Waffles Benedict

To make the hollandaise, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

In a food processor, combine the whole egg, egg yolks, lemon juice and cayenne and process until smooth. With the processor running, slowly pour the melted butter through the feed tube and process until incorporated, about 1 minute.

Pour the sauce back into the saucepan, set over low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. For a thicker sauce, continue to cook over medium-low heat until the desired consistency is reached. For a thinner sauce, add up to 1 Tbs. more water. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

To make the waffles, preheat a waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Preheat an oven to 200°F (95°C).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, black pepper and Parmesan. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Add the eggs and melted butter and whisk until smooth.

Pour a heaping 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) batter into each well of the waffle maker. Close the lid and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until golden brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the waffles to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining waffles.

Heat a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp underneath, about 5 minutes, then turn the bacon over and cook until crisp on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and cover with aluminum foil. Pour off all except 1 Tbs. fat from the pan, set over medium heat and add the spinach. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and lemon juice. Remove from the heat.

Place a waffle on each individual plate. Top each with some of the spinach, bacon, a poached egg, a generous spoonful of hollandaise and microgreens. Add a few grindings of pepper and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen