EGGS-TRAORDINARY BREAKFAST. Pick up easy recipes and tips for cooking sexy egg dishes just the way chef Fernando Sindu from Benedict does it
Eggs in the Hole with Lobster Cream Sauce
Who doesn’t like eggs? From delectable sunny side ups to enticing eggs Benedicts, the range of possible egg dishes is virtually limitless. The true quality of a good egg dish, however, doesn’t lie on where you get the eggs, but on how you make them. As chef Fernando Sindu puts it, “It is the one ingredient that you’ll find in modest diners and fine-dining restaurants alike. If you cook them well, eggs can become a luxurious ingredient. It all boils down to the cooking technique.”
The chief proprietor and head chef at Benedict, the popular all-day breakfast restaurant at Grand Indonesia, Sindu cut his culinary teeth in New York, where he developed his knack for whipping up gourmet meals with abject perfection. Together with chef Ivan Wibowo, who tackles sweet desserts, he forms a dynamic duo that fuels Benedict’s busy kitchen. Why Benedict, of all possible names? “We want to promote breakfast dishes to the masses, and Benedict is well associated with eggs Benedict,” he starts off. “On the other hand, ‘benedict’ also means blessing.”
“It is the one ingredient that you’ll find in modest diners and fine-dining restaurants alike. If you cook them well, eggs can become a luxurious ingredient”
Especially for DA MAN, Sindu has created a series of meals that exemplify the meritsfour distinct egg dishes. He then shares some tips on how to perfect your sunny side ups, omelets and whatnots. On a separate note, Sindu also invites hungry readers to come to Benedict to try out a new menu celebrating their “Truffle Month.” For that, you have our blessing.
Mushroom Omelet with Dashi Stock
SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
A beautiful egg yolk and smoked beef crumbles really elevates this humble Italian meal into a gourmet dish. The plating is hard to fault, with the beautiful yellow egg yolk on top of the creamy spaghetti. “If you’re using an Omega-3 egg, the yolk is orange, while this one is a regular egg. It doesn’t matter which, though,” says Sindu. Once the yolk breaks and spreads over the al dente pasta, the spaghetti carbonara looks eggs-tremely tantalizing and becomes the ultimate pasta dish.
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk (pasteurized)
- 140gr spaghetti, cooked al dente
- 40ml heavy cream
- 10gr Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, grated
- 1ml olive oil-infused truffle
- 15gr bacon or smoked beef, finely chopped
- 5gr garlic, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Parsley, chopped
Method
Heat up a small amount olive oil in a pan. Sauté the bacon until crispy. Put aside.
Add a little olive oil to the same pan. Heat it up and add the garlic. Cook until translucent. Add cream until it reduces to half. Add in the pasta, followed by the cheese and then toss until everything’s mixed evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
For plating, arrange the pasta on a plate to form a mountain with a flat top. Add the egg yolk on top. Garnish with bacon and parsley.
Spaghetti Carbonara
TUNA TATAKI SALAD WITH SRIRACHA MAYO
A soft-boiled egg is a tasty companion to a fresh and hearty salad. This tuna tataki is spiced up with a sriracha mayonnaise mix and nori wrap; otherwise, you can use a simple sambal or chili sauce to mix with mayonnaise. Egg is also used for the coating of the sushi.
Ingredients
- 80gr sushi tuna, cut into squares
- 1/4 nori (seaweed) sheets
- 10ml teriyaki sauce
- 30gr baby potatoes, grilled
- 20gr green beans, cooked
- 1 soft-boiled egg
- 5gr green olives
- 20gr mayonnaise
- 5gr sriracha (or sambal)
- 5gr mesclun salad
- 10ml olive oil
- 5ml balsamic vinegar
- Egg wash
- Panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)
- Salt and pepper
Method
Season the tuna with salt and pepper. Brush with teriyaki sauce then roll and wrap it with nori sheets neatly and tightly to form a “log.” Put it aside to rest.
Mix the sriracha and mayonnaise to make spicy mayo. Also, mix the balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a quick vinaigrette.
Heat up the oil. Drench the tuna log in an egg wash and then cover with panko. When the oil reaches 145-degree Celsius, fry the tuna for 45 seconds. Put aside and cut into 2.5cm slices.
