The History

So what does Floria Tosca have for brunch with Cavaradossi? I’m guessing Eggs Sardou, named after her louche creator Victorien Sardou (below), famous French playwright and visitor to New Orleans who was honored by Antoine’s Restaurant with his own named dish. This puts him in the same class as the Oysters Rockefeller Rockefellers except that Sardou didn’t just collect art, he created it. Specifically, the play La Tosca which became the opera Tosca.

As for the delicious collaboration between Monsieur Sardou and the Alciatoires it serves as well for an after performance supper as it does for a Metairie Road brunch. And did I mention gluten free? Eggs Sardou is about the only brunch dish that passes the starch free test making it less irksome for those on a restrictive diet.

The Prep

It’s a four part but relatively quick process. First cream the spinach, then poach the eggs, sauté the artichokes, and finally quick blend the hollandaise sauce.

1. For the liquid in the creamed spinach I used chicken broth because I think it results in a smoother more subtle flavor. I add a tablespoon of sour cream or cream cheese and that’s enough to give it a bit of a dairy tang. If you’re making this for a group you can actually do it the night before and warm it up. Just remember to put plastic wrap directly on top of the finished dish before putting in the fridge.
2. Next up is the egg poaching. You can do this in any pot as long as it’s larger than the egg. Dropping it in and watching it coalesce will make you feel like a real chef even if you’re self taught as I am and your only visible culinary achievement was the Gambino’s Junior Baker Certificate you were awarded in the second grade. This looks just like a college diploma but it’s not. Nevertheless, I had mine framed and proudly displayed it in my office until receiving a tip that Harry in accounting was telling everyone that I was, a) weird, and b) not a college graduate. I felt sad for Harry since recognition of irony was clearly a poorly developed skill for him. I was also cut to the quick since only one of the things he was saying about me was true and it did not relate to higher education.
3. But back to poaching. You want the water to be medium, but short of a boil. Crack the egg into a custard cup and tip into the water. You can give the water around it a quick stir and then cover for 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t worry if a sheet of egg white flares off the side and starts to swirling about as you ease it into the water. Just take your slotted spoon and gently move it back to the nucleus. You can scoop it all up when the egg is poached and either fold it under or cut it off.
4. The artichokes are easy. You can get them in a can, use ones you boiled yourself, or raid the open deli counter at your local groceria. Just make sure that each egg has one to sit on. I usually sauté them in butter, but another option would be garlic or lemon flavored olive oil. The hollandaise sauce is equally easy. I skip the double boiler and go for the blender version. Because you’re blending it it’s fluffier and less runny. And did I say easy? Yes, very. It’s two yolks plus salt plus lemon juice, then dribble in the not too warm butter and it will firm up and look as good as it does in the picture here.
5. After you’ve done it all the drill is as follows: make a bed of the spinach, place the artichokes on top, eggs on top of artichokes, then carefully spoon the sauce over the eggs. Chives are nice for garnish but I didn’t have any so I used parsley here. That red stuff on top can be either paprika or cayenne – your choice.

It’s rich enough that you should consider as a side some steamed veg or an Orange Arugula Salad like the one in the picture here.

So make it on a weekend when you’ve slept in, then break out the old vinyl platter and play grandma’s version of Callas singing Vissi d’Arte while licking the extra hollandaise off your fingers!