A classy breakfast classic, and a real treat. You can, of course, substitute ham (Eggs Benedict) or smoked salmon (Eggs Royale) for the spinach

The hollandaise:-

3 tbsps white wine vinegar

1 tbsp water

6 black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

3 egg yolks

125g soft butter. Take it out of the fridge, cut into 1cm cubes, then leave to soften at room temperature for a couple of hours

salt and pepper

The rest:-

4 muffins, cut in half

4 eggs

300g spinach

• First make the hollandaise by boiling the vinegar and water with the peppercorns and the bay leaf until the liquids are reduced to 1 tablespoon. Leave to cool for 12 minutes

• Get a biggish saucepan of water up to a rolling boil, then turn off the heat. Put the egg yolks into a steel bowl with 10g of butter and a pinch of salt, whisk until the butter has blended with the egg yolks. Strain and whisk the cooled vinegar mixture into the eggs, and set the bowl on top of the saucepan

• Whisk in the remaining soft butter, a couple of cubes at a time, until the sauce is smooth and shiny and has the consistency of thick cream. Make sure each blob is fully melted and blended in before adding the next one. Add a little salt and pepper. In the unlikely event of the sauce curdling (usually because the heat is too high, or the butter has been added too quickly), it can sometimes be saved by removing from the bain-marie and beating in 1 tablespoon of cold water. Set aside

• Once the sauce is complete, toast the muffins and steam the spinach. Season and keep warm

• Finally, poach an egg for each person. Place two halves of muffin on each plate, cut side up, place a quarter of the spinach on one half, and a poched egg on the other, nappe with Hollandaise Sauce and serve immediately