I'm new to the sourdough fan club, I must admit. It's only recently that I've started to appreciate the flavour and texture over say, a simple multigrain loaf or an English muffin. During the last lockdown I was gifted some sourdough starter and my gosh what a rabbit hole that turned out to be! I tried my hand at baking my own, and even turned out some pretty decent loaves. I'm nowhere near confident enough to post anything on how to do it (plus there are so many gifted amateur bakers already showing us the ropes!) but it was a rewarding if humbling experience. The bread in this picture, for full disclosure, is not one of my efforts, but rather the pumpkin and soybean sourdough available at Coles (definitely my favourite). I recommend it highly to those who (like me) prefer to spend Saturday morning lying in bed howling at loved ones for coffee over baking something you can be proud of!
Serves 2
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 slices pumpkin and soybean sourdough bread
300g mixed mushrooms (I got an amazing array from my local farmer's market - oyster, enoki, Swiss brown, crimini and maitake to name a few!)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
40g ashed goat's cheese (Meredith is my favourite brand, and readily available at supermarkets)
2 eggs
1/2 tbsp white vinegar
Handful microherbs or baby basil
Method:
Fill a small saucepan with 3 inches of water and the white vinegar and place over high heat.
Bring to a boil and then lower the heat until the water is at a 'rolling boil' - the water is agitated around the edges, but not bubbling up in the middle.
Crack an egg into a small bowl.
Using a spoon, swirl the water in the first saucepan in circles to create a whirlpool. While the water is still moving, use the bowl to carefully drop the egg into the centre of the whirlpool. The movement of the water should cause the white to swirl around the yolk, forming the ideal shape.
I tend to leave my eggs cooking for 3-4 minutes. Take a slotted spoon and gently lift the egg from the water. You'll have to use your judgement a bit - if the white still seems really jiggly or the shape completely collapses, pop it back in for another minute. If it looks good, place it on a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Return the water to a rolling boil and repeat with remaining egg.
While your eggs are poaching, place a heavy-bottomed frying pan over high heat and add the butter and olive oil. When the butter is nearly melted, add your mixed mushrooms and cook for around 7 minutes, until all the moisture is gone and the mushrooms are dark all over. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.
Toast your sourdough.
To plate, take a slice of sourdough and spoon over the mushroom mixture. Crumble over the ashed goat's cheese. Top with a poached egg and sprinkle with microherbs. This would be delicious with a final drizzle of truffle oil or a squeeze of lemon juice.
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