FOOD
Eggs Oscar with Crisp Duck Fat Potatoes##Photo by Del Munroe

Bubbles and Brunch

Eggs Oscar with Crisp Duck Fat Potatoes

WineCountryCooking

Wendy Bennett, a longtime professional chef, owns and operates Wine Country Cooking Studio in Dundee, She lives nearby on a 12-acre farm with her family and a barn full of animals.

Spoil mom with freshly poached eggs layered with Dungeness crab and roasted asparagus coated with Béarnaise sauce (Tarragon flavored hollandaise) on a toasted English muffin accompanied with crisp duck fat potatoes with garlic and parsley. Pair with a crisp Oregon sparkling and make it a Mother’s Day fit for a queen!

Also: Mother's Day Brunch in Wine Country

Eggs Oscar

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 slices English muffins, toasted
12 asparagus spears, roasted  (recipe below)
8 ounces Dungeness crab meat, warmed
4 poached eggs (recipe below)
12 ounces Béarnaise sauce (recipe below)

Assembly

1. Place English muffin on a warm plate; top with roasted asparagus, poached egg, crab meat and coat with Béarnaise sauce. Serve immediately.

Roasted Asparagus

1 pound asparagus, trimmed to 4–5 inches
2 tablespoons olive oil
* salt, to taste
* pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. 2 Place asparagus on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 3. Drizzle olive oil on asparagus; sprinkle with salt and pepper. 4. Roast until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes depending on thickness.

Poached Eggs

Quality poached eggs should be bright, shiny, compact, and round, with tender whites and liquid yolks.

Method

1. Use the freshest grade AA eggs for best results. If eggs are not very fresh, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of distilled vinegar per quart of water. 2. Bring water to a simmer (160° to 180°F) in an appropriate 4.  Simmer 3 to 5 minutes; whites should be coagulated and the yolk soft. 5. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon. 6. Drain well and trim edges, if needed, to serve immediately. To hold for later service, cool in very cold water to stop the cooking and briefly reheat in hot water before serving.

Béarnaise Sauce

Yield: 1½ cups

Ingredients

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 egg yolks
6–8 ounces butter, melted
1–2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
* pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon tarragon, fresh, chopped
* salt, to taste

Method

1. Place vinegar and yolks in a blender and combine. 2. With blender running, slowly add the warm, melted butter. Do not add the butter too quickly or mixture will separate. 3. Once all butter is added, add lemon juice, cayenne pepper and tarragon. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning. 4. Keep warm until serving; discard any remaining sauce after 2 hours.

Crisp Duck Fat Potatoes with Garlic and Parsley

Yield: 4–6 servings

Ingredients

1½ pounds Russet potatoes
* salt, to taste
* black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup duck fat, rendered
4 cloves garlic, minced

Method

1. Peel potatoes and cut into large, even pieces (6 per large potato). Place in cold, salted water and bring to boil. Parboil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool on counter. 2. Using a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt the duck fat. Once hot, add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Do not move potatoes until they are crisp on the bottom. 3. Turn potatoes and continue cooking until crisp and brown on all sides. 4. Remove potatoes from pan; toss with garlic and parsley. Season with salt and pepper; serve immediately.

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