Eggs Royale with Smoked Salmon & Hollandaise

Eggs Royale is what happens when you swap the Canadian bacon in an Eggs Benedict for cold-smoked salmon — which turns out to be the kind of upgrade where you wonder why the original version ever made the other choice. The smoked salmon's delicate salinity against the rich hollandaise and the barely-set poached egg produces something genuinely extraordinary and, at the same time, entirely approachable.

It's the brunch dish at every good London hotel for a reason. The hollandaise can be made an hour ahead and kept warm. Poached eggs can be done ahead and reheated in just-simmering water for 30 seconds. The only tricky part is timing all four elements at once — and the prep-ahead approach removes that stress entirely.

Ingredients (serves 4): - 4 English muffins, split and toasted - 7 oz cold-smoked salmon (Scottish or Norwegian), thinly sliced - 8 large eggs, very fresh - 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar - Fresh dill sprigs and capers for garnish - Flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper

Hollandaise Sauce: - 4 large egg yolks - 1 tablespoon cold water - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, clarified and kept warm - 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice - Pinch of cayenne - Salt and white pepper

Hollandaise Method: Whisk egg yolks and cold water in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Whisk vigorously for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is thick, pale, and doubled in volume — it should leave a ribbon when the whisk is lifted. Remove from heat. Very slowly drizzle in the warm clarified butter, drop by drop at first, then in a thin stream, whisking constantly. If the sauce becomes too thick at any point, add a few drops of warm water. Whisk in lemon juice, cayenne, salt, and white pepper. Keep warm, covered, over the hot water (with heat off) until service.

Poaching the Eggs: Bring a wide, deep saucepan of water to a gentle simmer — there should be barely visible movement on the surface. Add white wine vinegar. Crack each egg into a small ramekin. Create a very gentle swirl in the water and slide the egg into the center. Poach for exactly 3 minutes for a runny yolk, 3½ for just-set. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined tray. Trim any trailing whites with kitchen scissors for a clean presentation.

Assembly: Toast English muffins until deeply golden and crisp. Lay 2–3 slices of smoked salmon on each half. Place the poached egg on top of the salmon. Spoon hollandaise generously. Scatter a few capers and a small dill sprig. Finish with flaky salt and cracked pepper.

The Mimosa Pairing: Eggs Royale pairs perfectly with a classic orange mimosa or a blood orange mimosa — the citrus cuts through the richness of the hollandaise and amplifies the bright, savory notes of the smoked salmon.

Make-Ahead: Hollandaise can be made 1 hour ahead and kept warm. Poached eggs can be made ahead and kept in cold water, then reheated for 30 seconds in just-simmering water.

Pro Tips: The freshest eggs poach most cleanly — the white clings to the yolk rather than spreading into tendrils. Adding vinegar to the water helps the whites set more rapidly. The clarified butter must be warm (not hot, not cool) when added — cold butter breaks the emulsion; boiling butter scrambles the yolks.