New Orleans restaurants in the aftermath
of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Eggs Commander

Serves 6

“The Jazz Brunch at our restaurant is so popular that we are always looking
for new combinations to add excitement to the menu. In Eggs Commander,
one of our newest creations. Holland rusks or English muffins are covered
with a savory ham cream sauce, topped with poached eggs and béarnaise
sauce, and served with our own homemade sausage patties.”

Ham Cream Sauce *
1 cup finely chopped or diced ham
2 tablespoons chopped onions
2 cups Béchamel Sauce, heated

Commander’s Homemade Sausage
1/2 pound finely ground beef
1/2 pound finely ground pork
1/2 pound finely ground veal
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup chopped green onion tops
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 teaspoon thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

12 Holland rusks or 6 toasted English muffins, split
12 poached eggs
2 cups Béarnaise sauce [recipe follows]

Garnish
Sprigs of parsley

1. To make the Ham Cream Sauce: Sauté ham and onion in a little of the ham fat (if the ham has no fat, use 1 tablespoon butter). Add to hot cream sauce and mix well. Set aside.
2. To make the sausage patties: Mix sausage ingredients together well. Roll into a cylinder approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter and roughly 1 foot long, using aluminum foil to roll and wrap it in. Seal tightly and freeze until mixture hardens (this will take approximately 1 1/2 hours). Remove from freezer and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Fry slices in large skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides. Drain on paper towel.
3. Put 2 Holland rusks or English muffin halves on each warmed plate.
Ladle 2 to 4 tablespoons hot ham cream sauce over each. Put 1 poached
egg on each. Spoon a dollop of béarnaise sauce on each egg and put 2 sausage patties beside the rusks. Garnish with sprig of parsley.

Béarnaise Sauce

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 egg yolks, at room temperature
Juice of 1 medium lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons Chablis or dry vermouth
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons finely crumbled dried tarragon leaves

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Do not let it burn. When completely melted, remove from heat.
2. Put egg yolks, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper
in top of double boiler over simmering water. The water in the bottom
pan should not touch the top pan.
3. With a wire whisk, beat egg yolk mixture until it thickens and a sheen forms, approximately 3 minutes, but no more than 5. Begin adding melted butter in a steady stream, whisking constantly until all has been added.
Add 2 tablespoons of the Chablis and whisk well. The sauce should be
light and fluffy.
4. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining [1 tablespoon] Chablis and the tarragon until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and add the tarragon
to the sauce, mixing well. Hold at room temperature until serving time.
 

Commander’s Sauce
as it appeared in Bon Appétit’s Favorite Restaurant Recipes
Bon Appétit, 1982, The Knapp Press

Out of Print, Used & Rare

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons puréed yellow onion
1 tablespoon Chablis
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch garlic powder
6 ounces smoked ham, finely chopped
3 tablespoons minced white onion
1/2 cup whipping cream

Make roux by combining 1/4 cup butter and flour in small skillet over medium-low heat and stirring constantly until butter is melted and mixture forms a smooth paste. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bring stock to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce
heat and simmer gently until reduced to 1 cup. Add puréed onion, Chablis, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and blend well. Stir in the roux and continue to simmer over low heat until mixture is consistency of slightly whipped cream, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté ham and minced onion in small skillet just until onion
is softened.
Remove sauce from heat and add 1/2 cup butter in chunks a little at a time, whipping constantly with whisk. Gently stir in cream. Add ham and onion mixture and blend well.

More Recipes from Commander's Palace
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?
Index - Breakfast Recipe Archives
Recipe Archives Index