The Steakhouse Benedict

What pleases dad more then steak and eggs? Make it as a Benedict and it adds a touch of  class. With Father's Day upon us, I want to approximate the classic steakhouse for breakfast. Filling in for the traditional English muffin, I want to substitute garlic toast, the Canadian bacon with a tenderloin filet, and filling in for the Hollandaise, the classic steakhouse favorite sauce, Béarnaise. If dad is vegetarian, no problem, just substitute a grilled portobello mushroom for the filet or if mushrooms are not your thing, try your favorite grilled vegetable. Dad deserves the best and this goes a long way to say that he is special.

Ingredients:

 One 2 inch thick beef tenderloin
 2 large eggs 
 2 3 inch rounds of bread
 Salt and Pepper to season
 Garlic clove
 3 Tbsp Butter
 Béarnaise Sauce (recipe follows)

Cut tenderloin into 2 one inch pieces and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet on medium high heat, add butter and sear to color each side. Lower the heat to low, then finish cooking the tenderloin to the desired doneness, basting with the butter. Keep warm. Toast bread and rub with garlic clove and reserve.

Poach two eggs and keep warm until assembly. Place toast on plate and top with tenderloin, then poached egg and top with Béarnaise sauce. 


 Béarnaise Sauce:

Ingredients:

 1 tsp. finely chopped shallot
 ¾ tsp. dried tarragon
 ½ cup white wine vinegar
 5 crushed peppercorns
 2 egg yolks
 1 cup warm clarified butter
 Pinch cayenne pepper

Add shallot, tarragon, vinegar and peppercorns to sauce pan on medium heat and reduce to 2/3 then cool. 

Warm water to a simmer in a saucepan then reduce heat to low. In a metal bowl,  wisk egg yolks and vinegar mixture together over the hot water until the mixture lightens in color and starts to thicken. Wisk warm clarified butter slowly a few drop at a time into the yolk mixture letting it fully incorporate before adding more. After wisking all the butter wisk in the cayanne pepper, taste and correct the seasoning. If the mixture is too thick wisk in warm water a bit at a time until the right consistency is reached. Strain and reserve warm.

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