DuPre House
Bed and Breakfast Inn

Georgetown, South Carolina

Specialty Recipe

DuPre House Eggs Florentine

Ingredients

3 cups milk, scalded

2 bay leaves

3 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon bacon fat

3 Tablespoons green onion, chopped

1/4 cup flour

crushed white pepper to taste (I use 1/8 teaspoon)

crushed black pepper to taste (I use 1/8 teaspoon)

pinch of nutmeg

1-1/2 cups frozen spinach

6 English muffins

12 slices Canadian bacon

12 poached eggs (use fresh eggs only for poaching)

2 quarts simmering water with 1 Tablespoon vinegar

fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

2 chopped Roma tomatoes

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the milk to a slight boil while seasoning with bay leaves. In a small pan, melt the butter and bacon fat; saute the onion until soft, but not brown. Stir in the flour and cook the roux slowly, constantly stirring until it foams and turns golden brown. Stir the roux in with the scalded milk and bay leaves and cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Season with white pepper, black pepper, and nutmeg. Over low heat, simmer the sauce for 30 minutes or until reduced to 2/3 of the original quantity. In the last few minutes of reducing the sauce, remove the bay leaves and add the spinach.

Divide English muffins and toast. To poach eggs, bring 2 quarts of water to a simmer (not quite boiling) over medium heat. Add 1 Tablespoon vinegar and swirl water. Add raw eggs and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. When poaching eggs, it is better not to cook more than 6 at a time. Do not overcook eggs. (Poached eggs may be cooked ahead and refrigerated overnight in a covered dish with a small amount of water. Reheat eggs by dipping them into boiling water for 30 seconds.)

Presentation: Place 2 toasted English muffins, each half topped with Canadian bacon, on a plate. Place poached egg on bacon. Top each egg muffin with 1/4 cup of spinach sauce. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over sauce, followed by chopped Roma tomatoes. Garnish dish with fresh parsley.

Serves: 6. Yields: 3 cups.

• You found this recipe on 1st Traveler's Choice Internet Cookbook. (www.virtualcities.com)