Oeufs Benedictine with smoked cod brandade

1.For brioche, preheat oven to 200C. Combine flour, yeast and 2 tsp salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Heat milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed. Add egg yolks to milk and whisk to combine, then add to flour mixture. Using a dough hook attachment, beat until a stiff dough forms. Remove hook and replace with a paddle attachment. With machine running, gradually add butter until well combined. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic and stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Knock back dough and shape into a loaf. Place in lightly greased 24cm x11cm loaf pan, cover with a damp tea towel and stand in a warm place for another hour or until doubled in size. Bake for 20 minutes, reduce temperature to 180C and cook for another 20 minutes or until golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool.

2.Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, add cod and cook gently over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until just cooked, remove from heat, then stand to cool in water. Place potatoes and garlic in a saucepan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and cook over medium-high heat for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and return potatoes and garlic to pan, add cream and mash to a smooth consistency. Remove skin and bones from cod, flake the flesh and add to potato, stir to combine, season to taste. Keep warm.

3.For saffron hollandaise, soak saffron in ¼ cup boiling water for 15 minutes. Combine saffron and water, shallot and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes or until reduced to 1½ tbsp. Strain and discard saffron threads. Combine yolks and saffron reduction in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and whisk until thick and frothy. Gradually whisk in melted butter, and whisk until sauce becomes thick. Season to taste. Keep warm.

4.Heat a saucepan of water until bubbles are just rising and breaking the surface and season to taste with sea salt. Break eggs one at a time into a saucer and slide into water. Poach for 2 minutes (for soft), remove and place on a plate and keep warm.

5.To serve, cut four 2cm thick slices from brioche and, using a 10cm cutter, cut rounds from each slice, toast lightly and place on plates. Spoon warm smoked cod mixture on brioche, top with poached egg and spoon over hollandaise.