Jonty Nicolson's Breakfast Recipe

“Jonty Nicholson has shared one of his Country Market recipes. Try it out and then visit him on your next Midlands Meander adventure. I wish this innovative team a successful future and I celebrate the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, our suppliers and our chefs - quality cuisine will place us firmly on the South Africa’s culinary map. ”

— Jackie Cameron

Poached Egg With Crispy Potatoes, Bacon, wilted Spinach-Onion and Hollandaise

This Sauce was taught to Jonty Nicholson by Richard Poynton (past owner of Granny Mouse Country House and present owner of Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse) and it was this sauce that enticed Jonty to want to make cheffing a career.

Yields: 4 people
Ingredients and Method together below:

Jonty’s Hollandaise

Ingredients:

• 3 egg yolks
• 25 ml lemon juice
• 125 g butter
• dash Tabasco
• salt and white pepper

Method:

1. The recipe will work with the classical method but Jonty uses a food processor. 
2. Keep the egg yolks at room temperature. 
3. Warm up the lemon juice and butter separately. 
4. Jonty usually covers the blades of the food processor with boiling water to warm up the bowl. 
5. REMOVE the water once the blades are warm and discard.
6. He adds the egg yolks and blend for a short while to incorporate some air, then he adds the hot lemon juice, then the boiling butter slowly, allowing the eggs to cook, finally a few drops of tabasco and season. The hollandaise can then be kept in a food processor for a while before serving, just whisk for consistency. 
7. Sometimes 2 or 3 times the recipe works better as there is more volume of hot butter to cook the eggs. 

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Jonty’s Poached Eggs

• He poaches the eggs traditionally in simmering water with a dash of vinegar.

Jonty’s rest of his dish

1. 2 medium potatoes, cut into 1cm dice, par-cooked, fried and seasoned. 
2. 1 small onion finely sliced and sautéed with a couple chopped cherry tomatoes and a clove of chopped garlic.
3. Wash and destem a bunch of spinach and wilt down or sear with the onions, and season well. 

For serving:

1. Crush down the potatoes into a ring cutter to present beautifully and top with the wilted spinach, tomatoes and onions. 
2. Then top with crispy pan seared bacon, a poached egg, hollandaise sauce.