Eggs Florentine

When I check out a new brunch restaurant, I always order eggs Benedict or one of its many creative spinoffs. Whether it’s traditional eggs “Benny” with Canadian bacon or eggs Florentine with spinach, the combo of English muffin, runny yolks and rich, creamy hollandaise sauce is a satisfying and delicious way to start the day. Plus, seeing how a cook pulls off the delicate tasks of poaching and whisking provides plenty of information about their culinary skills!

Learning how to master brunch dishes at home will give you a big boost of cooking confidence. Making perfectly poached eggs takes practice, but it isn’t the mystery some people make it out to be. The main points are heating the water to the right temperature, slipping individual eggs into the water from a ramekin or bowl, and leaving them alone to cook until they become opaque.

Serve eggs Florentine on a lazy Sunday morning, for holidays, or whenever you want breakfast for dinner. If you have an instant-read thermometer, it will come in handy while making this recipe.

Eggs Florentine Ingredients

• Vinegar: The recipe calls for white vinegar, which helps hold the egg whites together in the poaching pot. White wine or champagne vinegar will lend an even nicer flavor to the dish.
• Eggs: Regular large eggs do the trick. If you have farm-fresh eggs, they’ll taste great and have pretty-colored yolks.
• Seasonings: Salt will be sprinkled throughout this recipe, and the hollandaise has a hint of white pepper. If you’re a spice lover, experiment by adding your favorites.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter to reduce sodium, then season the hollandaise sauce and the spinach with salt to taste.
• Lemon juice: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens this dish, but if you don’t have a lemon on hand, use the best vinegar you have.
• Shallot: A relative of the onion with a more delicate flavor, shallot is a classic ingredient in French-style dishes such as this one. If you can’t find shallots where you live, try making this recipe with red onion.
• Baby spinach: This recipe calls for baby spinach because it’s tender and wilts quickly. However, you can use larger spinach leaves. Make sure they’re nice and clean, and give them a quick chop before cooking them.
• Garlic: A single clove will do the trick in this recipe. If you’ve got a head of garlic with super small cloves, it never hurts to use two.
• English muffins: Buy English muffins from the store or bakery, or make some wonderful English muffins from scratch!

Directions

Step 1: Poach the eggs

TASTE OF HOME

Pour 4 cups of water into a large saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce it to a low simmer (the water temperature should be 160 to 180°F). Stir in the vinegar. Carefully crack the eggs into individual small bowls, teacups or ramekins. Gently stir the simmering water in a clockwise motion until it swirls.

TASTE OF HOME

Hold an egg dish over the water and gently slip the egg into the center of the swirling water. Cook the egg, uncovered, for three to five minutes or until the whites are completely set and opaque and the yolk begins to thicken but is not yet hard. Use a slotted spoon to lift the poached egg out of the water. Place the spoon with the poached egg on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Editor’s Tip: Depending on your comfort level, you can cook the eggs one at a time, in pairs, or all at once. Do whatever feels best to you.

Step 2: Make the hollandaise

TASTE OF HOME

Warm the butter in a small saucepan until it’s melted. Skim off the milk solids on top and discard them. Keep the butter warm. In a double boiler or metal bowl over simmering water, constantly whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice until the mixture reaches 160° or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Reduce the heat to low. Slowly drizzle in the clarified butter, whisking constantly until the sauce has thickened and emulsified. Whisk in the salt and pepper.

Editor’s Tip: This process “clarifies” the butter, giving it a super smooth mouthfeel. Another term for clarified butter, used in Indian cooking, is ghee.

Step 3: Cook the spinach

TASTE OF HOME

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for two to three minutes or until it’s soft. Stir in the baby spinach and garlic and cook for one to two more minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Season it with salt and a splash of lemon juice.

Step 4: Assemble the eggs Florentine

TASTE OF HOME

To assemble the eggs Florentine, pile cooked spinach on halves of toasted English muffin. Top each with a poached egg. Drizzle with the hollandaise.

TASTE OF HOME

Eggs Florentine Variations

• Add meat or seafood: For extra protein, make a combo eggs Benedict-Florentine (Benetine? Floredict?) by topping the English muffin halves with sliced ham, prosciutto or Canadian bacon before layering on the spinach. Or, use silky slices of smoked salmon, your favorite tinned fish or pieces of roasted chicken with rosemary.
• Mix in more veggies: You don’t have to stop with spinach. Eggs and hollandaise sauce are great with roasted bell pepper, fresh heirloom tomato slices, sauteed mushrooms or all of the above.
• Doll up the sauce: Enhance your hollandaise sauce with an herb or two, such as dill, tarragon or basil. Make it spicy with cayenne powder or hot sauce. Or go for a campfire vibe by sprinkling in smoked salt and smoked paprika.

How to Store Eggs Florentine

Eggs Florentine is not an ideal dish for storage. However, if you have an extra serving or two, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge.

How long does hollandaise sauce last?

Hollandaise sauce is delicate and best used right away. It can be kept tightly sealed in the fridge for up to two days if needed.

Can you make eggs Florentine ahead of time?

It’s fine to make the sauteed spinach ahead of time, but the poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, while possible to prep in advance and reheat, are rather finicky. They are truly best made fresh, just before you wish to eat them.

Eggs Florentine Tips

TASTE OF HOME

Can you use frozen spinach for eggs Florentine?

Yes. Thaw the spinach in the fridge the night before you wish to use it, and squeeze out and discard any excess water before adding it to the pan. It won’t taste exactly the same as fresh spinach, but it will be good all the same.

Can you use other types of bread for eggs Florentine?

Trying different bases for Florentine is a great way to put your own spin on the dish. You could use a batch of flaky cheddar chive biscuits, but if you don’t have time, any great bread will do. I like to pile poached eggs and veggies on hearty multigrain slices or caraway-studded rye. You could even put an egg Florentine atop crispy potato pancakes!

What happens if my hollandaise sauce breaks?

There are a couple of ways to rescue a broken hollandaise. For starters, try adding a bit more lemon juice or a small amount of Dijon mustard and whisking vigorously. If that doesn’t work, whisk fresh egg yolk and some lemon juice or mustard in a new bowl, place it over your water bath, and slowly whisk it into the broken sauce.

What else can you serve with eggs Florentine?

Want more protein? A slice of maple-baked salmon is a nice accompaniment to a veggie Benedict. Looking for a little something sweet? Match up your eggs Florentine with a berry-packed smoothie bowl or some easy almond joy chia pudding.