Kale, smoked trout and crispy hen’s egg salad with sweet mustard dressing

Serves: 2
Course: Salad
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Prep Time: 30 mins
Ingredients
  • 5 eggs
  • Salt
  • 2tbs plain flour
  • 3tbs panko breadcrumbs
  • 1l vegetable oil
  • 2tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1tbs Dijon mustard
  • 1tbs honey
  • 1tbs cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 small bunch dill, picked and chopped
  • 4 large handfuls of curly kale (washed)
  • 1 head of radicchio, chopped
  • 1 packet hot smoked trout (I use Goatsbridge)

1. For the eggs, bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add some salt. Crack four of the eggs in to the water from a slight height (to get a teardrop shape) and poach for three minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the eggs from continuing to cook. After four minutes, remove from the water and place on a tray lined with a clean cloth to remove excess water.

2. Set up three bowls beside each other and add the flour to one, one egg slightly beaten into another, and the breadcrumbs into the last bowl. Place the eggs one by one into the three bowls (flour first, then the egg and lastly the breadcrumbs). Once all the eggs are fully coated in breadcrumbs, set them aside. If you will not be making the salad immediately, place the eggs into the fridge.

3. To cook the eggs, bring the vegetable oil to a high heat (180 degrees) and fry the eggs until golden brown. Remove and drain off excess oil. Season with salt and pepper.

4. For the dressing, pour the olive oil into a bowl and whisk in the Dijon mustard, honey, cider vinegar and salt and pepper. Once mixed, put the dressing into a bowl with the dill and kale and massage the dressing into the leaves. Add the radicchio and garnish with the trout, crispy eggs and some more dressing.

Gráinne O'Keefe

Gráinne O'Keefe

Gráinne O’Keefe is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. She is chef-patron of the Dublin restaurant Mae