I realize it’s Monday morning and you’ve likely started the day with something practical, like steel-cut oats, having got all the bacon and whatnot out of your system over the weekend. But we all dream of sleeping in and lounging over brunch, right? It helps to have that golden beacon shining from the end of the week.

I seem to be in Easter mode early this year – perhaps because it hasn’t snowed since the day W received his much-coveted snow tube in the mail sometime mid-January (it still sits sadly in the front hall, unused) – and maybe because Easter arrives so early. Two weeks! Easter or not, the warm and suddenly longer days jolt me into brunch mode – and although most weekend mornings I like to spend extra time in the kitchen baking something to nibble with coffee, this past weekend there were more crammed around our little table in the kitchen (even though I (finally!) managed to clear some surface area on the dining room table) and I used it as an excuse to make a batch of hollandaise. Which is really just mayo made with melted butter instead of oil, and which you can dip literally everything in your kitchen into. Even a spoon, or your finger. Anyone within eyeshot will understand.

I was waffling – get it? – between eggs Benny and waffles when I realized we could, in fact, have the best of both worlds, and that the divots in said waffles would be perfect for capturing any drips attempting to escape from the eggs. I love a good, drippy egg, and although poached eggs on toast has been our breakfast/lunch/dinner standby since we were kids, they’re easy enough to make for a crowd, too.

Poach a few at a time and then transfer them to a pan or shallow container, cover and refrigerate until you need them, then slip them into simmering water just long enough to reheat. Waffles can be kept warm in the oven, and the hollandaise will stand at room temperature while you get the table set – if it starts to congeal, sit the pitcher in a bowl of warm water. (Or spread it on toast. For real.)

Waffle Eggs Benny

AuthorJulie

Yields1 Serving

Waffles:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups milk or cream

1/4 cup canola oil or melted butter

2 large eggs

6-8 eggs, poached

Blender Hollandaise:

3 large egg yolks

1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

pinch salt

1/2 cup butter

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, Parmesan, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the milk, oil and eggs. Add to the dry ingredients and stir just until the batter is combined.

Preheat your waffle iron and spray it with nonstick spray; cook a ladleful (about 1/3 cup, depending on the size of your iron) of batter at a time, and leave it until it stops steaming – cook until deep golden and crisp.

To make the hollandaise, put the yolks, mustard, lemon juice and salt into a blender; cover and pulse until blended. Melt the butter on the stovetop or in the microwave until melted and hot; with the blender on high speed, slowly pour the butter through the hole in the top. It should start to thicken to the consistency of mayonnaise. Once all the butter has been added, scrape the hollandaise out into a bowl and keep at room temperature until serving time.

Top waffles with poached eggs and drizzle generously with hollandaise.

Serves 6-8.

Categorybreakfast, eggs

Ingredients