The Most Perfect Breakfast
In my opinion of course! Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I rarely get to sit down to enjoy it unless it’s the weekend. I might even love brunch more, mid-morning meal it’s more about the time of day then the food. If dining out, poached eggs Florentine with spinach and kale is my go-to item on the menu.
But it’s so easy to make at home. Eggs, an English muffin, salty cheese, all on a bed of dark leafy goodness. Shared on a lazy Saturday with family or friends who are family. Please make this most perfect breakfast!
What You’ll Need to Make Poached Florentine with Spinach and Kale
- Eggs – I love and appreciate farm fresh eggs. Literally, I have neighbors who raise chickens and sell the eggs. I am so fortunate. If they aren’t available, store bought eggs can be just as delicious. Get what you can afford, and splurge a bit if you can.
- English Muffins – the bed on which we will build this bodacious breakfast. I love all the nooks and crannies in an English muffin. Keep it to plain or whole wheat.
- Cheese – Either a blend or sharp cheddar will work. I’m using a pre-shredded option in this recipe. If you decide to shred your own, go with a fine grate.
- Butter and Lemons – The other key ingredients to Hollandaise sauce. You’ll need unsalted butter for the sauce. Lemons will bring the tang that makes a Hollandaise sauce so good, while the butter will make it rich and creamy.
- Leafy Greens – Spinach is what makes the dish Florentine and not Benedict, which is essentially the same but made with ham instead of or in addition to the cooked spinach. I like the addition of kale just to add a little variety.
- Onions – Add flavor. I like to use sweet onions in almost everything as they are less sharp than white onions.
How to Make Poached Florentine with Spinach and Kale
First, finely dice sweet onion and cook them in butter or oil until tender and translucent. Then, toss in part of the lush green kale and spinach mix, sprinkle with salt. Cook the greens down a bit, adding the next handful of greens. Finally, add the last portion of greens cooking until slightly wilted.
Hollandaise Sauce
Please don’t be intimidated by this sauce. There are many versions that call for adding butter to the whisked eggs, I do mine exactly opposite. It just makes sense to me to keep everything in the same saucepan, so I add the egg mix to the melted butter. I also cook this over direct heat, not a double boiler or bowl over boiling water… just keep your heat super low.
Divide the yolk from the white by holding the yolk in half of the shell. Toss the yolk back and forth between the two shells until all the whites have fallen out. You can use the whites for a different recipe or fry them up separately with a little salt and pepper. Whisk the yolks with lemon juice until nearly double in size.
In a saucepan, melt the unsalted butter. While whisking, slowly pour the egg mix into the butter. This will look like oil and water but keep pouring and whisking. You’ll get a sauce that looks broken – like the image to the far right. Simply add a tablespoon of water and mix. This should pull the sauce together and create a smooth, creamy consistency.
Once the sauce is creamy, add salt and spices. Cook for a few minutes, stirring along the way.
Poached Eggs
To poach eggs, bring a large, deep pot of water to a boil. Using a large spoon, create a tornado in the water. Carefully lower one egg at a time into the eye of the tornado and cook for 2-3 minutes or until desired doneness.
Use a slotted spoon to pull the egg out of the water. Maintain a boil and create a new tornado for each egg. Place the eggs on a paper towel lined plate to drain the excess water. Tip: while you are waiting for the water to boil, lightly toast the English muffin halves.
Assemble Poached Eggs Florentine with Spinach and Kale
Reheat the spinach/kale mix and sauce. For each serving, layer a muffin half, then 1/4 of spinach/kale mix. Next, a generous scoop of cheese over the hot greens. Top each with a poached egg. Spoon Hollandaise sauce over each egg.
Tips, Tricks, & FAQs
- Where Can I Use Hollandaise? Serve hollandaise sauce over poached eggs, but also on asparagus, broccoli, baked potato, and I’m certain I could just eat it with a spoon…
- Substitutions. Frozen spinach will also work. Before adding the spinach to the onions, be sure to completely squeeze out all of the liquid.
- Tasty Toppers. Thick slices of tomatoes, avocados, or thin sliced ham would be amazing layered between the eggs, spinach, cheese, and English muffin.
