2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or distilled vinegar
8 large eggs
4 whole wheat English muffins, split**
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
**to make this low-carb, replace the English muffins with lettuce or mixed greens
Directions
Step 1
For the Hollandaise: Place the egg yolks in a medium stainless steel bowl, set over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Whisk the yolks until pale yellow and fluffy.
Step 2
Slowly whisk in the clarified butter a few tablespoons at a time, until thickened. Add the lemon juice, salt, zest, black pepper and cayenne. Cover and keep in a warm spot until ready to use.
Step 3
For the benedict: heat the oil in a medium cast-iron pan set over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the asparagus to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until just tender and set aside.
Step 4
Season the salmon generously with salt and pepper and place top-side down in the hot pan. Cook until deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, reduce the heat to medium and cook until golden brown on the second side and medium-well doneness, another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to rest with the asparagus.
Step 5
Line a plate with paper towels. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with cold water and add the vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Crack each egg into separate ramekins. Stir the water, then carefully slip a few of the eggs into the water and cook until the whites are set and the yolk is still runny, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Repeat for the remaining eggs.
Step 6
While the eggs are cooking, toast the muffins. Use a fork to break the salmon into large flakes. Butter each muffin half and season with salt and pepper. Top each half with asparagus spears, flaked salmon, and poached egg. Spoon hollandaise sauce over the tops and garnish with chopped chives. Eat right away!
