Corners Benedict Recipe
Corn bread, Carnitas, Green Chilies, Poached Eggs, Hollandaise
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Ingredients
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Cornbread
Carnitas (braised pork)
Green Chilies
Hollandaise
Poaching & Assembly
Method
Cornbread
- 1
Preheat and prepare pan
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) square baking pan or a small cast-iron skillet with a little butter or oil.
- 2
Mix dry ingredients
In a large bowl combine 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbs granulated sugar, 1 tbs baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Whisk to distribute evenly.
- 3
Combine wet ingredients
In a separate bowl whisk together 2 large eggs, 1 cup milk, and 4 tbs melted butter until smooth.
- 4
Combine and bake
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined (do not overmix). Transfer batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 18–25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden. Let cool 10 minutes, then transfer to a board and cut into 8 squares. Brush each square lightly with 1 tbs melted butter before serving.
Carnitas (braised pork)
- 5
Season the pork
Pat 900 g pork shoulder pieces dry. Rub with 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp dried oregano, making sure seasoning covers all sides.
- 6
Brown the pork
Heat 2 tbs lard or vegetable oil in a heavy ovenproof Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the pork pieces on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side, until a golden crust forms. Do this in batches if needed to avoid crowding.
- 7
Add aromatics and braising liquid
Lower heat to medium. Add 4 crushed garlic cloves and 1 quartered onion to the pot and sauté 2 minutes until fragrant. Add 1 cup fresh orange juice and 2 bay leaves, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- 8
- 9
Shred and crisp
Remove pork to a cutting board and shred with forks. Skim and reserve some of the braising liquid. For crispy edges: spread shredded pork on a rimmed baking sheet, pour 2–3 tbs reserved braising liquid over the meat, and broil 3–5 minutes until edges brown and crisp. Stir and broil another 2–3 minutes if desired.
Green Chilies
- 10
Roast the peppers
Place 6 poblanos or Anaheim chilies on a sheet pan and roast under a hot broiler or over a gas flame until skins are blackened and blistered all over, about 8–12 minutes, turning to char evenly.
- 11
Steam and peel
Transfer the charred peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or a plate to steam for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel away the blackened skins, remove stems and seeds, and roughly chop the flesh.
- 12
Finish
Toss chopped chilies with 1 tbs olive oil, 0.5 tsp salt, 1 tbs fresh lime juice and 2 tbs chopped cilantro (optional). Keep warm until assembly.
Hollandaise
- 13
Clarify butter
Melt 113 g unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat until separated; keep warm. If you prefer, clarify fully by skimming foam, or use melted whole butter for a richer sauce.
- 14
Set up double boiler
Bring a small pot of water to a gentle simmer. In a heatproof bowl (stainless steel), whisk together 3 egg yolks, 1.5 tbs lemon juice and 2 tbs warm water until slightly thickened.
- 15
Emulsify
Place the bowl over (not touching) the simmering water and whisk constantly. Slowly drizzle the warm melted butter into the yolks in a thin steady stream while whisking, until the sauce is thick and glossy. Remove from heat. If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water to loosen. Stir in 0.25 tsp salt and 0.125 tsp cayenne pepper. Keep warm (cover loosely) until ready to assemble.
Poaching & Assembly
- 16
Poach the eggs
Fill a wide shallow saucepan with about 8 cm (3 inches) of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Add 1 tbs white vinegar (this helps the whites cohere). Crack eggs (8 total) into individual small cups. Create a gentle whirlpool in the water and slip 2 eggs at a time into the simmering water. Poach for 3–3.5 minutes for soft but set whites. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Keep warm; repeat in batches.
- 17
Reheat carnitas
If the carnitas have been rested, reheat briefly in a skillet over medium heat until hot, or under the broiler for a couple of minutes to re-crisp edges. Keep warm.
- 18
- 19
Assemble Corners Benedict
Place one buttered cornbread square per serving on a plate. Spoon a generous portion (about 150–200 g total per serving) of warm carnitas over the cornbread. Scatter a spoonful of the chopped green chilies on top of the pork. Gently place two poached eggs on each stack. Spoon warm hollandaise over the eggs (about 2–3 tbs each). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and garnish with 2 tbs chopped chives or microgreens.
- 20
