I’ve been a very bad blogger recently. I mean really bad!!! I can’t believe it’s been almost 1 1/2 months since I’ve posted. I apologize to those of you out there that regularly follow my blog. No I haven’t died or dropped off of the face of the Earth. Over the last few weeks I’ve been doing quite a bit of travelling for work. As such, I haven’t been able to spend the kind of time I would like with my family so I’ve tried to limit my computer time recently to spend more time with them. And to be honest my last bit of travelling has left me both physically and emotionally drained and I just couldn’t bring myself to do anything on the computer other than some mindless surfing. While I still have a bit of travelling left to do, things should start to mellow out a bit for me and, hopefully, I’ll be able to start posting more regularly again.

Just because I haven’t been posting recently doesn’t mean that I haven’t done any cooking, although on the road it’s pretty much been restaurant food every day, mostly fast food, sad to say. It certainly doesn’t help me in trying to reach my next weight goal that the doctor has imposed upon me. Looks like I’ve got some catching up to do there also. Unfortunately, recipes like the one I am posting today sure don’t help. We’re talking crabcakes (bound with mayo and Ritz crackers), poached eggs, and a decadent Hollandaise sauce loaded with bacon. It doesn’t get any more heart-stopping…and tasty…than that. This recipe certainly isn’t everyday fare, that is unless you have some sort of death wish, but occasionally it’s okay to go all out and live a little.

Crabcake Benedicts with Bacon Hollandaise
serves 4

12oz crabmeat, picked over to remove any stray shell pieces
1/4 cup mayonnaise
30 Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 Onion, small, finely diced
1/2 stalk Celery, finely diced
1/4 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
Salt
Pepper

3 slices Bacon, thick cut, diced
8 Tbl. Butter, clarified
2 each Egg yolks
2 Tbl. White wine
pinch cayenne pepper
lemon juice, fresly squeezed

8 each Eggs
Vegetable oil

In a medium bowl, combine the crabmeat with the mayonnaise, crackers, onion, celery and seasonings. Mix well and allow to chill for 1/2 hour.

To make start making the Hollandaise sauce render the bacon until brown and crispy. Remove from heat and drain off the bacon fat, combining it with the clarified butter. In a medium sized pot bring about 1″ of water to a simmer. Place the yolks in medium sized mixing bowl along with the wine. Place the bowl over the simmering water and cook the eggs, whisking constantly, until the eggs are thick enough to hold a line drawn through them. This is known as the ribbon stage. Remove from the heat and very slowly, a bit at a time, drizzle in the butter-bacon grease mixture, whisking constantly so that the fat is emulsified into the egg yolks. Add the cayenne and squeeze of lemon juice and taste for salt, adding a bit, if necessary. Place in a warm, but not too hot spot as you finish the dish.

Divided the crab mixture into 8 equal patties. Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet, over medium high heat and cook the crabcakes, in 2-3 batches depending on the size of your skillet, about 3 minutes per side. Meanwhile poach your eggs, again in batches if necessary.

As everything finishes up stir the crispy bacon into the Hollandaise sauce. Place two crabcakes on each of 4 plates. Top each with a poached egg and spoon some of the Bacon Hollandaise over top. Enjoy and then make an appointment with your cardiologist!

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