Poached Eggs Florentine with Spinach and Kale
Equipment
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- large stock pot or sauce-pan (poaching eggs)
- large skillet
- lemon juicer (if squeezing fresh)
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- sauce-pan
- slotted spoon (poaching eggs)
- toaster (optional)
- whisk
Ingredients
Veggies & Muffins
- 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
- 9 ounces baby spinach and kale mix (about 12 cups)
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (1/4 teaspoon for spinach mix, 1/4 teaspoon for sauce)
Other Ingredients
- 2 English muffins each split in half
- 3/4 cup shredded Mexican style blend cheese or sharp cheddar (2 generous Tablespoons per 1/2 muffin)
Hollandaise Sauce
- 3 yolks (sauce)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 large lemon)
- 1 stick unsalted butter (8 Tablespoons)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- pinch of cayenne (optional)
Poached Eggs
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 4 whole eggs (poaching)
Instructions
Prep Work
- Prepare. Gather all ingredients. Finely chop onions. Measure out spinach and kale mix. Split the muffins. Squeeze and measure the lemon juice.9 ounces baby spinach and kale mix (about 12 cups), 2 English muffins each split in half, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 large lemon), 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
- Yolks. Prep the egg yolks. Read all of this before beginning: to divide the yolk from the egg, crack the egg open over a bowl, but don’t let the egg fall into the bowl. Instead, use the two halves to ‘catch’ the yolk, tossing it back and forth between the shells until all the whites are removed. Reserve the yolks for the sauce. The whites could be used for a different recipe.3 yolks (sauce)
Spinach and Kale
- Onions. In a small skillet, melt the salted butter. Saute the onions for 2-3 minutes over low heat until soft and translucent.2 Tablespoons salted butter
- Spinach and Kale. Add 1/3 of the spinach and kale mix to the onions and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes until soft but not completely wilted. Add the second 1/3 of greens, cook. Repeat with the last 1/3. Remove from heat and set the mix aside.1/2 teaspoon sea salt (1/4 teaspoon for spinach mix, 1/4 teaspoon for sauce)
Hollandaise Sauce
- Note: Just so you know, I do my sauce backwards and over direct heat. It's simple and effective.
- Butter. Melt the unsalted butter in a sauce-pan over low heat, stirring constantly so it does not burn. Remove the butter from the heat.1 stick unsalted butter (8 Tablespoons)
- Whip. Using a hand whisk in a bowl or immersion blender in a deep container, whip the yolks and lemon juice until about double in size and thick.
- Whisk and Water. Place the butter back on low heat. While whisking, gradually pour the egg mix into the butter. This will look like oil and water not mixing… keep whisking until all the egg mix is in the butter. Continue to whisk over low heat. The sauce will start to combine but look 'broken', add 1 Tablespoon of water and continue whisking until the sauce pulls together and thickens. It will be a beautiful, creamy yellow. In total, about 1-2 minutes.1 Tablespoon water
- Season. Add to the sauce salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- Caution: keep the heat low, if you start to get little 'chunks' of egg, you'll know the heat is too high. Just lower the heat, whisk them out and keep going.
Poached Eggs
- Prep. I prefer to have my eggs waiting on me, so I would recommend cracking each egg into individual small bowls or measuring cups so that you can easily grab each to poach when ready.4 whole eggs (poaching)
- Water. Fill a large stock pot or pan with at least 5 inches of water.
- Boil. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, use a large spoon to create a tornado in the water. **While waiting for the water to boil, lightly toast the muffins (or to your desired toastyness).**
- Swirl. Carefully, lower the bowl or measuring cup close to the eye of the tornado without touching the water. Drop one egg into the eye of the tornado. Allow to cook 2-3 minutes or until preferred doneness. I like mine runny, so I tend to cook them for 2 minutes or less.
- Note: If your eggs look 'feathery' or 'wispy' check that the water is boiling and spinning vigorously.
- Scoop. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the egg out. Place it on a paper towel to remove the excess water. Create the tornado and repeat with each egg. Set them aside.
Assembly
- Sauce. Reheat the spinach and sauce for just a few minutes each.
- Plate. To plate, for each 1/2 muffin (1 per person), place 1/4 of the spinach mix on the muffin half. Then, add cheese, one poached egg, and spoon over Hollandaise sauce.3/4 cup shredded Mexican style blend cheese or sharp cheddar (2 generous Tablespoons per 1/2 muffin)
- Cayenne. Dust with a pinch of cayenne if desired.pinch of cayenne (optional)
- Enjoy! Serve and enjoy immediately!
Other Recipes You Might Like…
Easy Huevos Rancheros on Texas Toast
