Smoked Haddock with Poached Egg and Spinach
Matt loves eggs more than just about anything and gets through an alarming number of them, so a poached egg on top of something is never a hard sell in this house. This is the breakfast I make when it needs to feel like an occasion rather than a weekday.
Poaching the haddock in milk rather than water is the whole trick of it. The milk takes the salty edge off the smoke and leaves the fish silky, and a bay leaf gives it a gentle background note. The milk itself gets discarded, though it makes a very good chowder base.
With the eggs, freshness matters far more than technique. A very fresh egg holds its white close around the yolk and needs almost no help, whereas an older one spreads into rags however vigorously you stir the water. Three minutes gives a properly runny yolk.
Squeeze the spinach out properly before it goes anywhere near the plate. Wilted spinach holds a surprising amount of water and will thin everything out underneath if you skip it. Undyed haddock is worth seeking out over the bright yellow sort.
Smoked Haddock with Poached Egg and Spinach
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2 people
Serving size: 471g
Calories per serving: 457
Fat per serving: 22g
Ingredients
- 2 undyed smoked haddock fillets (about 150g each), skin on
- 300ml whole milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 very fresh eggs
- 200g spinach
- 25g butter
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- Black pepper to season
Method
- Lay the smoked haddock fillets in a wide pan, pour over the milk and drop in the bay leaf. Bring to the barest simmer and poach for 6-8 minutes, until the fish flakes.
- Meanwhile bring a second pan of water to a gentle simmer and stir in the white wine vinegar.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the spinach in handfuls, turning it until wilted. Season, then tip it into a sieve and press out the liquid.
- Crack each egg into a cup. Stir the simmering water into a slow whirlpool and slide the eggs in one at a time, poaching for 3 minutes for a runny yolk.
- Lift the haddock out with a fish slice, letting the milk drain away, and peel off the skin.
- Pile the squeezed spinach onto warm plates, sit a haddock fillet on each and top with a poached egg. Grind over plenty of black pepper.
Nutrition
| Nutrition information | Per serving (471g) |
|---|---|
| Energy | 1912kJ / 457kcal |
| Fat | 22g |
| of which saturates | 11.3g |
| Carbohydrate | 11.1g |
| of which sugars | 7.8g |
| Fibre | 2.2g |
| Protein | 52.6g |
| Salt | 3.6g |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central for the ingredients as listed. Salt excludes seasoning added to taste. Values not shown could not be calculated reliably.
