Facts

INGREDIENTS to serve two

1 Small sourdough loaf sliced

4 Free-range eggs soft boiled

10 Medium Swiss brown mushrooms

2 Cups baby spinach

6 Baby Roma tomatoes

2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

4 120g slices of Atlantic salmon

Olive oil and seasoning

Hollandaise Sauce

250g butter clarified and melted to room temperature

6 white peppercorns crushed

50mls white vinegar

3 egg yolks

Half lemon for squeezing

As the cooler months are now with us, there’s nothing like a cooked hot breakfast before a trip in the boat or a walk along the shore with fishing rod in hand.

Fish can sometimes be over looked as a breakfast option, but I think it’s a great way to start the day, and a reasonably healthy one at that.

To make this breakfast come together with success is all about timing. You don’t want to overcook the eggs or the salmon or burn the sourdough toast. So, firstly place a saucepan on the stove and half fill with water and bring to the simmer and preheat your oven to 200°C.

To make the hollandaise sauce, place the peppercorns and vinegar on the stove and reduce liquid volume by half. Put the egg yolks into a medium metal bowl and strain vinegar mixture onto yolks. Begin to whisk together over simmering water until fluffy (sabayon).

Remove from simmering water and slowly begin to add the clarified butter, whisking continuously until the sauce is thickened. Check seasoning and add salt only if needed and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Keep in a warm place until needed.

Place tomatoes and mushrooms on a greased tray and drizzle with olive oil, then season. On another greased tray place the salmon slices with chopped parsley on top and season. Now put the tomatoes and mushrooms in first until skins are blistered and mushrooms cooked through. Now put the eggs in to soft boil; five minutes if eggs are room temperature and slightly longer for refrigerated ones.

Righto, clock’s tickin’ now, put the salmon into the oven then start the sourdough toast. Remove eggs from simmering water and then place the spinach in the saucepan, then drain water off immediately.

Remove salmon, tomatoes and mushrooms from the oven. Arrange the spinach onto the plate, place salmon on top of spinach, cut the eggs in half and place onto the plate with tomatoes, mushrooms and sourdough toast.

Spoon some hollandaise sauce over the salmon, a little cracked pepper on top and jump in to it - mmmmmm!