Eggs benedict with wild garlic hollandaise and mortadella

Method

1. To make the hollandaise, put a large heatproof bowl over a pan of just simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), then add the egg yolks and vinegar with a pinch of salt. Whisk continuously for around 2 minutes until the yolks become pale and thicker, and the whisks or beaters leave trails in the mixture. At this point, turn the heat off and slowly pour in the melted butter in a thin stream while continuously whisking. Go slowly and make sure the butter is emulsifying as you go. (You can add a tiny dash of cold water to bring it back together if it starts to look shiny and about to separate.) Once the butter has all been added, taste and season the sauce with salt, pepper and lemon juice, then gently stir in the wild garlic, reserving a little for garnish. Keep the sauce warm over a very low heat as cooling and reheating may split it.

2. Toast and butter your muffins, then layer up each one with 2 slices of mortadella. Crack the eggs, one by one, into a ramekin or teacup, then gently slip them into a pan of simmering water with the vinegar added (give the water a swirl with a whisk or spoon before adding the egg), working in batches as needed. After 2-3 minutes, when the white of the egg is cooked, retrieve using a slotted spoon, dab on kitchen paper to dry, then use to top each muffin. Season each egg with salt and pepper, then spoon over the garlicky hollandaise and finish with a sprinkle of the reserved wild garlic.