and eating it, which is the way we usually eat it here.

  • 2 1” slices of round King’s Hawaiian Bread
  • 3 Tbsp salted butter, at room temperature, divided
  • 1 lb sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled (see note below)
  • 1 Cup kalua pork (see note below)
  • 4 local eggs
  • 2 tsp white or rice vinegar
  • 4 slices local tomato
  • 1 Cup blender hollandaise sauce
  • salt to taste

3eggbenedict

  1. Begin heating 4 Cups of water in a small saucepan over high heat to poach the eggs.
  2. In a bowl, mash the sweet potatoes and pork together with 1 Tbsp butter. Add salt to taste. Form about 4 patties by hand.
  3. In a large fry pan (I use a metal skillet pan), melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the patties and just brown on both sides, pressing with the spatula on both sides to keep it formed together. Remove to a plate and set aside.
  4. Butter the slices of bread with the last tablespoon of butter and brown in the same fry pan on both sides—this will only take about 20 seconds on each side because the bread is sweet and soft. Set aside.
  5. When the pot of water is simmering, turn down the heat to medium high. The water should not be boiling. Turn it down more and adjust as necessary. When it returns to a simmer, add 2 tsp vinegar to the pot. Crack an egg into a small measuring cup or ramekin. Add the egg to the simmering water by pouring the egg out as close to the water as possible. Repeat with the 2nd egg. Let simmer for about 3-4 minutes. The whites should be set. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and set aside. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if you like. Repeat with the remaining two eggs when the water comes back to a simmer.
  6. Assemble your eggs benedict: half a slice of the sauteed bread as the base, potato/pork hash over that, tomato next, egg, and then 1/4 Cup hollandaise sauce over the whole thing.

5eggbenedict

Notes: My favorite sweet potatoes are Okinawan purple sweet potatoes. You can use any sweet potato you like, but yams may be more watery. I usually just scrub my potatoes clean, prick them with a fork, and then microwave them for quick results.

Kalua pork, if you don’t have an imu, is very easy to make. Take a pork butt and sprinkle and rub it all over, with a pretty liberal hand, with kosher or slightly flaky larger-grained sea salt. Then sprinkle the whole thing with liquid smoke (2-3 teaspoons? I never measure) and rub that in too. Put it in a dutch oven with the lid on and cook at 350 degrees for 2-3 hours (depends on the size of the pork butt). Take it out when it falls apart easily. Let it rest and then shred it. There will be plenty. Eat the rest with rice or take it a step further for sandwiches.

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18 comments:

Nessie @ bakingequalslove said...

Could I come over to your house for brunch pretty please? Looks amazing! Love the purple potatoes + kalua pork - exotic, gorgeous, totally om nom nom!

Damaris @Kitchen Corners said...

FEED ME! I love brunch.

brhau said...

I can't wait to wait in line all morning to try this!

Mariko said...

Nessie: It may be worth the trip... :)

Da: Thanks. Glad you're not a hater.

Brhau: Oh, Ben, if we could package your charming disdain and sell it, we'd be millionaires.

Unknown said...

Love it! My parents loved brunch, too.

IMHO the recipes here are perfect! Well, I don't prefer tomatoes so I'd leave it out. But the rest of it is all yumtastic!

Mariko said...

Thanks Melissa. My husband also preferred to leave the tomatoes out! His loss. :)

sisinpacific said...

Congrats on the hollandaise.....never had much luck with that one...seems like I am always "rescuing" it. But I have never tried in a blender. I know what we are having between sessions this weekend!

Belinda @zomppa said...

Ooo - happy to help you out with this brunch.

Maryea {Happy Healthy Mama} said...

Eggs benedict is one of my all-time favorite foods. I've never actually made it, but ate it frequently at my parent's restaurant growing up. Your version looks fantastic.

FootPrints said...

mmmmmmm i can TOTALLY make this!!!
and my crazies love sweet potato. in our house we call it purple cake - ha ha

All That's Left Are The Crumbs said...

I feel sorry for those who do not like brunch. Imagine missing something as fabulous as your Island Eggs Benedict. It contains a lot of my favorite foods.

Laurie said...

That is just fab. Every component as well as the sum of parts.

Anonymous said...

I'm not a hater of Brunch, I love the idea of it, I think the haters are referring too poorly executed brunches..my most memorable is in Georgetown having "eggs Benedict". Yours looks fab btw.

Unknown said...

I'm not a morning or breakfast person so I love brunch! Eggs benedict is my hubby's favorite, will have to try your version.

Cakewhiz said...

I can't understand why anyone would not like brunch....it's my favorite time of the day...lol.
And your brunch looks Awesome with a capital "A"!!!!

Mariko said...

Sisinpacific: The blender works wonders. I think the key here is really hot butter (I actually used ghee) and a very slow very steady stream.
Belinda: Of course!
Maryea: Your parents had a restaurant?
Footprints: It IS purple cake! You're right!
Allthatsleftarethecrumbs: Me too. :)
Laurie: Thank you.
Elle Marie: I guess brunch can be over done, but what expectations can you have in the morning?
Savorysweetliving: I'm definitely a sleep in and then have breakfast late person.
Cakewhiz: Thank you! I like breakfast in the middle of the night as well.

Nippon Nin said...

Hey, Are you feeling any better? This looks good and I love brunch because I'm not early bird person and if you have a brunch you cook only twice. Brunch and supper.

gastronomic nomad said...

Yummm!! I adore eggs benedict. I tried making the hollandaise sauce one time the classic way and I saw the second that it curdled. I will definitely try your version!

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