BRUNCH! Now I know that the internet is absolutely not shy about it’s love for all foods breakfast. I cannot be the only one who has noticed that people go bonkers for anything that has a poached/fried egg on top of it. Right? Right. So here I was all along like, pshaw, food porn. Everything looks good with a runny yolk glistening over the top of it! AND THEN, I tried photographing this delicious eggs Florentine (one of my current favourite breakfast/brunch/all the time dishes) and it is NOT as easy as it looks. I guess that’s what I’m learning with this food photography business. It’s never as easy as it looks. 
Cooking and eating have never caused a problem for me. Like many of my brothers and sisters out there, my greediness, impatience and slight obsessiveness have always compelled me kitchen-wards. The reasons are threefold.
1) Greed: I want ALL the delicious things
2) Impatience: it’s a lot quicker to walk to my kitchen than to walk to a restaurant
3) Obsession: it has to be juuuuust right 
Which is why I have pretty much stopped ordering eggs benedict when I go out for breakfast. Which is a shame, because it’s like my favourite breakfast/brunch/all the time breakfast meal. Which leads me to making this delicious meal for myself as often as I can justify! I do try to convince myself that this is a healthy choice – kale! – but I am kidding nobody about the amount of butter that goes into this sauce. I have managed in the past to make enough sauce for only two serves, but I recommend making enough for four because the more volume you have, the less likely it is that your sauce will split. 
I also have to come clean and say that I’m cooking the kale in a little butter too! Because kale tossed in butter with a little garlic is heaven. So ok, this is not exactly a gym junkie’s dream, but there’s no ham or bacon! That’s got to count for something? No? Yeah, who am I kidding, I have to be honest – health is not what I’m thinking about when I’m eating this. I’m thinking about the buttery, buttery sauce, cascading oozing egg yolk, and rich irony greens on a crisp piece of crustless thick toast. A little tabasco or sriracha has been known to sneak onto my plate on occasion. And then I’m not thinking about anything, just enjoying my breakfast. 
Kale Eggs Benedict – Recipe
Serves 2
2 pieces thick white toast
1/2 bunch Kale washed and torn
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 tsp butter
2 eggs
White wine vinegar
Hollandaise Sauce Toast and remove the crusts from the bread. Place a medium saucepan with about 3 inches of water on to heat, and bring to a simmer. Place a small frying pan on the heat, and add the butter. When the butter sizzles and foams, add the sliced garlic and saute for 30 seconds, before adding the washed and torn kale. Saute for around 4 minutes or until almost tender, and set aside. Add a splash of vinegar to the simmering water before carefully cracking in each egg to poach. (This is a super easy poaching technique from Martha Stewart) Layer the toast, kale and poached eggs on a plate, and then slather with delicious hollandaise sauce. Apply to face.
I have a slight confession to make…I am TERRIBLE at poaching eggs and always make Jeremy do it for me. I am going to try that technique from Martha though, (she hasn’t failed me yet!), because poached eggs are too delicious to not make yourself in a poached egg emergency sort of situation. I haven’t ever thought of having kale on eggs benedict, but it sounds delicious! It’s amazing how kale tastes great with pretty much everything savory (I had it in a burrito for dinner today. YUM) such a versatile and flavorful green!
Kale is delicious in everything, and especially in with an oozy poached egg on top! I totally recommend that method (obvs) it’s super simple, as long as your eggs are nice and fresh! Good luck!
Ah gosh, this needs to be in mah mouth right nows! I don’t know why I rarely eat eggs benedict– it looks so dang good! Maybe it’s because traditionally at the restos they serve it with a huge slab of ham and I’m not so crazy about that. I love your rendition of it with the kale cus, yeah, it’s like healthy and stuff, even IF it’s cooked in butter. :-p And I appreciate the toast instead of the english muffin too. Nom nom…
hahaha – yes repeat after me KALE IS HEALTHY. And then yell this if anyone questions your breakfast. Who the hell do they think they are?
egg benedict is my fav and if it’s in the menu, I always order it. Wonder why I never ever made it at home! And kale, yeah, that’s one thing I am still not a fan. Still find it bitter, but when you say saute with garlic and butter, it sounded really nice. May be it will work for me after all :)
Give Kale another try! If you love eggs benedict, then covered in hollandaise and poached eggs is the best way to get your head around this leafy, and indeed slightly bitter green.
You did such a beautiful job poaching that egg. And kale cooked in butter? I didn’t even know that was allowed. Mind blown.
Yep, if there’s one thing I love it’s cooking health-nut ingredients in buttery buttery puddles. Thanks Cheryl! :)
Ha! You’ve hidden all the butter behind Martha Stewart!! Nice one :)
Just found your blog and am really loving it – happy Saturday from one Brisbanite to another xx
Lol, cheers! Martha covers a multitude Of sins! Happy Saturday. :)
That looks definitely food porn worthy Sarah! :D Love the addition of kale and I’m so glad that it’s easier to get nowadays!
Oh Loreaine, you’re making me blush! And yes, love me some kale.
Hi Sarah
I love your blog and have been reading it ever since I found you on Twitter and inadvertently blocked you (I tweet as @lusciousCT) when I was trying to search you – don’t know if you recall! A very embarassing moment :-) I’ve just posted a link to your blog on my Facebook page. Your writing just leaps off the page. Or in this case, the screen. Good going! Oh, and the food and recipes are great, too. Fresh, appetising and with your own unique twists. I like this a lot.
Wow – Sonia, thank you so much! This means so much to me. And I do remember! Like I said then, to get this kind of feedback from someone with your background and talent is really heartening for me. Thank you x 1 million!
Eggs benedict are probably one of my favorite foods ever!
Tell me about it, Karen! Too delicious.
Can’t resist anything with a poached egg – never thought of kale instead of spinach for florentine – looks So good.
Thanks Sally!