Salty, sweet cured salmon, a soft oozing poached egg, lime spiked avocado and the kick of chilli cooled with sour cream. All on top of a toasted English muffin.
This muffin breakfast is miles away from the McMuffin and with a short cooking time this recipe is perfect for brunch.
Sunday brunch. A time to relax, catch up, enjoy a coffee (or a bucks fizz - go ahead and pour me one too!) and savour the fact that the weekend isn't over yet. Idyllic...... Or if you have children more realistically it is a time when you just about manage to get everyone at the table together, listen to incessant talking about Ninja Turtles (or barbie) and count the hours until Monday morning when you can drink a cup of coffee in peace as the kids are both at school 😉 Where is that bucks fizz!!!! 😉
I can take or leave breakfast, it is too early in the day for anything big to eat and buttered toast whilst totally comforting isn't something you can get excited about. But brunch, I love brunch. It is a proper meal, you can have a sweet brunch, a savoury brunch and if you are going out for brunch it is perfectly acceptable to order more than one course.
This salmon dish could be lunch and could be breakfast, so it is the definition of brunch! Home-cured salmon, a soft poached egg, lime spiked avocado, spicy sour cream and heaps of fresh herbs. Delicious! And far easier than it sounds!
The salmon is cured in lime juice, salt and sugar. Then flash fried to give it some crisp and colour but not enough to cook it. You want the middle to be raw, so buy the best salmon. For 4 people you only need 300g. My boys love their salmon raw, which in my eyes is a wonderful thing and all thanks to eating sushi. Stew on the other hand hasn't embraced barely cooked salmon, so I always cut a fillet in half and then cook his half for longer.
Lime Cured Salmon, Egg and Avocado Muffin
Ingredients
- 2 limes
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 300 g salmon fillets - this is usually 2 pieces
- 4 tbsp sour cream
- 1 green chilli
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 4 eggs
- 4 english muffins
- 2 avocados
- large handful coriander
- large handful mint
Instructions
- Zest one lime into a ziplock bag and then squeeze over the juice. Cut the remaining lime in half juice one half into the bag and set the other half aside for later. .
- Tip in the salt and sugar, seal the bag and then squish everything about to combine.
- Add the salmon fillets and place in the fridge to cure for an hour.
- Finely chop the red chilli and mix it with the sour cream, along with a pinch of salt.
- Once the salmon has had it's curing time, remove it from the fridge. Remove them from the curing liquid and brush off any pieces of zest. Set aside on kitchen paper
- Place a heavy bottomed frying pan over a high heat and get it smoking hot.
- Add the oil and then place the salmon into the pan. Cook for 30 seconds until the outside is golden. Flip and repeat on the other side. You want a crisp exterior but a coral soft raw wobble inside. (If you ave concerns about raw fish then cook for 5 minutes)
- Remove the salmon from the pan and allow to cool whilst you prepare the dish.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Place the eggs (still in their shells) into the water for 20 seconds. Then remove from the water.
- Turn the water down to the merest simmer and then crack in the eggs. Poach for 3 ½minutes for small/medium eggs and 4 minutes for large/extra large eggs.
- Remove the eggs from the water and drain on kitchen towel.
- Lightly toast the english muffins.
- Cut the avocados in half, remove the stone, carefully peel, then cut into thin slices and spritz them with the reserved half of lime.
- Slick the muffin in half and arrange on a place with the pieces of avocado.
- Cut the salmon into small chunks and divide amongst the plates.
- Top with the poached eggs and then add plenty of fresh coriander and mint.
- Sprinkle over a few extra slices of chilli and spoon over some of the sour cream.
- Serve and enjoy.
Sarah @ The Fit Cookie says
I made the lime cured salmon in this recipe and made up some sushi bowls with rice and avocado for dinner - soooo good! I have never been great at cooking fish, and since we all love salmon sashimi, this method of preparing salmon was a big hit in our house. My husband said I'm not allowed to cook fish any other way again haha. The salmon turned out fantastic, thanks for the recipe!
Claire McEwen says
Oh that sound delicious! Great idea.
Soooo happy you loved it! 😀
Katalina @ Peas & Peonies says
This salmon look like a fancy dish I had recently in Paris 🙂 such a gorgeous presentation and the flavors are amazing!
Claire McEwen says
Oh Katalina, thank you. That has made me smile so much. I dream of the food from Parisian cafes! x
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
It's almost lunch time here and your pictures are making me so hungry! This looks so delicious, will definitely give this a try over the weekend!
Claire McEwen says
Hehe, thank you. I think photos that make you hungry are the best kind 😉
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says
Just came across this and had to say that I LOVE that you cured your own salmon here, it looks incredible!! So trying it. Sounds absolutely perfect with the avocado and herbs - very much a cafe-worthy breakfast!! <3
Claire McEwen says
Thank you so much Claudia. I love being classed as cafe-worthy. That was exactly what I was going for 🙂
I love it as it looks very fancy but really the cooking is pretty effortless. The hardest part is poaching the egg!!!! 😉