I must admit I am totally loving the whole ‘Superfoods’ movement even though I think it is a bit of a rort. My love of these foods does not stem from how fantastically good they are for you but more from the combination of flavours. Nutty quinoa and peppery watercress are the ‘Superfood’ stars in this little ensemble with the punchy flavour of hot smoked salmon, the earthy goodness of dill and a protein packed poached egg. It may be a rort but gee whizz, you can’t help but feel amazing starting the day with a meal like this!
Prep time: 20 Minutes Cooking time: 20 Minutes $$ Medium Budget
Serves 4
Extra virgin olive oil for frying and drizzling
1 cup of quinoa
11/2 cups of water
250gm portion of Hot Smoked Salmon, skin removed and flaked apart
1/2 a bunch of watercress, roughly chopped
1/2 a red onion, very finely sliced
6 zucchini flowers, sliced (1 small zucchini is fine)
1/4 cup of pepitas, toasted
2 tbs of finely chopped dill
4 eggs
1 tbs of vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and cracked pepper
Lemon wedges to serve
Place the quinoa and water in a medium saucepan, sprinkle with a little sea salt and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and allow the quinoa to absorb the water for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff with a fork and allow to cool slightly.
Heat a small frypan and add a little oil. Lightly fry the sliced zucchini and flowers until golden and tender.
Place the watercress, red onion, zucchini flowers, toasted pepitas, two thirds of the dill and the salmon in a large mixing bowl. Once the quinoa has cooled a little add it, the lemon juice and a good drizzle of olive oil to the bowl. Season well with salt and pepper and gently toss with two large spoons using a folding motion and then divide the mixture between four serving bowls.
Heat a large saucepan of boiling water and add the vinegar. Crack the eggs into 4 small ramekins or cups (this makes it easier to place the eggs in the water). Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and stir the water with a spoon so you have a nice gentle whirlpool going. Pop the eggs in one at a time and simmer for approximately 4 minutes or until the eggs float to the surface. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on top of the quinoa mixture. Drizzle with a tiny bit more olive oil and sprinkle over the remaining dill. Serve with extra lemon wedges and a nice smattering of cracked pepper.