Poached eggs with smoked pollack, fresh coriander and dark rye

Poached eggs with smoked pollack, fresh coriander and dark rye

Spring

Fresh coriander is a wonderful herb to use with smoked fish. You are likely to see them paired together in kedgeree, a classic dish often served for breakfast. This recipe is one of my favourite weekend breakfasts. I make a dark rye bread with coriander seed and try to get fresh eggs from Pinhay Farm for poaching.

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 2 x 100g pieces cold smoked pollack or haddock, skinned
  • 2 large fresh eggs
  • 2 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 bunch fresh coriander
  • 2 thin slices dark rye bread
  • 1 knob butter
  • 1 dash olive oil
  • For the coriander oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 20g fresh coriander

Method

First make the coriander oil. Roughly chop the coriander leaves and stalks and place in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt. Crush to a paste.

Trickle in the oils, grind again, then pass through a sieve into a small bowl.

Place a small non stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter and when foaming add the fish. Cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, basting with the butter as you go. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

At the same time bring a separate small high sided saucepan of fresh water to the boil. Add the cider vinegar.

Twirl a spoon in the water to create a whirlpool, then gently crack in the eggs one at a time. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove carefully with a slotted spoon, drain and keep warm. It is important that your eggs are very fresh for poaching or the whites may break up.

Toast and butter the rye bread and place a slice on each plate.

Place a poached egg on the toast and next to it a piece of warm smoked fish, along with any buttery juices from the pan. Finish with fresh coriander leaves, a trickle of coriander oil and a little salt and black pepper.