Smoked Haddock and poached Egg with Asparagus, Sugar Snap Peas, and a Beurre Blanc. There is a certain class of genteel English hotel where they serve an assortment of dishes alongside the usual offering of a full English and a Continental offer. Maybe a bowl of kedgeree, a Manx kipper or a perfect poached egg and smoked haddock. This nutritious yet tasty dish can easily be elevated to a stunning lunch or supper dish. Perfect for spring with some sautéed seasonal vegetables and a simple beurre blanc or butter sauce.
To finish, top the whole dish with a freshly poached, free-range egg. There is something so satisfying about popping a fork into soft poached eggs and watching the golden yolk run over the sides and onto your food. The mix of egg yolk and beurre blanc makes this simple dish quite luxurious. For more information about how to poach the perfect egg, click here.
I like to use a naturally smoked haddock which has a delicate, sweet, lightly smoked flavour. The bright yellow version is made using colourings and smoke flavours. The fish is first brined, then hung on racks before being slowly smoked in brick kilns or smokehouses. Traditional producers can be found in Lancashire, Cornwall and the port of Grimsby, in North Lincolnshire, which produces PGI-registered smoked haddock to strict guidelines. The finished product is high in protein and low in calories. It was often poached in milk and served to invalids.
What is a Beurre Blanc?
A beurre blanc is a restaurant-style sauce that you can easily master. It is a versatile accompaniment that goes wonderfully with fish, shellfish and vegetables such as asparagus. You make it by emulsifying cold butter into a slightly acidified liquid. Often a white wine reduction flavoured with a little shallot, thyme and a few peppercorns. Legend has it that the first beurre blanc was created by Clémence Lefeuvre, from Nantes, in the late 19th or early 20th century. The story is that she forgot to add egg yolks to the béarnaise she was making.
My top tip to help stabilise your beurre blanc and stop it from splitting is to add a splash of double cream. You add this to the reduced wine and simmer it slightly. This will do two things. It will raise the temperature at which the butterfat separates. It will also add extra protein, which helps the fat bond to the liquid.
What to drink with the dish?
Crisp, white wines with hints of grapefruit and citrus made with grapes like Sauvignon Blanc or Vermentino have a refreshing acidity to contrast the richness of the egg yolk and the butter sauce. For beer, I would recommend a clean tasting Pilsner lager or citrus flavoured Belgium witbier.
Remember, Beurre Blanc is what is known as ‘à la minute’ and made in restaurant kitchens to order. It doesn’t keep well, so don’t make it in advance and try to reheat as it will split. You can experiment with lots of different flavours and additions. Such as using orange juice for the acidity and broken up blood orange segments. Herbs like freshly chopped chives, dill or tarragon. Or for something really luxurios add a few strands of saffron to the initial reduction and a spoon of caviar to the finished sauce.
Smoked Haddock and poached Egg with Asparagus, Sugar Snap Peas, and a Beurre Blanc
I think this dish works best with a firm, thick piece from the top of a fillet. If you get whole fillets, trim the rest off and freeze them to put in a fish pie. You can poach the fish in water, but I like to use milk. Again, you can freeze this for a fish pie. If you don’t like smoked fish, cod, haddock, or whiting is a great alternative.
Smoked Haddock and poached Egg with Asparagus, Sugar Snap Peas, and a Beurre Blanc
Ingredients
For the Smoked Haddock
- 4 400 gr pieces Smoked Haddock
- 500 ml Milk
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 3-4 Black Peppercorns
For the Vegetables
- 1 bunch fresh Asparagus washed and trimmed
- 120 gr Sugar Snaps
- 100 gr Peas
- 20 gr Jersey Butter
- Fine Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
For the Poached Egg
- 4 fresh free-range Eggs
- 1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
Instructions
For the Smoked Haddock
- Place the smoked haddock, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a pan and cover with the milk. Place on the heat and bring to a gentle simmer for 4 minutes, then turn off the heat and set aside.
For the Vegetables
- Prepare the asparagus by trimming off the bottom couple of centimetres and cut in half.
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the asparagus, sugar snaps, and peas for one minute. Strain and refresh in ice-cold water, then drain and set aside.
- Heat the butter in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat and add the asparagus, sugar snaps, and peas and heat for three to four minutes to cook through. Remove from the heat and season.
For the Poached Eggs
- Heat a medium-sized pan of water to a gentle simmer and add the white wine vinegar. Gently stir the water to create a gentle whirlpool and crack in one egg. Cook for three to four minutes, depending on the size then carefully remove with a spoon and place on kitchen paper. Cook the remaining eggs.
For the Beurre Blanc
- Place the wine, vinegar, shallots, and herbs in a small pan and bring to the boil. Reduce by half until the liquid is syrupy.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and add the butter piece by piece, whisking continuously. When all of the butter has been added, remove from the heat, correct the seasoning and strain the sauce using a sieve.
- Spoon the vegetables onto four plates. Remove the smoked haddock from warm milk with a fish slice and place it on the vegetables. Top each piece with a poached egg and drizzle with the finished sauce.
Notes
Can I ask a Favour?
If you enjoyed this post or any of my recipes on my blog, grab yourself a coffee and please drop me line. Or you can simply like the recipe above, share it, leave a comment or like my post on Instagram, and don’t forget to sign up for my free newsletter.
Please leave a comment I'd love to hear from you