Eggs Benedict My Way for Mothers Day...with Crab Cakes and Avgolemono

Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict with Avgolemono Sauce

Often it seems that life is flying by. The one thing I remember my mom saying is to enjoy life as it comes because one day you will look behind you at 40 and wonder what happened. "Don't rush it', she would say as I longed to grow up. Living in the moment is a good philosophy to have. Mom's are smart that way. After all I am a mom too:D


This coming Sunday we will be celebrating our moms and all of the special women in our life. I know that food will come into play sometime during the celebrations. My own mom is thousands of kilometers away so I am sharing a phone call on Mother's Day. If she were here I would love to make her my version of Eggs Benedict. It oozes decadence with citrus flavoured crab cakes, topped with the mandatory poached egg and the perfect substitution of a Greek, lemony avgolemono sauce in place of the heavier hollandaise.

I can't think of a better way to celebrate mom than with a decadent savoury dish. Mom will appreciate this on her brunch menu and you will appreciate how easily it comes together. You can even make the crab cakes the night before. The avgolemono sauce is a breeze to prepare and there is less chance of error than with hollandaise. I prefer it, so that is why it shows up here with it's creamy texture and delicate lemon flavour. To make avgolemono you need stock. Usually it is made with the stock from what you are preparing, but you can use chicken stock or in this case seafood stock if you have it.

While we may not be able to slow the pace during the workweek, we can find respite in a weekend brunch and celebrate with mom. A leisurely, casual meal with family and friends on Saturday or Sunday can renew our spirit. It is almost as good as a weekend at your favourite retreat with mom. I am trying to help you out here ladies!!!

L'il Burnt Toast and I celebrated Mother's Day early with a luncheon at a local winery since she will be back at university. For the last 10 days it has been the Spring Wine Festival here in the Okanagan and we celebrated in style. But...more about that later.

In the meantime enjoy my version of Eggs Benedict, a decadent and savoury treat for the special women in your life.

**Crab Cake Eggs Benedict with Avgolemono Sauce**

Print me...

8(4-8) large eggs
1 teaspoon(5ml)white vinegar
4 English muffins
4 citrus crab cakes (see recipe below)
Avgolemono Sauce (recipe below)

In a large saucepan of simmering water, add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of white vinegar. Add eggs and poach to desired doneness.

Toast and butter english muffins. Place crab cake onto toasted muffin half. Remove and drain poached eggs on a towel and place onto crab cake.

Top with warm avgolemono sauce and serve immediately.

Citrus Crab Cakes

2 tablespoons(30ml)butter
1shallot, finely chopped
1clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon(1ml)dried thyme
1cup(250ml)Japanese panko breadcrumbs
1/3cup(83ml)low fat mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon(4ml)each lemon zest, finely grated and lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon (3ml)hot chili sauce
1 cup(250ml)crabmeat, moisture removed
3 tablespoons(45ml)green onions or chives, finely chopped
1egg, lightly beaten
1teaspoon (5ml)Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat and sauté shallot, garlic and thyme until fragrant.

Add bread crumbs and stir often until light golden. Transfer to shallow dish. In a bowl, mix together mayonnaise, citrus zest and juice and chili sauce.

Add crabmeat, green onions, egg and mustard to mayonnaise mixture and stir. Season to taste.

Using about 4 tbsp (60 ml) of the mixture, make 1/2 in (1 cm) thick patties. Press lightly into bread crumb mixture, coating all sides.

Place cakes on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, turning once, or until crisp and golden.

Avgolemono Sauce

2-3 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon (15 mL) of water
juice of 2-3 lemons
broth from the dish being cooked (or hot beef or chicken broth or stock)

Beat the egg whites until foamy. Beat in egg yolks, water, lemon juice, and 2-3 ladlesful of heated broth, a little at a time, beating (or whisking) continuously. The sauce will thicken and when it coats the spoon it is ready. Cover with a towel for a few minutes and serve.

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