Blasphemy Stack

If you're looking for a rabbi to send you to Jewish culinary hell... put pork on latkes. Cover it in dairy. I mean... the only way it could have been less Kosher was if I added shrimp and ate in a church. But you want to hear a secret...? It. Was. Incredible.

How did I get into this blasphemous position? I had a lot of leftover pulled pork - a position that I should not have been in, in the first place. But then I had a hankering for Hollandaise sauce. And if you give a mouse some hollandaise sauce, they're going to want it in benedict form. And what happens when that mouse is out of English muffins but has a bunch of russet potatoes? Latke benedict. Obviously.

Sorry for the dark photo! Nighttime photography strikes again.

 Seriously, 3.5 lbs of pork to feed two people for dinner (including third servings), and lunch for two days still leaves you with a bunch of left over pork. And I've been in a mood to cover everything in hollandaise sauce (despite the new year and half stick of butter per serving). Okay, so I do feel a little weird about putting it all on top of a latke, so just call it hashbrowns or blinis and we can all get over it. I also have to admit that this makes quite a mess in order to serve two people. It wouldn't make hardly any more mess to serve 4, or even 6 people. While I re-used a frying pan, there are basically 5 separate recipes using at least 3 pans and 2 appliances. And I had leftover latkes and leftover pork, and it was still a lot of work. Delicious, gut-bomb work.

This would be a great option for a rich dinner to stick to your ribs, or a great way to start off a weekend brunch if you don't plan on moving the rest of the day (but do plan on running a lot the day before and after - I refer you to the stick of butter in the hollandaise). In fact, with the runny yolks of a perfectly poached egg, you could possibly skip the decadent hollandaise and this stack would still be delicious.

Pulled Pork Benedict
(for two-ish servings)
The hollandaise recipe was adapted from my favorite cookbook

4 latkes (try about half of this recipe, or english muffins, or hashbrowns...)
2 egg yolks (at room temperature)
2 tsp half and half (not the skimpy fat free kind, either)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
dash of cayenne pepper
10 Tbls butter (melted and heated until bubbling but NOT browned)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice at room temperature
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbl olive oil
2 cups fresh baby spinach
2 cloves of garlic (peeled and sliced very thinly)
Leftover Pulled Pork
4 eggs

1. Heat up the latkes in an oven at 350 degrees. Next, start on the hollandaise.
2. Put the egg yolks, half and half, salt, and cayenne in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth and frothy, 2 - 3 seconds. While the blender is on high speed, add the hot butter in a thin, steady stream (it will start to thicken immediately). Next add the lemon juice, then the white wine vinegar. Season with salt to taste. Transfer the sauce to a microwave-safe bowl.
The next few steps will happen quickly, so get ready!
3. Remove the latkes from the oven and place two on each plate.
4. In a large pan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and saute for about a minute. Then add the spinach and heat until just barely wilted, but still crisp. Remove from pan and set atop the latke.
5. In the same pan, heat up and add about a cup of pulled pork. Heat the pork for a few minutes, tossing occassionally. Once heated, place on top of the spinach.
6. While the pork is heating, bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan. Add a capful of white vinegar. Gently break 4 eggs individually into the pan, and poach for 2 minutes, being careful to keep the water at a simmer, not boil. Remove the eggs and put on top of the pork.
7. Microwave the sauce for about 10 seconds and stir the sauce (really, that's all it takes!). Spoon on top of the whole stack.

Indulge Enjoy!