Grilled Peaches Give Eggs Benedict A Uniquely Sweet Profile

Practically every trendy brunch establishment has eggs benedict on the menu, but there are still ways to turn this classic morning staple into a fresh new recipe. Traditional eggs benedict is made with Canadian bacon, English muffins, and Hollandaise sauce, although you may also see smoked salmon, lobster, or avocado variations. But, if you're looking to brighten up this dish and make the most of summer produce in one fell swoop, try adding grilled peaches to yours.

This may sound wild at first, but it's not the first time fresh produce has been used to lighten up a fairly rich dish. Adding tomatoes and avocado is sometimes called a Californian version of eggs benedict, and you may occasionally see it with an island-style Hollandaise sauce, infused with a passion fruit puree. By adding peaches into the mix, you'll bring a dash of sweetness that balances out the thick, creamy, and meaty elements of the dish — along with fresh juices that are soaked up by the English muffins. And, by grilling your peaches ahead of time, you'll caramelize the sugars and enhance that sweetness even more.

When grilling your peaches, you shouldn't have to make many adjustments to how you would normally do so, but there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind. Instead of simply cutting your fruits in half, you'll want to slice them after removing the pits so that they lay flat on your English muffins. Also, avoid any extra ingredients that will interfere with the other flavors in your eggs benedict, like a typical brown sugar, honey, and cinnamon glaze you may put on grilled peaches. You can, however, keep the butter to use when grilling your fruits, although olive oil will work well too.

Since you're already opting for an unusual featured ingredient in your dish, feel free to get creative with the other aspects of eggs benedict. Try subbing Canadian bacon for regular or turkey versions, replace it with SPAM if you want to mimic the island-style type, or even use a contrastingly rich pulled pork. In addition, feel free to serve your eggs on herby scones, buttery croissants, or thick brioche instead of the typical English muffins. If you want to amp up the fresh aspect of the dish, however, include arugula, red onion, spinach, or avocado. But, as long as you throw grilled peaches somewhere in the mix, you'll create a bright, juicy twist to a classic brunch favorite.