Eggs Benedict with Rosemary Pork Loin, Orange Hollandaise and Wild Arugula Salad

We’re all pretty familiar with your standard Eggs Benedict:  two poached eggs over a slice of Canadian Bacon or ham, on a toasted English muffin, luxuriously topped with Hollandaise sauce.  Well here is a fresh take that makes use of leftovers from Saturday evening’s pork loin roast.  Combine them with with farm fresh organic eggs and produce, and crusty sourdough bread to make an elegant Sunday brunch.

This recipe also uses a number of techniques that are good to have in your repertoire.

Rosemary Pork Loin Benedict

INGREDIENTS, serves 6:

For the Orange Hollandaise:

2 egg yolks

2-3 Tbsp. fresh squeezed orange juice

1 cup warm melted or clarified butter

1-2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

a few drops of Tobasco sauce

salt to taste

For the Benedict:

2 lb. Rosemary Roasted Pork Loin

12 slices from a loaf of crusty French or Italian sourdough

good extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 dozen large eggs

water

white distilled vinegar

PROCEDURE:

1.  Make the Orange Hollandaise:  Combine the yolks with the orange juice in a heatproof bowl and whisk together.  Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and continue whisking until it is thick and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Take care not to cook the yolks or they will curdle.  Remove the bowl from the heat, and slowly whisk in the butter.  Add lemon juice, tobasco, and salt to taste.  Return the bowl to the pot of water, but off the heat to keep warm as you prepare the remaining ingredients (see How to Make Hollandaise Sauce).

2.  Toast the bread and warm the Pork Loin:  Preheat the oven to 375°.  Arrange the slices of bread on a baking sheet.  Brush each one with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Toast in the oven just to crisp the edges, about 4 or 5 minutes.  Lower the oven to 250°.  Cut from the roast 12 slices, each about 1/4″ thick.  Arrange a slice of pork loin on each slice of bread and return the baking sheet to the oven to keep warm while you poach the eggs.

3.  Poach the Eggs:  Fill a 10″ shallow saucepan with water and a splash of vinegar.  Bring the water to a bare simmer and poach the eggs in batches of 3 or 4  (see How to Poach Eggs).  Blot cooked eggs on a paper towel.  Arrange two pieces of warm pork loin and toast on each plate and top each with a poached egg.  Top eggs with the warm Hollandaise sauce and garnish with Wild Arugula Salad.

Wild Arugula Salad

INGREDIENTS, serves 4 to 6:

1 large bulb of fennel

1 Tbsp. of fresh squeezed lemon juice

2-3 navel oranges

2 large bunches of arugula (or one of those prewashed boxes)

good extra virgin olive oil

sea salt & pepper

PROCEDURE:

1.  Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut the fennel into paper thin slices, and toss it in a large bowl with the lemon juice.  The lemon juice will keep the fennel from turning brown.

2.  Remove the peel and pith from the oranges and cut the segments into the bowl of fennel.  Squeeze any remaining juice from the cores and add the juice to the bowl as well.

3.  Add the arugula to the bowl, sprinkle with a little salt and fresh pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.  Gently toss all the ingredients together.

Used in the making of this recipe:

Nature’s Promise Organic Pork Loin from Stop & Shop.

Farm Fresh Eggs from Feather Ridge Farm, Lulu Oranges from Deer Creek Heights Ranch, and Wild Arugula from Migliorelli Farm delivered by Basis Good Food to You.

Organic French Sourdough from Bread Alone Bakery.

Butter from Organic Valley.