Hot-smoked Salmon with Sorrel, Poached Eggs & Crispy Pancetta by Julie Biuso
4
servings15
minutes15
minutes30
minutes“One of the great things about eggs is how quickly they can be transformed into an utterly delicious dish with a few bits and bobs from the fridge or pantry,” says Julie.
“Eggs have saved the Biuso family from starvation on many a night. I’d be home late with no time to shop, the kids would be fractious, the husband nagging (true!) and I’d open the fridge hoping to find something there, and, oh the relief to find a dozen eggs! With a bit of cheese or bacon, a few tomatoes, some herbs from the garden, and maybe a salad and bread, I could have a tasty and substantial meal on the table in no time.”
“I always have masses of sorrel growing, especially in autumn and winter. I love its fresh clean lemony bite with this rich dish. If you don’t have it, use spinach as an alternative, and serve with lemon wedges.”
Ingredients
4 rashers pancetta (or streaky bacon)
Olive oil
4 very fresh medium (size 6) eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp white vinegar for poaching eggs
8 slices toast or ½ baguette (French bread)
Butter
4 small handfuls of baby sorrel leaves
100 g hot-smoked salmon
Black pepper
Directions
- Have ingredients ready to go (eggs in ramekins ready to poach, a deepish saucepan of water for eggs just at boiling point, bread ready to toast, butter softened, hot-smoked salmon with skin removed, mopped dry and flaked, sorrel washed, dried and trimmed).
- Sizzle pancetta or bacon in a small frying pan in a smidgin of hot oil. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
- Add vinegar to saucepan of gently boiling water, stir the water with a wooden spoon, add eggs, immediately turn heat to low and poach until the whites are firmish, or until done to your liking. Butter toast and put it on warm plates.
- Heat 1 large tablespoon of butter in a small frying pan and add sorrel leaves. Toss sorrel in butter for 10–15 seconds; any longer and it will turn khaki in colour (it’ll still taste great). Spoon onto toast, then divide salmon among plates. When the eggs are ready lift them out of water one at a time with a large slotted spatula and mop the underside with paper towels. Put 1 egg on each toast stack, grind over black pepper, then top with crisp pancetta or a bacon rasher. Serve immediately.