Sunday is special, especially if you have children active in sports, because that’s what Saturdays are all about. If you’re not on the sidelines cheering them on, you’re crossing off errands on the to-do list. Hopefully, Sunday brings at least a half day’s respite and a leisurely brunch fits somewhere in the picture.
Nearly every restaurants puts on a fabulous brunch these days, but we like kicking back at home, especially on cold gray winter days. It means I’m cooking, or sometimes hubs makes his favorite – blueberry pancakes – but that’s OK with me. A satisfying eggy dish is my preference, and nothing beats the is-winter-never-going-to-end blues better than silky smoked salmon wrapped around a sunny poached egg dressed with creamy avocado, buttery brioche, and a tangy sour cream-herb sauce.
Salmon-Wrapped Poached Eggs
Adapted from Gourmet magazine | Serves 4
For sauce:
¼ cup sour cream
1 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1½ teaspoons finely chopped chives or green onions
½ tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 ripe California avocados (Haas)
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 brioche or Kings Hawaiian Snacker rolls, cut in half
4 oz. arugula or endive*
1 tablespoon white vinegar
8 large eggs
7-8 oz. thinly sliced smoked wild salmon*
*I used Petite Tango which has a spicy flavor similar to arugula or endive and Scottish smoked salmon which is more tender, delicate and buttery smooth than the the intense smoke flavors of Norwegian smoked salmon. Feel free to adapt the number of eggs based on how hungry you are – the recipe calls for two eggs per person.
1.Whisk together sour cream and lemon juice. Add olive oil slowly, whisking until emulsified. Stir in chives, tarragon, salt, and pepper to taste.
2. Soak onion slices in enough cold water to cover, 10 minutes. then drain and pat dry.
3. Halve and peel the avocado, cut crosswise into thin slices, sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning.
4. Toast the buns in a toaster oven. Watch carefully – they brown quickly. Place two bun halves on each of 4 plates and arrange arugula,avocado and onion slices on each of the buns. (I garnished only one bun, leaving the other for dipping into the yolk.)
Poach eggs:
Spray a large skillet or flameproof baking dish with oil and fill with 1½ – 2 inches of filtered water and stir in vinegar (this helps the egg whites coagulate faster and not spread as much). Heat the water to a simmer over medium heat. Break eggs one and a time into poached egg cups and slide into the water. If you don’t have poached eggs cups (like me), just gently crack the egg and slowly open the shell to release the egg into the water.
Poach the eggs at a bare simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the whites are firm but yolks still soft. Transfer eggs as cooked with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and pepper.
Wrap each egg with a slice of salmon and place an egg on top of the arugula, avocado, and onion. Drizzle with sauce and serve immediately.
Enjoy 🙂
Faith
January 18 at 9:45 amThis is a beautiful, elegant dish…and I could truly eat breakfast/brunch any time of the day! I love that gorgeously runny yolk…
Victoria
January 18 at 9:59 amYou had me at poached eggs… holy moly Priscilla, this looks like the ultimate breakfast I would LOVE! All of my favorite contenders are all on one plate… brioche, avocado, poached eggs, smoked salmon… do you wander around my brain when you make dishes like this? If so, thanks 🙂 You’re welcome into my brain any time, haha.
louise
January 18 at 11:21 amnice, that’s looks egg dripy licious… yes that is a word, i just said it…
Kate @ Diethood.com
January 18 at 2:36 pmMy mouth is watering – I’d love to be served this for brunch, lunch, dinner 🙂 It looks amazing!
fooddreamer
January 18 at 4:55 pmMinus the bread, which I can’t handle as a diabetic, this lunch is MADE for me. Love poached eggs, love love love smoked salmon, and never thought of putting the two together. Brilliant!
Sandra
January 18 at 8:26 pmOh my goodness..those are amazing mouthwatering photos! And I love, love this recipe!
Quyen - Kitchen Runway
January 18 at 10:19 pmThat looks pretty amazing! Poached eggs and salmon – sounds like a winning combo to me!
Angie's Recipes
January 19 at 2:29 amThis looks so good! I love how you pile the whole thing up without feeling too crowded or messy….simply elegant!
blackbookkitchendiaries
January 19 at 10:49 ami really wish i could come over for a lovely meal like this! it looks just amazing:)
Tanantha @ I Just Love My Apron
January 19 at 1:35 pmLooks at that runny yolk! my favorite. I’m not a big fan of smoked salmon but you dish makes me have a second thought about smoked salmon!
anncoo
January 19 at 3:58 pmOMG! All my favorite ingredients in this meal.. looks so perfect and delicious 🙂
Magic of Spice
January 19 at 7:53 pmOh wow, how beautiful is this! I want that sauce by itself even 🙂
Monet
January 19 at 9:36 pmNow this would be such a beautiful dish to serve at my sister’s bridal shower…we are throwing a brunch, and I’m sure it would taste amazing. Thank you for sharing this delicious dish with me. I hope that tomorrow brings you joy!
Rich
January 20 at 6:36 amWell, then. You’ve just gone and raised the bar for breakfast, haven’t you? Excuse me while I go in the corner and feel insignificant …
This looks unbelievably good.
Jean
January 20 at 8:25 amI know I mentioned it on your FB page but I love the colors (and of course the flavors) of this dish. So festive and vibrant–a feast for both the eyes and taste buds. 🙂
Hope you have a great day, Priscilla. 🙂
Kim
January 20 at 8:41 pmBeautiful, beautiful brunch item! Whatever inspired this one?!?!?!
[K]
FOODESSA
January 21 at 10:42 amThis is my kind of leisurely Sunday type brunch…actually anytime would be a great time to enjoy this delicious preparation.
I completely agree about the smoked salmon…buttery smooth for sure ;o)
Ciao for now,
Claudia
louise
January 22 at 3:45 pmhey there, nice to see you today- looking forward to seeing you again at blackmarket… i just cliked on my last comment and it did take me to my site? hmmm if you see a problem let me know, thanks for mentioning it.
chef louise
sippitysup
January 23 at 12:15 pmI am glad you included a reference to mimosas. Which reminds me, thanks for sharing one with me live and in person this weekend. I had a great time. Next time salmon too, huh? GREG
Nancy/SpicieFoodie
January 31 at 1:58 pmNow this is a brunch I could eat for brunch, breakfast and dinner! Such a delicious and beautiful dish. Thank you for participating in this months YBR 🙂