Eggs Benedict with Apricot Country Ham and Southern Biscuits

Southern Biscuits

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. In a wide and deep bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into small the flour mixture into each other until it looks like coarse meal. Pour in the buttermilk, and gently mix until just combined.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly, and compress and push the dough away from you. Gently fold dough back over itself, giving the dough a small turn and repeat 8 or so times. Again, be gentle as you want to just barely want to activate the gluten, not overwork it. If it is too wet , add a bit more flour. Lightly dust the rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out 3/4 inch thick. Cut out rounds of dough with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter that has been dipped in flour, and press the cutter straight down. Pull straight up with no twisting, and the biscuits should rise evenly when baked.
3. Place the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet or in an 8-9 inch round cake pan. If the biscuits are baked close together the sides will be moist. If the biscuits are baked further apart, the sides will be crisp.
4. Using a metal spatula, move the biscuits to the pan or baking sheet. Bake the biscuits on the top rack of the oven for 10 to 14 minutes total until light golden brown. When the biscuits are done, remove from the oven and lightly brush the tops with softened or melted butter.Transfer to a rack to cool just slightly. When not using two biscuits, each sliced in half for this recipe, serve warm with lots of butter, sorghum, or sausage gravy.

Country Ham

1. Cook two ham slices in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove ham, add one tablespoon of butter to the same skillet and quickly whisk in one tablespoon of apricot preserves for 1 to 2 minutes. Place ham back and pan to keep warm, turning as necessary. Repeat this method for each additional serving.
2. Place ham slices evenly shared on top of biscuits. Top ham slices with pan juices.

Poached Eggs

1. For the most success, and a “tighter’ poached egg, use fresh eggs. As eggs get older their makeup changes and the whites become more fluid when dropping them in boiling water. A spoonful of vinegar does help by encouraging the whites to coagulate faster. Just a splash won’t change the taste and almost guarantees success. If poaching several eggs at once, make sure there’s room in your pot for each one to have room (Remember Juila Child saying to not crowd the mushrooms? Same concept) . Crack the eggs into separate measuring cups and slip them into the water one by one. You’ll also need to extend the cooking time by about 30 seconds for each extra egg.
2. Fill a saucepan 2/3 full with water and bring to a rolling boil. Don’t skip this step.
3. Turn the heat down to a medium simmer. Bubbles will come up to the surface, but it won’t be rolling. Crack the egg into a small measuring cup. Add optional teaspoon of vinegar. Lower the egg carefully into the water and gently fold it out into the water. Water now should be at a low simmer. If you are like me and seek a firm white and a gooey, runny yolk cook the eggs for 4 minutes. One minute longer for a harder yolk. Less if you like a runny white. Use a slotted spoon to gently remove the egg from the water as it drains.
4. Place the poached egg on a top of the country ham with apricot glaze that is on top of the Southern biscuit. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Julia’s Hollandaise

1. *A shortcut is to buy a dry packet from your favorite grocery store, add 1/4 lemon juiced and seeded, and whisk in 2 tablespoons of Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves.
2. Whisk the yolks, water, and lemon juice in the saucepan for a few moments, until thick and pale (this prepares them for what is to come).
3. Set the pan over moderately low heat and continue to whisk at reasonable speed, reaching all over the bottom and insides of the pan, where the eggs tend to overcook.
4. To moderate the heat, frequently move the pan off the burner for a few seconds, and then back on. (If, by chance, the eggs seem to be cooking too fast, set the pan in the bowl of cold water to cool the bottom, then continue).
5. As they cook, the eggs will become frothy and increase in volume, and then thicken. When you can see the pan bottom through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat.
6. By spoonfuls, add the soft butter, whisking constantly to incorporate each addition. As the emulsion forms, you may add the butter in slightly larger amounts, always whisking until fully absorbed. Continue incorporating butter until the sauce has thickened to the consistency you want.
7. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper, whisking in well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding droplets of lemon juice if needed. Serve lukewarm.
8. Top the poached eggs sitting on the apricot glazed country ham and biscuits with a generous amount of hollandaise. Sprinkle with fresh herbs (optional) like my chive blossom, thyme, basil or other.