Crab Benedict for Two Recipe

With a robust crab cake, a perfect poached egg and a creamy hollandaise sauce on an English muffin, this Crab Benedict recipe is a winner.

When I was a kid and in my teens, brunch was what you did after church. It was fun and delicious, but so tied to that experience. When I was in my 20s and early 30s, it became something else. I don’t know if it was the revolution of Sex and The City that inspired it or if it just a reflection of times changing, but it became an event to plan your Sunday morning around. Like so many others, I became obsessed with brunch — like it was the Holy Grail missing from my life. I indulged as often as I could

But by my mid-20s, I was married with kids and struggling with money, so brunch became a fond memory.

Eventually, my kids got a little older and I got more financially stable (and divorced) and brunch became a thing for me. These days, I still love brunch with friends — trying new places, experiencing new foods. But my very favorite brunch dish is Eggs Benedict.

Of course, it’s also something that my kids and I make at home. I even make Lobster Benedict sometimes.

On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., I tried a Crab Benedict at Founding Farmers DC that was epic and delightful. And that inspired me to come home and make my own.

Brunch at home can be a thing too, right?

My Crab Benedict starts with an easy homemade crab cake recipe — canned crab meat is combined with panko, egg, shallots, garlic, paprika and other seasonings and then divided into four patties. Make sure you pat them together before frying for best results.

Then comes the perfectly cooked poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. You can make fresh hollandaise for this or use a packet. But for maximum enjoyment, make sure it has a good bit of lemon in it.

But here’s the ultimate tip: Toast the English muffins first and then put them in a hot 225-degree Fahrenheit oven on a foil-lined baking sheet. Then put the crab cakes on the English muffin halves in the oven. You can even add the eggs to the warm oven if you are cooking them in batches and want to keep everything hot.

Then serve. And bask in the praise.

Crab Benedict

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 English muffins, split

Crab Cakes

• 1 6-oz can crab meat, drained and picked over
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• cooking oil

Poached Eggs

• 4 large eggs

Hollandaise Sauce

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• minced parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit with a foil-lined baking sheet inside.
2. Toast the English muffins to desired doneness. Place on the baking sheet.
3. While the English muffins are toasting, make the crab cakes. In a large bowl, stir together the crab meat, egg, panko, shallot, garlic, paprika, salt and ground black pepper until fully combined. The mixture will be flaky and loose in appearance.
4. In a large skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Divide the crab cake mixture into four portions and pat into patties roughly the diameter of the English muffins. It's key that you do this by hand. Add the patties to the skillet and cook until browned on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until browned on the bottom. Add more oil, if needed, to keep the pan slick.
5. Transfer the crab cakes to the oven, placing on top of the English muffins.
6. Now, it's time to make the poached eggs. Start by bringing a pot of water — about 4 inches of water inside — to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slide in two eggs (four, if they will comfortable fit). Cook for 4 minutes and then use a slotted spoon or a fine mesh strainer to remove the eggs from the pot and place them on top of the crab cakes in the oven.
7. Finally, make the hollandaise (this can be done simultaneously with the eggs, if desired). In a small blender (such as a drink blender), combine the egg yolk, lemon juice and salt. Whirl until blended — about 30 seconds to one minute. With the blender running on medium speed, drizzle the butter in in a steady, slow stream. Once all the butter is added, stop the blender and taste the sauce. Adjust seasoning, as desired.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and place two English muffins with crab cakes and eggs on each of two plates. Drizzle with hollandaise sauce, as desired. Garnish with parsley, if using.
9. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don't feel pressured to use all the hollandaise sauce. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.