Slimming down an old favorite...

The dinner I made for tonight takes a leaner approach to the heavier classic Eggs Benedict. In this version, Eggs Benedict Florentine with Creamy Butter Sauce, we will begin by talking about the dish from top to bottom.

Reminiscent of a rich hollandaise sauce, this version is made by gently heating a mixture of buttermilk, water, cornstarch and eggs in a double boiler. You will see the mixture go from being very liquid to a luscious smooth and thick sauce - at this point, we stirred in a couple tablespoons of the clarified butter we made the other day to add the buttery depth needed for this sauce. If you wanted an even more traditional hint of flavor in the sauce, a bit of lemon juice might be a nice addition. Underneath the sauce is a layer of slightly wilted spinach.

Instead of a poached egg as a traditional Benedict would have, eggs and egg whites are whipped together and cooked in a bit of garlic laced butter until just set and scrambled. This is the mixture that is found under the spinach. A slice of salty Canadian bacon is next to last with a toasted half of an English muffin forming the crisp base. Jeff and I both thought this was an absolutely fantastic lighter alternative - the sauce with the condensed clarified butter had so much more flavor that we expected and very much made this dish. Just enough of a buttery flavor to spike the richness, but still letting the soft set eggs shine through.

Recipes
Eggs Benedict Florentine with Creamy Butter Sauce