Eggs Royale (Smoked Salmon Benedict)

Method

1. 1Make the hollandaise first and keep it warm. Melt the butter in a small saucepan until fully melted but not browned. For clarified butter, skim off the white foam and leave the milky liquid at the bottom of the pan behind; whole melted butter works too. In a heatproof bowl or blender, combine the 3 egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon, cayenne and a pinch of salt. Blender method: the butter should be hot and just starting to bubble. Blend the yolk mixture for 30 seconds, then with the motor running pour in the hot butter in a slow, steady stream; the sauce emulsifies and thickens in about 30 seconds. Double boiler method: let the butter cool until it is only warm (55 to 60°C). Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, not touching it, and whisk the yolks until pale and slightly thickened. Yolks start to scramble at around 65°C, so if the edges look set, lift the bowl off the heat at once and keep whisking. Then take the bowl off the heat and whisk in the butter a little at a time. Season with salt. Keep the sauce warm, not hot, over a pan of warm water or in a preheated thermos. It keeps thickening as it sits, so before serving whisk in a teaspoon of warm water if it has stiffened.
2. 2Poach the eggs. Fill a wide, deep saucepan with about 7 cm of water and add the white wine vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer — small bubbles rising from the bottom, not a rolling boil. Crack each egg into a small cup or ramekin first (never directly into the water). Lower the cup close to the water surface and tip the egg in gently. Add the eggs one at a time, 30 seconds apart. Poach for 3 minutes for a runny yolk, 3.5 minutes for slightly firmer. Do not boil vigorously — the turbulence tears the whites apart. Lift each egg with a slotted spoon and touch the white gently: it should be completely set and firm. The yolk should still feel soft and give when you press it. About a minute after the last egg goes in, put the muffin halves in the toaster or under the grill, so they come out hot just as the eggs are done.
3. 3Drain and trim the eggs. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon and rest briefly on a clean folded tea towel or a plate lined with kitchen paper. Wet eggs thin out the hollandaise and slide on the salmon, so let the water drain away. If any ragged strands of white have formed, trim them with scissors for a cleaner presentation. The eggs hold their heat for the few minutes the muffins need. For advance preparation: cook the eggs, immediately transfer to a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To serve, slide into barely simmering water, not boiling, for 60 seconds to reheat.
4. 4Assemble on the hot muffins. Take the muffins out as soon as they are golden — they need structure to support the topping, so they should be properly toasted, not just warm. Lay the smoked salmon generously over each muffin half. Salmon should cover the muffin completely and drape slightly over the edges. Place the drained poached egg directly on top of the salmon. The warmth of the egg will very slightly warm the salmon, which is desirable — cold salmon under a hot egg is better than trying to warm it separately.
5. 5Spoon hollandaise over and serve immediately. Give the hollandaise a quick whisk and loosen it with a teaspoon of warm water if it has thickened. Spoon it generously over each egg — it should pool on the egg and run slightly over the salmon and muffin edge. Scatter over the chives and capers. Serve immediately on warmed plates: hollandaise cools and thickens within minutes. This is not a dish that waits. If cooking for more than two, stagger the assembly so each plate is finished in sequence rather than all at once.