For plating, spread the sriracha mayo on the bottom of the plate. Arrange five or so tuna slices across the plate then garnish with the mesclun salad, the green olives and green beans. Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette on the vegies. Lastly, cut the soft-boiled egg into half and put it in the middle of the plate.
Tuna Tataki Salad with Sriracha Mayo
MUSHROOM OMELET WITH DASHI STOCK
This might be the most difficult recipe to recreate, yet it is also the most rewarding. Not only will this show you how to make an eggs-quisitly fluffy omelet, the dish is wonderfully infused with earthy flavors from the mushrooms. A special note for the dashi powder: You can purchase this in many supermarkets across the country.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs, scrambled
- 5ml milk
- 10gr champignon mushrooms sautéed in butter
- 10gr feta cheese, crumbled
- 2gr basil, chiffonade
- 10gr dashi powder
- 100ml water
- 10gr shimeji mushrooms
- 5gr king oyster mushrooms, sliced thinly
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Parsley
- Salt and pepper
- Butter
Method
Mix the scrambled eggs and the milk, and season it with salt and pepper. Heat up the butter on a non-stick pan until it foams. Pour the mixture in gently and reduce the heat. When the egg starts to form up nicely, add the feta cheese, mushrooms and basil to the middle of the omelet. Roll the omelet to form a “cigar” then put it aside.
Heat up a bit of olive oil. Sauté the shimeji mushrooms until the color turns slightly brown. Add the dashi powder and water, then cook for 10 minutes at low heat. Season to taste.
For plating, put the omelet in the center. Pour the shimeji mushroom broth and scatter the king oyster mushrooms slices over the omelet. Drizzle a bit of olive oil and lemon juice. Garnish with parsley.
EGGS IN THE HOLE WITH LOBSTER CREAM SAUCE
Also known as eggs in the basket, this hearty meal is normally served for kids who don’t eat much—as they’ll devour both the egg and the bread slices. Lobster is not a must, but seafood is definitely a great protein that adds flavors to the dish.
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread 5 to 8 cm thick
- 1 egg
- 50gr cooked lobster meat or prawn
- 5gr small-diced shallots
- 50ml cooking or heavy cream
- 15gr butter, unsalted
- 2gr arugula or mesclun salad for garnish
- 5ml balsamic reduction
- Salt and pepper
Method
Punch a hole in the middle of the bread slices around 8cm in diameter. Heat up half the butter in a sauté pan and toast the bread slices on it. Once the side turns brown, flip the slices over and then break an egg in the hole. Cook it gently until the egg white sets. Then put the toast with the egg aside.
Meanwhile, heat up the rest of the butter until it foams. Add the shallots and cook them until soft. Add the cooked lobster meat and the cream. Reduce the liquid until half. Turn the heat off and start plating the dish.
Place the toast with the egg on a plate. Scatter the lobster cream sauce and garnish it with mesclun salad, then drizzle a bit of balsamic reduction on top of the greens.
TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE:
Poached Egg
- Use a deep, heat-resistant pot pan ; forget low-quality aluminum pans.
- Boil water up to 62C to 65C.
- Add some vinegar to the water before poaching the egg.
- Add salt to balance the acidity.
- Stir to make a whirlpool in the water before adding the egg in.
- A good poached egg is typically teardrop shaped.
Sunny Side Up
- Make sure that you have the pan on constant, medium heat.
- Cook gently. If possible, make sure no bubbles on the sunny side.
- No matter what, don’t suddenly turn the heat up or down.
- Soft-boiled egg
- Bring water to a boil.
- Put the egg in (still in a shell) for about six to seven minutes.
- Afterwards, take the egg out and immediately stop the cooking process by dipping the egg shell in cold water.
Omelet or Soft-Scrambled Egg
- Heat up butter in a pan.
- Scramble the egg with milk and cream. The amount of cream depends on your preference.
- When the butter turns into foam, drop the egg gently into the pan.
- Use constant heat so that the egg is cooked evenly.
Fernando Sindu is currently the chef proprietor of Benedict (Grand Indonesia, East Mall, lower ground; Jl. MH Thamrin No. 1; +62 21 2358 0001; benedictjakarta.com). Prior to Benedict, he and Ivan Wibowo founded Umami Bowl, a kitchen concept that serves delicious American brunch menus with flavorsome Asian infusion.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
