Eggs Florentine with Wilted Spinach & Hollandaise

Eggs Florentine is what Eggs Benedict becomes when you replace the Canadian bacon with spinach — which makes it vegetarian, but more importantly makes it better. The spinach's slight bitterness and mineral quality provides a counterpoint to the hollandaise's richness that the ham never quite achieves. The term "Florentine" in French cuisine has always referred to a preparation involving spinach — it dates to Catherine de Medici's arrival at the French court in the 16th century, when she apparently brought her Florentine cooks and their love of spinach with her.

The wilted spinach step requires attention: it must be cooked thoroughly and then squeezed very dry. Wet spinach makes everything underneath it — the muffin, the hollandaise — watery and disappointingly soggy. This is the step that separates a good Florentine from a mediocre one.

Ingredients (serves 4): - 8 large fresh eggs - 4 English muffins, split and toasted until deeply crisp - 1 lb 5 oz fresh baby spinach - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 2 garlic cloves, very finely minced - 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (for poaching) - Freshly grated nutmeg - Flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper - Smoked paprika for finishing

Hollandaise Sauce: - 4 large egg yolks - 1 tablespoon cold water - 8 ⅛ oz unsalted butter, clarified and kept warm - 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice - Pinch of cayenne - Salt and white pepper

Hollandaise: Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water — the bowl must not touch the water. Whisk egg yolks and cold water vigorously for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is thick, pale, and has roughly doubled in volume. It should leave a ribbon when the whisk is lifted. Remove from the heat. Slowly drizzle in warm clarified butter, starting with just a few drops, whisking constantly. Once the emulsion is established, add the butter in a thin, steady stream. Whisk in lemon juice, cayenne, salt, and white pepper. Keep warm over the hot water with the heat off, covered loosely.

Spinach: Melt butter in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add spinach in large handfuls, tossing until each addition wilts before adding the next. Once all spinach is wilted (2–3 minutes total), season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a colander and press firmly with the back of a spoon to expel as much liquid as possible. Then wrap in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze hard. The spinach should be almost dry.

Poaching: Bring a wide, deep pan of water to a gentle simmer. Add white wine vinegar. Crack each egg into a small ramekin. Create a gentle swirl in the water and slide each egg in. Poach 3 minutes for a runny yolk, 3½ for just-set. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Assembly: Toast English muffins until deeply golden and genuinely crisp. Place a mound of squeezed spinach on each half. Set the poached egg on top. Spoon hollandaise generously. Finish with a dusting of smoked paprika, a pinch of flaky salt, and cracked pepper. Serve immediately.

Reference Links: - Eggs Florentine history: Love and Lemons - Catherine de Medici and Florentine cooking: Larousse Gastronomique

Pro Tips: The spinach moisture removal is critical — a kitchen towel squeeze after pressing in the colander removes the moisture that a colander alone won't. Hollandaise can be made up to an hour ahead and kept warm. Poached eggs can be done ahead and reheated in just-simmering water for 30 seconds.