GWAI LO INC. - Gwai Lo Eggs

EGGS BENEDICT - Serves Four

INGREDIENTS

8 eggs for poaching
3 eggs yolks
12 ounces of butter
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons of cold water
2 tbsp. white vinegar (2 tbsp. = 1 oz.) for poaching the eggs
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons cold water ground white pepper (black will do)
four 1/8 inch slices of black forest or Virginia ham
4 English Muffins

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Put the 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar and 3 tablespoons of water and 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper into a shallow saucepan over low heat and reduce by two thirds - strain (use a tea strainer if you would like to) and leave aside to cool. (This mixture is the FLAVOURING AGENT).

Put a pot of water (medium size) over a high heat and bring the water to a simmer

Select a bowl that fits properly over the pot of simmering water

Put the yolks in the bowl

add a tablespoon of cold water to the yolks

and add the flavouring agent to the yolks

Use a wire whisk to blend and place over the simmering water

TIP: SIMMERING WATER IS WHEN SMALL AIR BUBBLES BEGIN TO BREAK THE SURFACE OF THE WATER

Use the whisk to whip the eggs into a "thick ribbon" stage. A "thick ribbon" is when the eggs form a ribbon when the whisk is lifted from the egg mixture. Be careful when whisking that the eggs do not scramble. This is easily achieved by checking the bottom of the bowl with your hand. If the bottom of the bowl is too hot for your hand it is too hot for the eggs.

Take the bowl off the heat place it on a damp tea towel to prevent it from spinning a round. Slowly and in a steady stream beat in the melted butter. If you add the butter too quickly it will cause the eggs and butter to separate. So, work slowly. Add all but two table spoons of butter. DO NOT add the white liquid or foam from the butter to the eggs. It will harm the flavour of the sauce. Now, the sauce is finished. You may add the juice of one-half of one lemon if you desire.

O.K. put the bowl to the side and keep warm.

POACHING THE EGGS

Prepare to poach the eggs.

Bring a pot of water to a poaching temperature. Add the 2 tbsp. (one oz.) of white vinegar - this will add a little flavour and help congeal the eggs.

Break an egg into a bowl and give the water in the pot a slight stir. The spinning of the water will assist in forming the egg. One at a time add the eggs. The eggs may be poached in advance and cooled in cold water, as I have done here. They can even be poached the night before if you know that the next day you are entertaining and do not want to spend all of the time in the kitchen. When you need the eggs all that you do is to reheat the eggs quickly in poaching water. Be careful NOT to cook the yolks. They must be liquid.

Cut in half and toast the English muffins and deep warm a low heat oven if necessary.

When ready, put the English muffins on the plates.

Two halves of an English muffin, place a slice of ham on each of two halves Place a hot poached egg on top of each half.

Use a spoon to "MASK" the eggs with Hollandaise Sauce. Use a generous amount.

Garnish the plate with green salad with a VINAIGRETTE ( A non-cream dressing)

.A few variations may be to substitute croissant for the English muffins. Or, one could add a "REDUCTION" of the juice of blood oranges to make a pink orange - flavoured sauce which is both colourful and delicious.

BEVERAGE: Morning Glory: One half orange juice and one half dry "Brut" Champagne. Garnish with an orange section and a cherry.

WARNING: I used edible flowers to garnish the plate. Make sure that the ones you have are edible and are grown with out the use of pesticides.

CHOCOLATE CUPS WITH CUSTARD AND BERRIES - Serves Four

Mix 6 tbsp. of chocolate sauce with 1 tbsp. of Grand Marnier

Pour 2 tbsp. in the centre of each of the plate

Place a small chocolate cup (3 oz.) in the centre of the syrup

In the chocolate cup place 4 tbsp. of custard

Put some whipped cream on top

Garnish with fresh berries

Dust with icing sugar if you like it.

Tip 1
The Egg Shell protects the egg from bacterial contamination and the elements. However, the shell is porous and eggs must be kept in the carton to maintain freshness and to prevent the egg from absorbing odours from the refrigerator. The Egg White has two portions. The white closest to the yolk is thicker than the other part. A thin runny white is an indication that the egg is not very fresh. The white accounts for 2/3 of the egg's weight. The Egg Yolk provides the flavour of the egg. A fresh egg yolk should be firm and round not thin and flat. The yolk accounts for 1/3 of the egg's weight.

Tip 2
Whenever need to use eggs and you don't know how fresh they are and there is no expiry date on the box use the following technique: dissolve 5 tablespoons of table salt in 2 cups of water in a tall wide glass. Next, place an egg in the salt and water solution. If the egg floats completely below the surface (in the middle) then it is at most a day old. If 2/3 of the egg is above the surface, it is already 2 weeks old. If the egg floats only 1/8th above the surface it is about 4 days old.