Mack Cake Eggs Benedict with Sautéed Spinach Sweet Potato Hash

Paul Valade | Staff Photographer

Oscar Chapa of Volo made mackerel fish cake eggs Benedict, with roasted tomato, sautéed spinach, jalapeño mustard and honey infused hollandaise sauce and chopped bacon and chives. He plates it with a side of sweet potato hash, cilantro and avocado slices.

For the hash

1 large sweet potato (cubed)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 peeled plum tomatoes (from a can)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

For the Mack cakes

2 cans of jalapeño mackerel fillets

1 egg

¼ white onion (grated)

1 cup of bread crumbs

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ cup sesame seeds

For the hollandaise

2 egg yolks

½ teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoon melted butter

½ teaspoon raw honey

½ teaspoon jalapeño mustard

½ teaspoon cornstarch

For the spinach

2 tablespoon of canola oil

1 cup of baby spinach

salt and pepper

To serve

2 eggs, poached

2 English muffin bottoms

2 bacon strips (finely chopped)

½ teaspoon chives (finely chopped)

1 teaspoon cilantro (coarsely chopped)

½ avocado (sliced)

Preheat oven at 425 degrees. Peel and cut the sweet potato into half inch cubes, put in a Ziploc bag add cornstarch, seal and shake until cubes are evenly covered. Spray sheet with nonstick spray, lay cubes on the sheet (make sure they are not touching or on top of each other). Pick two large, drained, peeled tomatoes, butterfly them and lay them on the same sheet. Drizzle with canola oil and add salt and pepper. For the potatoes bake for 15 minutes, then take them out and flip them with a spatula and bake for another 10, as for the tomatoes, take them out when you flip the potatoes.

While the potatoes are roasting, open and drain two cans of mackerel, put fillets in a food processor and pulse it a couple of times so you leave it a little chunky. Put fish in a bowl, add egg, grated onion, half the bread crumbs, turmeric, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Fold thoroughly. Using an ice cream scoop form balls and then press into patties about an inch thick. That'll be the perfect diameter for the English muffin. On a shallow plate put the other half of bread crumbs and mix with sesame seeds. Coat patties thoroughly and pan fry them over medium heat with canola oil for a couple of minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Now the hollandaise sauce, put three inches of water in a deep, narrow pot (like a sauce pot) and turn the heat to low-medium so the water starts simmering (cannot start to boil or you'll cook the yolks). Place the yolks in a stainless steel or glass bowl and place the bowl over the simmering water. Whisk continuously and vigorously. Add lemon juice. Slowly incorporate the melted butter (do not stop whisking). Remove from heat after 3-4 minutes of whisking, then add honey and mustard. Continue whisking until fully incorporated (whisk in some cornstarch while over the pot of water to help thicken if necessary). Cover and let sauce rest.

To sauté the spinach, place a pan over medium heat, add oil and baby spinach and salt and stir for a couple of minutes until mildly wilted.

To poach the eggs, I'm going to tell you a hack I learned to make them the perfect shape because the traditional way didn't work for me. On the same sauce pot with simmering water, raise the heat to mid-high and get the water in a rolling boil. Find your favorite mug or cup (it must be just big enough to fit one raw egg). Place a piece of cling wrap over it and push down in the center of the cup with your finger. Apply some nonstick spray on the cling wrap. Crack an egg and place it in the center of the cup, the cling wrap will be weighed down by the egg so the piece must be large enough so there'll be some left outside the cup for you to grab. Now lift the four corners of the cling wrap and twist around the raw egg leaving as little air as possible and use a twist tie to lock it in place. Place eggs in the boiling water, use a slotted spoon to turn the eggs around (they'll want to stay in the same position and will not cook evenly). Cook in boiling water for no less than two minutes. If you want a less runny yolk, leave them and extra minute or two.

To serve: On a plate, put toasted muffins, place the roasted butterflied tomatoes on top. Now place the Mack Cake, sautéed spinach and egg over it. Drizzle sauce generously over eggs and sprinkle bacon and chives over sauce. Serve with a side of sweet potato hash with chopped cilantro and a side of sliced avocado with bacon bits.

Oscar Chapa