Eggs Benedict/Florentine

[Ms T]

Must try Sitifi's. I'm sure somebody recommended their cakes too... *salivates*

I like it there. The man who runs it is very sweet and the mixed mezze is amazing. Cheap too. He also does a great bacon sandwich with decent bread and lots of filling.

 

[gaijingirl]

Cafe Sitifis is fantastic. The Algerian guy who runs is extremely nice. If you have a baby, he's incredibly accommodating with high chair, a box of toys and also there's a low seated area which he'll give over to toddlers when it's quiet. He has a small person of his own and is lovely with the tinies. He is a great guy to have a chat with too - most interesting. For a fiver you can have the most enormous mezze and a cuppa - waaay too much to eat is the only thing. It's all very fresh and delicious and extremely varied.

Duck Egg cafe I'm dying to try but it's the least toddler/baby friendly place imaginable. So not great for me - although I'm sure lovely for others. I'll definitely give it a go if I'm ever able.

Will try Casa Sybilla when it gets warmer and the littl'un can run around - again, currently not really suitable - been meaning to try there for a while in fact.

As you can see my criteria for good eggs florentine has become somewhat more demanding and not entirely food-related... Still they're doing EF/EB everywhere these days so good to add an extra challenge!

 

[El Sueno]

I was visiting an old friend down in Tumbridge Wells and we had this in a nice little cafe/restaurant the name of which I can't recall:-

One benedict, one florentine and we swapped so we had one of each. Not bacon but a decent bit of ham - is this a case for trade descriptions? Maybe it said ham in the menu, can't even remember now. Well there's my contribution.

 

[kittyP]

Have been meaning to say for a while that my local - Brazas -now does pretty much perfect Eggs Florentine.... oh happy days! I am eating EF out less and less as gaijinboy has perfected his own - so it's a fairly regular occurence at home. However, I am still to try Sitifis' version and as I very much like that restaurant, it is on my hit list.

Seeing as Brazas is just around the corner from us I am going to try and convince the boy to take me there for EF or EB brekki one Sunday.

 

[8den]

This was part of Delia's world cup lunches for the Germany world cup. Designed to be made during half time.

Eggs Benedict (serves 2)

The all-day breakfast brings together one of the most sublime combinations of ingredients - bacon and eggs, toasted muffins and buttery hollandaise sauce.

4 large, very fresh eggs

8 slices pancetta, grilled till crisp

2 English muffins, split in half horizontally

Butter

For the foaming hollandaise

2 large eggs, separated

1 dessertspoon lemon juice

1 dessertspoon white wine vinegar

4 oz (110g) butter

Salt and freshly milled black pepper

The hollandaise can be made before the game: separate the eggs, putting the yolks in a blender. Season the yolks, then give them a whizz to blend them. Heat the lemon juice and vinegar in a small pan until it simmers, switch on the blender and slowly pour the hot liquid on to the yolks. Using the same pan melt the butter and when it is foaming switch the blender on and pour in the butter in a slow trickle. Whisk the two egg whites to soft peaks and fold in the sauce. This should stay warm in the bowl over a pan of hot water. Grill the pancetta beforehand and put a kettle on to boil.

Come half-time, switch the grill up to its highest setting, poach the eggs in simmering water in a frying-pan for one minute, remove from the heat, put a lid on and leave the eggs in the water for 10 minutes. Toast the muffin slices lightly on both sides and butter them. Place on a baking tray, then top each half with two slices of pancetta and a poached egg. Spoon hollandaise on top of each serving, then flash them under the grill for 25-30 seconds - they need to be golden. Serve straight away.

 

[skyscraper101]

Just a quick contribution to this thread. I had eggs florentine at Patisserie Valerie near Holland Park the other day and they served it on brioche loaf bread. Its delicious.

 

[RubyToogood]

Funny. I was just resurrecting this thread to say that I had eggs benedict at Patisserie Valerie in Covent Garden today and it was crap. The brioche was all wrong, far too sweet, and the whole thing totally failed to impress.

 

[RubyToogood]

And am going to bump this thread again to ask for recommendations in central London. Somewhere that is not cramped or rushed.

 

[wayward bob]

i'm making eggs benedict in bed my new life's ambition thanks to this thread

 

[RubyToogood]

i'm making eggs benedict in bed my new life's ambition thanks to this thread

Tricky cooker positioning.

 

[wayward bob]

or fuck a chef

 

[8den]

Funny. I was just resurrecting this thread to say that I had eggs benedict at Patisserie Valerie in Covent Garden today and it was crap. The brioche was all wrong, far too sweet, and the whole thing totally failed to impress.

Brioche, you're doing it wrong.

 

[purenarcotic]

Eggs Royale plx. Smoked salmon ftw.

 

[lang rabbie]

Brixton Brew this morning.
Surpisingly good for only £3.99 but the cappuccino was scalded

 

[TitanSound]

but the capuccino was scalded

What did it do wrong?

 

[Santino]

the capuccino was scalded

Dirty robbing bastards.

 

[Kanda]

.

 

[Kanda]

Brixton Brew this morning.
Surpisingly good for only £3.99 but the cappuccino was scalded

View attachment 20635

Scalded? You mean too hot?

(Bernie the owner wants to know)

 

[lang rabbie]

Yes - so the milk tasted boiled. Not a big gripe.

 

[RubyToogood]

Where/what is Brixton Brew?

 

[lang rabbie]

Where/what is Brixton Brew?

It is in the former pool room of the Hand in Hand pub on New Park Rd, Brixton Hill (corner of Morrish Rd).
Their Eggs Benedict is perfectly adequate for a neighbourhood spot, but may not meet the exacting standards of some posters on this thread.