Eggs Sardou is a New Orleans brunch institution. Artichoke bottoms, creamed spinach, poached eggs, hollandaise. Each component requires attention, but none requires much time. On a Sunday morning when you want something that feels like an occasion, this is it. Paprika on top, not optional for looks.
How to Make Eggs Sardou
The artichoke bottoms
Warm them gently in butter over medium heat. You’re not cooking them, just heating through. Two minutes, turn once, keep them covered and warm while you poach the eggs.
Poaching without chaos
Gently simmering water, not a rolling boil. Fresh eggs hold together better. If you’re doing twelve at once, work in batches and keep finished eggs warm in a bowl of hot water. 
Hollandaise order of operations
Make it last, keep it warm. Clarified butter gives you a more stable sauce than whole butter. Add lemon at the end and taste before you pour.
Eggs Sardou
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
A classic New Orleans brunch dish. Warm artichoke hearts, creamy spinach, and perfectly poached eggs, all topped with rich hollandaise.
Ingredients
- 12 freshly cooked artichoke bottoms
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter
- 12 large eggs
- 6 English muffins
- 1 cups (237 ml) Creamed Spinach
- 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) freshly made hollandaise sauce
- Dash of Paprika
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) water
- 3 large egg yolks
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- Ice cubes
- 1/2 cups (118 ml) warm clarified butter
- 2 to 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add artichoke bottoms and cook gently, turning once, for 2 minutes, until heated through without browning. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside in a warm place.
- Warm 6 dinner plates in a low oven (approximately 200°F/93°C) and poach the eggs.
- Place 2 toasted muffin halves on each plate, cut side up, and top with an artichoke bottom.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of creamed spinach into each artichoke bottom, and top with a poached egg.
- Ladle ¼ cup Hollandaise Sauce over each egg and sprinkle with paprika. Serve immediately.
- Sauce
- In a small, heavy saucepan, combine water, egg yolks, and a pinch of salt.
- Whisk constantly over low heat until foamy and thick enough to form a ribbon when the whisk is lifted. The mixture should be pale yellow and the consistency of thin yogurt. Have ice cubes ready.
- Quickly drop an ice cube into the mixture and whisk it in. Once the mixture reaches the correct foamy consistency, cool the pan by tilting it and holding the base under cold running water for a few seconds to stop further cooking.
- Off the heat, add warm clarified butter drop by drop, whisking constantly. Add butter slowly for 30 seconds, then add the rest in a thin, steady stream until incorporated.
- Whisk in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and taste. Add more lemon juice gradually, if needed, to balance the flavor.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and a pinch of white pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For perfectly poached eggs, ensure the water is gently simmering, not boiling vigorously.
- If you don’t have clarified butter, you can substitute melted unsalted butter for the hollandaise, but the sauce may be slightly less rich.
- To make ahead, prepare the artichokes and creamed spinach separately and store them refrigerated for up to 2 days. Poach the eggs and make the hollandaise just before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Brunch
- Method: Poaching
- Cuisine: French-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 300
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned or jarred artichoke bottoms instead of fresh?
Yes. Drain them well and pat dry before warming in the butter. They won’t have quite the same texture as fresh, but they save a lot of prep time.
How do I keep the hollandaise warm while I poach the eggs?
Set the bowl of hollandaise over a pot of barely warm water, not hot. Stir it occasionally. It will hold for about 20 minutes this way without breaking.
What’s the difference between Eggs Sardou and Eggs Benedict?
Eggs Benedict uses Canadian bacon or ham on an English muffin with hollandaise. Eggs Sardou swaps in artichoke bottoms and creamed spinach, giving it a more vegetable forward profile.
