Poached Egg & Smoked Salmon Protein Plate

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 150 g smoked salmon
• 2 slices rye bread or sourdough, toasted
• 100 g baby spinach
• 100 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• salt and black pepper
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Cream cheese, to serve
• Quick cucumber pickle, to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the baby spinach and cook for about 2 minutes, tossing, until just wilted and glossy. Season with salt and pepper, then slide off the heat.
2. Bring a small pan of water to a gentle simmer and add the white wine vinegar. Crack each egg into a ramekin. Stir the water into a gentle whirlpool and slide the eggs in one at a time. Poach for 3–4 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks still wobble. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper to drain.
3. Toast the rye or sourdough until deep golden and arrange one slice on each plate. Spread with cream cheese, then pile the wilted spinach on top.
4. Drape the smoked salmon over the spinach in loose folds. Fan the avocado slices alongside and scatter over the cherry tomatoes.
5. Settle two poached eggs on each plate. Season generously with salt and black pepper, scatter with chilli flakes, and tuck a few forkfuls of cucumber pickle on the side.
6. Finish with lemon wedges for squeezing at the table.