Hollandaise Sauce with Poached Eggs

For the hollandaise sauce, place butter into a small saucepan and melt slowly over a gentle heat. Remove from heat and skim any white solids from surface. Keep the butter warm.

Separate 2 eggs. Place the egg yolks (reserve whites for another use) in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water and whisk until pale and thickened (doubled in volume and thick ribbons). Add 1/2 a tablespoon of cold water, lemon juice and whisk for another 30 seconds.

Gradually add most of the butter to the egg mixture whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining butter. Season to taste. Keep the sauce warm by resting the bowl in a pan of lukewarm water.

To poach the eggs, half fill a large wide-based pan with hot water, add vinegar. Bring to a rapid simmer. Crack an egg into a small cup, stir the water to create a whirlpool; pour egg into the water and repeat with remaining eggs. Cook for 3 minutes for a soft yolk. Using a slotted spoon remove eggs to a paper towel-lined plate.

Top muffins with eggs and spoon over hollandaise sauce. Serve with roasted roma tomatoes and baby spinach. Tip 1: If you think your sauce is about to curdle but not scramble, immediately remove from heat and whisk in a cube of ice. Or you can remove sauce from heat and place 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of the curdled sauce in a medium heatproof bowl. Whisk over over the pan of barely simmering water until the mixture combines and thickens and the emulsion is reformed, then whisk in the remaining sauce in a slow steady stream until combined. Tip 2: Hollandaise sauce also goes well with grilled fish or steak.