Eggs Sardou

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• Dash hot sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 whole canned artichoke bottoms
• 8 eggs
• 1 recipe Foolproof 2-Minute Hollandaise

Directions

1. In a saucepan set over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the garlic and shallots, and cook until they have softened, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and continue stirring until the mixture starts to take on a little color and smells nutty, about 4 minutes. Whisk the milk in slowly, keeping the whisk moving, until the sauce is smooth. Bring it to a simmer and cook until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until it wilts into the sauce. Turn the heat to low and let the mixture simmer, stirring now and then, until it is creamy and thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the hot sauce, season with salt and pepper, and keep it warm until you are ready to plate.
2. While the spinach is simmering, melt the remaining tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the artichoke bottoms and warm them through without browning, stirring gently, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then keep them warm for serving.
3. Poach the eggs until the whites are firm and the yolks are still runny. As the eggs are done, you can lift them out with a slotted spoon and hold them in a bowl of warm water until it is time to assemble.
4. To serve, spoon the creamed spinach onto 4 plates. Set 2 warm artichoke bottoms over each portion, then nestle one poached egg into each artichoke. Spoon Hollandaise over the top and serve right away.