Brunch: Poached Egg Sandwiches With Watercress & Shallot

We braved the crowds at Monterey Market this weekend and returned laden with cheap, locally grown produce (I still do not know how they manage to charge so little for California-grown organic fruits and veggies...)

One of my favorite finds was watercress - a green I really like but rarely buy because it's often too pricey or just looks downtrodden (although the Berkeley Bowl does usually have incredible watercress).

I'd clipped several recipes that involve poached eggs over the years (all neatly stored in my recipe file, of course) and had found my mind wandering back to them over the past few days, particularly when I was hungry... I did not end up following any of the recipes but I did look them over for inspiration before I got started assembling my concoction.

The end result was quite nice - both hearty and fresh and somehow felt very European and sophisticated. It whetted my appetite for more poached egg creations - I'd like to try something involving tomatoes sauteed in garlic next time and there is always the spinach and hollandaise sauce combo (a.k.a. Eggs Benedict) which I love.


Poached Egg Sandwiches With Watercress & Shallot

Ingredients

• Eggs - use one per slice of bread (try to buy free range, organic eggs - they taste better and are better for you and the environment and they come from happier, healthier animals)
• Bread - I used rye but an english muffin or some other bread would do nicely
• Watercress, washed and dried
• Shallot, thinly sliced
• Vinaigrette
• Cheese - I used cheddar but think that many other cheeses would work well - anything on the soft and creamy or hard and melty side would be good

Directions

1. Poach the eggs to desired hardness - I like the yolk to be a little soft

2. Slice the bread and cover the slices with cheese and broil until bubbling (depending on your broiler, anywhere from 30-60 seconds)

3. Toss the watercress with the shallot and dressing

4. Top the cheese toasts with the eggs and watercress salad and eat!

Brunch: Poached Egg Sandwiches With Watercress & Shallot

We braved the crowds at Monterey Market this weekend and returned laden with cheap, locally grown produce (I still do not know how they manage to charge so little for California-grown organic fruits and veggies...)

One of my favorite finds was watercress - a green I really like but rarely buy because it's often too pricey or just looks downtrodden (although the Berkeley Bowl does usually have incredible watercress).

I'd clipped several recipes that involve poached eggs over the years (all neatly stored in my recipe file, of course) and had found my mind wandering back to them over the past few days, particularly when I was hungry... I did not end up following any of the recipes but I did look them over for inspiration before I got started assembling my concoction.

The end result was quite nice - both hearty and fresh and somehow felt very European and sophisticated. It whetted my appetite for more poached egg creations - I'd like to try something involving tomatoes sauteed in garlic next time and there is always the spinach and hollandaise sauce combo (a.k.a. Eggs Benedict) which I love.


Poached Egg Sandwiches With Watercress & Shallot

Ingredients

• Eggs - use one per slice of bread (try to buy free range, organic eggs - they taste better and are better for you and the environment and they come from happier, healthier animals)
• Bread - I used rye but an english muffin or some other bread would do nicely
• Watercress, washed and dried
• Shallot, thinly sliced
• Vinaigrette
• Cheese - I used cheddar but think that many other cheeses would work well - anything on the soft and creamy or hard and melty side would be good

Directions

1. Poach the eggs to desired hardness - I like the yolk to be a little soft

2. Slice the bread and cover the slices with cheese and broil until bubbling (depending on your broiler, anywhere from 30-60 seconds)

3. Toss the watercress with the shallot and dressing

4. Top the cheese toasts with the eggs and watercress salad and eat!