Poached Egg with Spinach & Dukkah on Toast

Life's simple pleasure comes in form of a perfectly poached egg with farm fresh spinach and homemade 'dukkah' on toast for me in the morning.  This could be for breakfast, brunch, or even a light lunch.  There is an art to poaching an egg in water and it's not difficult to master following my instructions.  Spinach and runny eggs are delicious together.  'Dukkah' gets its name from the Egyptian Arabic word for 'to crush' or 'to pound', which is how it is made.  I use a food processor for the nuts and a coffee grinder for the seeds. The aromatic mix of ground nuts and spices is traditionally served with extra virgin olive oil and fresh bread in Middle Eastern cuisine.  It can be used as a crusty coating for fish, chicken or meat; sprinkled as a finishing touch on dips, soup, roasted vegetables and eggs, as pictured above.   Very handy to have a little jar of it in your cupboard to enhance the taste and texture of many dishes.

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

• a slice of your favourite bread, toasted
• butter, for spreading on toast (optional)
• a handful of English spinach leaves, roughly chopped / baby spinach leaves
• 1 egg
•  a few drops of white vinegar
• 1-2 teaspoons of dukkah

For the dukkah:

• ¼ cup almonds
• ¼ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup white sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Tip: Other nuts such as hazelnuts and pistachios can be substituted.  Feel free to vary the proportions of nuts, seeds and seasoning used in this recipe according to taste.

METHOD

To make the dukkah:

1. Place almonds and walnuts in a medium frying pan over low heat for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted.  Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Transfer chopped nuts to a large bowl.
2. Place sesame seeds in the pan over low heat and toast, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until golden.  Add to the bowl with the chopped nuts.
3. Place fennel seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds in the pan over low heat and toast, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until aromatic and the seeds begin to pop.  Transfer toasted seeds to a coffee or spice grinder and processed until crushed.  Add the crushed spices, together with salt and pepper to the mixture in the bowl.  Mix well.
4. Keep your dukkah in a clean lidded glass jar.

To make the poached egg:

1. Add water and a few drops of vinegar to a saucepan until 8cm / 3" deep.  Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer.
2. Crack an egg into a small bowl.  Using a spoon, gently stir the water in a circular motion to create a whirlpool.  Carefully slide the egg into the water.
3. Let the egg simmer undisturbed in water for 3-4 minutes for firm whites and soft, runny yolks, a little longer for firmer yolks.
4. Remove the egg from the water with a slotted spoon and drain over a tea towel. 

To ensemble:

1. Place a handful of spinach leaves in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds or until just wilted.  Remove and gently squeeze out any excess liquid.
2. Arrange cooked spinach on toast.  Top with the poached egg.  Sprinkle dukkah on top.  Enjoy!