Eggs Benedict Paternoster
August 23, 2010 in Uncategorized
I make no secret of it that I hate cooking breakfast. Although I kind of take it in my stride by now, it’s the one shift that I still curse through every day.
Like my dad always says, cooking breakfast is “ongeskoolde arbeid”… and I completely agree. But it’s more than that. People are grumpy at breakfast time. They’re groggy and hungry. And fussy. And impatient. And they don’t want to be challenged with an interesting, off-beat breakfast menu. In short, 99% of people who go out for breakfast, in my opinion, actually want to be at the Wimpy. They want eggs, they want bacon, they want coffee, and they want it FAST. No fun.
Moreover, when you’re sitting in Oep ve Koep’s back garden, you couldn’t be further from the Wimpy. It’s the West Coast, it’s laid-back, it’s a one man show. We’ll serve you a piping hot moerkoffie in no time, and a decent plaasontbyt will follow… just as soon as I have a spare hob to cook the bacon on.
Because I hate doing bacon-and-egg-breakfast so much (especially for the fussy “bacon-crispy-eggs-well-done” and “don’t-let-anything-touch-anything-else” types), I have tried my best to make it more interesting.
Bokkoms on toast is a staple, served with slices of fresh tomato, raw onion, fresh lemon and a tangy-sweet tomato jam on the side – and we are by now able to convince slightly more adventurous eaters to go for this option. Then there’s French toast with bacon, banana and moskonfyt – hardly a challenge for the tastebuds, but a yummy options that’s gaining in popularity. The homemade ricotta with green fig preserve on toast, and scrambled egg with toast and bokkom butter are slowly climbing the ranks as well. However, the Oep ve Koep medley of bacon, eggs, wors, toast, jam and cheese, with coffee, remains unchallenged at the top of the chart…
Until this morning, when I was awoken by the presence of a very persistent recipe whirling through my mind. A sort of breakfast bruschetta, which I am determined will knock the good old spek-en-eier-brekfis off its dusty, rusty first place podium:
Behold Eggs Benedict Paternoster (I’m going for the hard-sell here) – a deliciously crunchy slice of toasted Oep ve Koep ciabatta, topped with smoky Black Forest ham, a soft-poached Paternoster free range egg, strips of olive-oil-marinated bokkom, and a citrusy beurre blanc bursting with flavourful naartjie to finish it off.
It’s decadent, it’s traditional with a twist, it’s West Coast, it’s eggy deliciousness at its breakfast best – and it’s fun to cook.
Poelie said on August 23, 2010
I can strongly recommend the Eggs Benedict Paternoster. Great.
sharonsmit said on August 23, 2010
Ek weet mens is maar moeilik so vroeg in die dag, maar ‘n lekker breakie doen wondere vir die gemoedstoestand!
Jou eggs-benedict lyk te mooi om te eet…
TheCreativePot said on August 23, 2010
Ek is seker anders as die gemiddelde Suid-Afrikaner dan, want ek sal uit my pad uit gaan om NIE die stock standard Wimpy breakfast te eet nie. Maar daar is gewoonlik nie juis veel ander opsies op die menu nie! :-/
Hou van die bokkom twist hierso – klink super.
dominique.brown said on August 23, 2010
Waitressing during breakfast shift was my worst nightmare, as you say people are often hungry, grumps and fussy (and they forget you’ve usually been up longer!) Your paternoster benedict looks amazing, I would wait all day for that brekkie!
ninatimm said on August 23, 2010
Holy heck, dit is so awesome ek wil sommer inklim en begin kook!!! Sjoe, dit is a stroke of Genius!!
tombaentrix said on August 23, 2010
It looks simply deevine!
brandnew said on August 23, 2010
Where was the Paternoster Eggs Benedict yesterday morning? Ai, can’t believe we missed out on this one! Looks delicious.
Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, but then it has to be along the lines of the dish above. Don’t get me wrong a Wimpy breakfast has a time and place, but I much prefer what you have cooked up here.
DroomKind said on August 23, 2010
I think the new addition to your breakfast menu is fabulous! But when you do get a request for a well done egg it will be me… I don’t do runny eggs…If it can run it’s still alive in my book
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
Bly jy het gehou daarvan
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
Inderdaad. Net nie altyd so lekker om aan die ontvang kant te wees nie
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
Ek is mal oor spek en eiers, maar ja – daar is SOveel meer wat mens daarmee kan doen. En dan is daar die ensiklopediese lys van ander brekfis bestanddele wat almal net ignoreer…
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
Exactly!
