People often ask me what is my favourite ingredient. The answer is always the same: eggs. They are versatile, delicious and good value. I always look for the Bord Bia Quality Assurance mark. Eggs Benedict is traditionally made with a hollandaise sauce. But that is a tricky sauce to make. This sauce is the one that we use in the restaurant. It is much lighter and people like it, but go easy on the lemon juice. This sauce keeps for a week in the fridge. Instead of the muffins you could serve with the world famous PGI protected Waterford blaa. You can now get them as part of the Simply Better range in Dunnes Stores. They are made by Walsh’s Bakehouse, a fabulous third-generation family-owned business from Waterford.

During lockdown I made a video entitled “How to make an omelette” and it got a huge number of views. It was a simple cheese, bacon and mushroom omelette and it was my most popular video ever. Anyone can make a tasty omelette. To finish, I usually put it under the grill for a short time which puffs it up with a golden brown finish.

Happy cooking,

Neven.

Recipes

Neven's eggs Benedict. \ Photography: Claire-Jeanne Nash. Food styling: Janine Kennedy

Eggs Benedict

Serves four

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

8 eggs

16 smoked streaky bacon rashers, rinds removed

4 English breakfast muffins, split in half

25g (1oz) unsalted butter, softened

fresh chervil sprigs, to garnish

For the butter sauce:

100ml (3 ½fl oz) cream

1 tsp Dijon mustard

25g (1oz) butter, softened

1 tsp cornflour, sifted

squeeze of lemon juice

1 tsp snipped fresh chives

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 Heat a large pan with 2.25 litres (4 pints) water. Add the white wine vinegar and bring to the boil. Break each egg into the water where it’s bubbling, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 3 minutes, until the eggs are just cooked through but the yolks are still soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of iced water.
  • 2 Preheat the grill, then grill the bacon until it’s crispy and golden, turning regularly. Toast the muffins, cut side up, and spread with the butter.
  • 3 Meanwhile, to make the butter sauce, place the cream and mustard in a small pan and simmer for 1 minute. Whisk in the butter, cornflour and lemon juice, then continue to whisk for 2-3 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the chives and season to taste. Keep warm.
  • 4 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the poached eggs and cook for 1 minute to warm through.
  • 5 To serve, place two muffin halves on each warmed serving plate and put two rashers on top of each one. Using a slotted spoon, remove the poached eggs from the pan and drain briefly on kitchen paper. Place an egg on the bacon and spoon over the butter sauce. Garnish with the chervil sprigs.
  • Mushroom omelette

    Serves one

    2 tsp rapeseed oil

    knob of butter

    100g (4oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced

    3 large eggs

    1 tsp snipped fresh chives

    sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

    To serve:

    lightly dressed rocket salad (optional)

    crusty French bread (optional)

  • 1 Heat a non-stick frying pan with a base that’s about 20cm (8in) in diameter. Add 1 tsp of the oil and a little butter. Once the butter is foaming, tip in the mushrooms. Season to taste and then sauté for 2-3 minutes over a medium-high heat, until tender. Tip into a bowl and set aside.
  • 2 Wipe out the frying pan and return to the hob over a medium heat. Break the eggs into a bowl and add the chives, then season and lightly beat. Don’t be tempted to overbeat the eggs, as it will spoil the texture.
  • 3 When the pan is hot, add the remaining teaspoon of oil and then the butter, swirling the pan around so that the base and sides get coated. While the butter is still foaming, pour in the eggs, tilting the pan from side to side. Stir gently with a fork or wooden spatula, drawing the mixture from the sides to the centre as it sets. When the eggs have almost set, scatter over the reserved mushrooms. Tilt the pan away from you slightly and use a palette knife to fold over the omelette.
  • 4 To serve, slide the mushroom omelette onto a warmed serving plate and add the rocket salad and some crusty bread, if liked.