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Okay I know this seems a little crazy, salad, for breakfast!? Hear me out.
On weekdays, I’m a pretty healthy smoothie-for-breakfast sort of person. Occasionally, on a weekend, I’ll indulge in a good old fashioned fry-up – fried eggs and bacon, plus avocado if I have one (because really, what dish is not improved by a wedge or two or ripe avocado on the side?).
The thing is, while I can happily indulge in this occasional breakfast calorie-fest, I always feel it leaves me not quite satisfied. No matter how filling it is, I find myself hankering for some actual NUTRIENTS on the side. You know, a nice pile of well-dressed greens with a bit of crunch, to round out the fatty, salty, proteiny egg and bacon deliciousness.
The ‘breakfast salad’ is my solution. Basically it’s your fry-up PLUS the ingredients of a nutrient-packed green smoothie, all on one plate. With a zingy Caesar-salad inspired dressing, it’s a surprisingly perfect partner for eggs and bacon, and seems to eliminate that queasy / bloated post fry-up feeling.
This salad makes for a totally satisfying breakfast, even without toast. I usually just pop the fried egg on top of the dressed greens, and eat it in one big bowl.
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2)
For the salad
6-8 larges leaves of greens (curly kale or cavolo nero is best – this should make about 4 large handfuls of chopped greens)
A quarter wedge of a red cabbage
4 rashers of bacon (rind removed, free range is best!). If you don’t do bacon, try cooked / smoked salmon or ocean trout.
2 free range eggs
1 ripe avocado
Sumac to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
For the dressing
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
A few shakes of ground nutmeg, to taste
Salt and Pepper, to taste
METHOD
You’ll need roughly two handfuls of greens for each person (here we used a combo of curly kale and Tuscan kale/cavolo nero – you could try baby spinach, or even rocket if kale isn’t your thing).
Ok I admit it. I have taken to ‘massaging’ the kale a bit prior to chopping it. Oh lord, what has become of me!? OK YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS. But often, raw kale can be a little on the chewy side… so a simple way to make it a lot more palatable, while retaining all the benefits of raw veg is to give it a little ‘massage’ before serving. Simply rub the leaves vigorously between your fingers as you wash them in the sink, which breaks down a little of the cellulose fibre in the leaves, making them easier to munch. Seems ridiculous I know, but I promise it’s worth a few extra seconds at the sink.
Once washed and massaged, slice the kale very thinly using a large, sharp knife. Grab your red cabbage and slice this thinly too. Pop kale and cabbage together in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Whizz all dressing ingredients together in a blender, or whisk thoroughly with a hand whisk until combined. Be generous with your nutmeg – it gives this dressing a surprising depth of flavour. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook your bacon under the grill in the usual way! Once cooked and crispy on both sides, remove from grill and set down on some kitchen towel to remove any excess oil. Once cooled slightly, slice bacon into narrow strips and toss through salad. Dress your salad and plate it up. Slice your avocado into wedges and serve on the side (drizzle a little of the dressing over them too).
Finally, fry your eggs (heat a little butter in a pan, once pan is hot, fry your eggs sunny side up, should take 3 minutes). Once cooked, serve your egg either alongside or on top of your kale / bacon salad. Finish with a generous sprinkle of sumac, with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
