Deep-Fried Bacon and Eggs with Lemon-Egg Vinaigrette

Deep-Fried Bacon and Eggs with Lemon and Egg Vinaigrette recipe

Serves four.

by Scott Conant
from Fine Cooking
Issue 104
Last Edit Date: 3/3/2010 4:40:25 PM

In this creative twist on eggs benedict, the eggs and bacon are poached together in plastic sacks (similar to the sous vide method of cooking), then rolled in English muffin crumbsand deep-fried. The vinaigrette is a spin on hollandaise, but it’s not emulsified into a smooth sauce. To save time, start preparing the English muffins before you begin cooking the bacon and eggs.

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For the bacon and eggs

6 slices bacon
Olive oil cooking spray
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 extra-large eggs
Kosher salt

For the vinaigrette

3 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1-1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 anchovy fillet, finely chopped
Kosher salt

For the crust

2 English muffins, split in half
Kosher salt
2-1/4 oz. (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
2 extra-large eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying

To serve

1 small head frisée (about 5 oz.), torn into bite-size pieces (about 5 cups)

Cook the bacon and eggs

Bring a 6-quart pot of water to a boil over high heat.

Working in batches if necessary, cook the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate and discard the bacon fat in the pan. When the bacon is cool, mince it and set aside.

Line four 4-oz. cups or ramekins with plastic wrap, leaving 3 inches of plastic hanging over the edges on all sides. Spray a thin coating of cooking spray on the plastic wrap. Cut a large piece of plastic wrap into 4 strips.

Sprinkle the parsley and then the bacon evenly among the cups. Crack one egg into each cup and season each egg with a pinch of salt. Gather up the loose ends of each piece of plastic wrap, pushing out as much air as possible. Twist the plastic wrap a few times to create a ball shape. Tie each pouch closed with one of the plastic strips.

Put the plastic-wrapped eggs in the boiling water and cook until the egg whites are firmly set but the yolk is still runny, about 4 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Chill in the refrigerator until cool, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Make the vinaigrette

Put the eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a brisk simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook the eggs for 10 minutes. While the eggs are cooking, prepare an ice bath. Transfer the eggs to the ice bath and let cool completely.

When cool, peel the eggs and grate them on the fine holes of a box grater.

In a medium bowl, combine the grated eggs, oil, lemon juice, parsley, zest, and anchovy. Season to taste with salt. The vinaigrette will be thick and won’t emulsify.

Make the crust

Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the oven to 200°F.

Arrange the English muffins in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Dry them in the oven for 1 hour; then turn the broiler to high and toast the muffins until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool completely.

In a food processor, pulse the muffins into fine crumbs. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside in a wide, shallow bowl. Put the flour in another wide, shallow bowl and season with a pinch of salt. Put the eggs in a third wide, shallow bowl, season with a pinch of salt, and beat.

Pour enough vegetable oil into a 4-quart pot to fill it to a 2-inch depth and heat it to 350°F over medium-high heat.

While the oil is heating, remove the plastic-wrapped eggs from the refrigerator and cut the plastic just below the tie. Peel off the remaining plastic. Working with one egg at a time, gently dredge in the flour and then the egg mixture, shaking to remove any excess. Gently coat the egg with the crumb mixture. Transfer the egg to a large plate and repeat the process with the remaining eggs.

Fry the breaded eggs until golden-brown and warmed through, about 90 seconds. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.

Serve

Divide the frisée among 4 plates. Arrange one egg on top of the frisée on each plate, spoon some of the sauce over the frisée, and serve.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 680; Fat (g): 58; Fat Calories (kcal): 520; Saturated Fat (g): 11; Protein (g): 20; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 37; Carbohydrates (g): 19; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 7; Sodium (mg): 880; Cholesterol (mg): 460; Fiber (g): 2;

Photo: Scott Phillips

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by jleblanc00, 4/4/2010I made this today. It was a disaster in the kitchen. The eggs cooked for the specified time and sat in the fridge for the hour. But they really were soft boiled. Soft boiled is a tough thing to roll in flour, egg and crumbs! I also thought the vinaigrette with all those eggs was repulsive looking. A little raw egg goes a long way. I fried them for almost two minutes and the white was still raw in the middle, something I'm really phobic about. All and all, it was a mess....and it sounded so good!

by Chef_Fred, 3/30/2010Thank-you for this recipe. It will now be served at my Easter dinner this Sunday!

by Texas_Foodie, 3/26/2010Looks delicious. I haven't actually had a chance to try it yet. Give me a break Joyfull. It's not something you would eat every day and it's not really much worse nutritionally than the original eggs benedict. Fine cooking and eating has to do with learning to make choices and practicing moderation.

by ashleyd, 3/25/2010Looks like a great deconstruction of a classic dish, to be enjoyed on a very occasional basis. And I can't believe Joyfull can be so joyless.

by MKM47, 3/24/2010Sounds delicious and fun. Can't wait to try it!

by Junquotarian, 3/24/2010Looks like a delicious, special occasion treat! A new spin on Scotch Eggs, perhaps?

by Joyfull, 3/24/2010Wow, I can't believe anyone at Fine Cooking would come up with such an unhealthy recipe. I also can't believe anyone could actually eat this without feeling guilty. I wish there was a choice of zero stars as that would be my first and only rating.