Ever since I first heard about this dish, I’ve been anxious to try it. An odd combination to be sure, but it’s beautiful together. Put this dish from Southern chef Josh Harbiger in your brunch -for-four-friends repertoire.
Nigella Lawson, who clearly lives, cooks and eats with absolute lust and abandon, said this dish just “slapped the jet lag and hangover right out of her.” I can see why - it’s bold choice for the morning, but a great one nonetheless, especially if you love a good Reuben like I do.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons minced yellow onion
1 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 large egg yolks
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and warmed
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
4 large eggs
4 slices of rye bread
1/2 pound sliced corned beef or pastrami
1 cup drained sauerkraut, warmed
METHOD
In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice with the ketchup, onion, Worcestershire sauce, pickle relish, sugar, salt and cayenne. Place the bowl over a saucepan of just-simmering water and keep warm. In essence, you are making a Thousand Island Hollandaise.
In a blender, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with the egg yolks and 1/2 tablespoon of water and blend until smooth. With the blender on, slowly drizzle in the melted butter until the sauce is emulsified.
Gently fold the hollandaise into the ketchup mixture and keep warm.
Preheat the oven to 425.
Fill a high-sided skillet halfway with water. Add the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. (The vinegar in the water is a trick that helps keep the egg together as it solidifies).
Crack each egg into a ramekin and add to the water. Poach the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are runny, about 3 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer the eggs to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Cover the poached eggs with foil to keep warm.
On a baking sheet, toast the rye bread for 8 minutes, turning once.
Top with the corned beef and bake for 2 more minutes. Top each toast with sauerkraut, a poached egg and the Reuben hollandaise. Serve immediately.
Chef Harbiger recommends pairing this with a light rose, though I’d imagine Nigella would prefer a rich, spicy Bloody Mary.
Should you side with the chef, try the Segura Viudas Brut Rose.
I myself am neither hung over nor jet-lagged, so a nice espresso was fine for me. Though I’m not at all above keeping that suggestion in my files.