Eggs Sardou
Eggs Sardou
Brennan's is renowned for its breakfast, and Eggs Sardou — creamed spinach topped with a fried arthchoke heart, a poached egg and sauce Choron — is one of its most famous breakfast dishes. Recipe courtesy of Brennan's Restaurant
Prep Time
1
hour
Cook Time
2
hours
Servings
4
Total time: 3 hours
Ingredients
- 8 artichokes, large
- 3 lemons, juiced
- 8 cup panko
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup choron sauce (recipe follows)
- 2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 pound spinach
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 bunch fresh chervil
- 1/2 cup canned plum tomatoes, crushed
- 2 sprigs chervil
- 4 egg yolks, large
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1" cubes
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 2 dashes hot sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
- For the Artichokes:
- Add the lemon juice to a medium saucepan with 1qt of water and a pinch of salt.
- Remove the outer leaves from the artichoke until the tender leaves remain.
- Trim the top of the artichoke down to the choke is exposed.
- Trim away the tough outer flesh of the artichoke following the natural shape.
- Cut off the stem and scoop out the choke using a spoon.
- Immediately place all the artichoke hearts in the lemon water after trimmed.
- Put the saucepan on the stove and bring artichokes to a simmer.
- Cook for 15 minutes then remove from the water and let cool until needed.
- Once artichokes are cool, beat 4 eggs together until liquid.
- Place all-purpose flour in a small bowl with salt and pepper, place beaten eggs in another bowl, and place panko in another bowl.
- To bread the artichokes, dip artichokes in flour, then beaten eggs, and lastly panko crumbs.
- Repeat this process with the remaining artichokes until all 8 are done. Reserve breaded artichokes in fridge until needed.
- For the Creamed Spinach:
- In a medium saucepan, reduce the cream by half and whisk in the grated parmesan.
- Keep in warm place on the stove until needed.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat until foaming.
- Add garlic and spinach and wilt quickly then drain on paper towel lined tray.
- Add drained spinach to parmesan cream and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Keep in warm place until needed.
- To Assemble the Dish:
- Heat fryer to 350 degrees.
- Bring 1 gallon of water to a simmer with the ½ cup of vinegar in a large saucepan.
- Crack 12 eggs (some extra to allow for mistakes) into paper disposable cups or ramekins.
- Using a slotted spoon, spin the water into a whirlpool like circle and drop all the eggs quickly one by one.
- Let the eggs cook for 3 minutes and remove to a paper towel lined tray using a slotted spoon.
- Drop the artichokes in the fryer and fry until golden brown and crispy about 3 minutes then remove from oil and season with salt.
- Place 2oz. of the creamed spinach in the center of 4 warm plates.
- Place two artichokes on top of the spinach side by side, top all artichokes with a poached egg each, lastly spoon choron sauce over the eggs.
- Garnish with paprika and chervil sprigs.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the tomato puree with the chervil sprigs until there is no more liquid, and the puree is reduced to about 1 tablespoon.
- Discard the chervil sprigs.
- Set the tomato puree aside.
- For the butter used in the sauce: Place the cubed butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until the butter is completely melted, about 2 ½ minutes.
- Remove the butter from the microwave and let sit for a few minutes; skim off any foam that has formed on the top and discard.
- Pour the clear yellow butter into another dish, avoiding any of the milk solids in the bottom.
- In a small saucepan, combine the egg yolks and lemon juice and cook over low heat, whisking the mixture briskly until it starts to thicken.
- You may need to pull the pan on and off the heat to control the temperature, so you don’t scramble the egg yolks.
- Once the eggs are thickened, use a ladle to slowly drizzle half the clarified butter into the eggs while continuing to whisk.
- Thin the sauce out a bit with a tablespoon of water to prevent the sauce from getting too tight and breaking.
- Continue adding the remaining butter and whisking.
- You should end up with a thick and silky emulsified sauce.
- To finish the sauce, add the vinegar, hot sauce, salt, and reserved tomato puree and mix well with a whisk.
- Keep the sauce warm beside the stove until needed.