Glad you’ll be prepared to wait for this one
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
Hehe, dankie Nina.
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
Thanks.
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
The epiphany only revealed itself to me after the crazy weekend, sorry
Will def make this on your next visit.
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
Thank you.
I don’t mind doing a well done egg (although I think it tastes like rubber) – BUT ay carumba, when there’s a table full of soft yolk, sunny sides and over easys, the one WELL done is always the one that throws a spanner in the works
pinkpolkadot said on August 24, 2010
It looks delicious!!
leaineskitchen said on August 24, 2010
OMW – I’d love to have breakfast at your place! Looks and sounds exquisite!
shazdart said on August 24, 2010
Wow this would be top of my list!! Look at the colour of that yolk, can just imagine how they taste. xx
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
Thanks.
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
Thank you – when can I book your table for you?
sardinesontoast said on August 24, 2010
I have to say these eggs are stars in their own right – large, deep-yellow yolks, and the occasional dubbeldoor! It makes the dish what it is if you have farm-fresh eggs.
davidbb said on August 24, 2010
mmmmmmm looks delicious,pls make me a vege alternative to ham- roasted seaweed?
very dense superfood salads are my new
discovery in London right now- and will probably buy Yotam Ottolenghi’s book, Plenty to bring back
My top tip forsummer at least chez-moi, is salads
liliradloff said on August 25, 2010
Dit lyk baie, baie lekker, maar ek’s nog nie so seker oor die bokkoms nie. Dis gedroogte vis, ne? Is dit baie visserig?
milkandhoney said on August 25, 2010
al kan ek nie nou heeltemal aan kos dink nie lyk dit regtig baie lekker. ek was brekfis chef vir 2 maande – boring!
Missbrightside said on August 26, 2010
Lovely lovely lovely! very impressive yet down to earth.
sardinesontoast said on August 26, 2010
Thanks Brightside.
sardinesontoast said on August 26, 2010
Ja dis nogal monotonous ne! Ek wens net die mense wil die meer opwindende goed bestel, dammit!
sardinesontoast said on August 26, 2010
Gedroogde vis ja, maar ek marineer dit in ‘n bietjie olyfolie en suurlemoensap. As jy ansjovis kan stomach wed ek jou jy sal van bokkoms hou. Selfs vis-sku Roelie eet dit
sardinesontoast said on August 26, 2010
Klipkombers could work… or young kelp “leaves”. I’ll investigate.
Looking forward to some London inspiration upon your return!
janicetripepi said on August 26, 2010
No better way to start your day!!!
sardinesontoast said on August 26, 2010
I agree!
potjie said on August 26, 2010
Ek kan glo dat daai plaas koffie van julle nie mense se grumpinis weg vat nie, miskien ‘n grappa’tjie on the side sal hulle in die mood sit vir ‘n lekker brekkie, ek kom eet daai eiers volgende keer, dan bly ek sommer vir lunch ook.
MickyM said on August 26, 2010
how yummy would that be with a glass of bubbles & OJ……………..
sardinesontoast said on August 27, 2010
Grappa…nou praat jy!
sardinesontoast said on August 27, 2010
…and then another glass of bubbles, and eventually lazy lunch with more wine
leaineskitchen said on August 31, 2010
I’ll be there in a shot – get my table ready
Lyndsay said on September 1, 2010
oh how yummy! Eggs benedict is my favourite but I cant make the sauce!
sardinesontoast said on September 1, 2010
This sauce is not the traditional accompaniment to Eggs Benedict(it’s actually a Hollandaise). However, the beurre blanc used in this West Coast version is just as satisfying but much easier in my opinion. If you look up beurre blanc, you’ll see it’s very straightforward – reduce some onion, white wine and white wine vinegar, whisk in cold chunks of butter and allow to emulsify, then season with a pinch of sugar, a squeeze of fresh naartjie and a drop of lemon juice.
soon-to-be-ex-fatty said on September 9, 2010
Looks divine! That runny sunshine yellow egg….yum!
sardinesontoast said on September 9, 2010
Thanks – all thanks to fresh free range eggs