pesto heirloom tomato shrimp “benedict”
Poached eggs can be tricky so if you aren’t ready to tackle the process you can use fried or scrambled eggs instead!
Ingredients:
Yield: 4 servings
¼ lb heirloom tomatoes (any shape and size will do) roughly chopped
1 LB de-veined raw shrimp, peeled (use whatever size you prefer as they will be slightly chopped)
8 Eggs, room temperature
2 Tbsp white vinegar + water (for poaching liquid)
2 Tbsp minced shallots (reserve for later)
English muffins, toast or a hefty slice of tomato or avocado in lieu of bread
For Shrimp Marinade:
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp Lemon Juice
¼ tsp kosher salt
Combine shrimp and shrimp marinade in a medium non-reactive bowl, stir and marinate a ½ hour. Meanwhile make Pesto:
Vegan Pesto: (or buy your favorite)
2 cups Basil, packed
¼ cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp lemon juice
½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (choose a nice one)
1 Tbsp shallots roughly chopped
½ tsp kosher salt
Combine all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, pulse at first to chop up basil and then run on full until pesto is one consistency. Taste for salt, I like mine to be a little more salty and would add salt to taste now. Also taste for lemon, some people like it a little more zesty than others, add by tsp until desired pep.
Roughly chop 1 large heirloom beefsteak tomato or a few smaller (up to ¼ lb) and toss in 2 Tbsp of the pesto. Let rest.
Poach The Eggs:
Prepare your water for egg poaching; Heat 8 Cups water, 2 Tbsp Vinegar in a 12” skillet until simmering.
Heat a non-stick skillet on medium high heat, once your pan is hot, add a few teaspoons of olive oil and the minced shallots. Cook until translucent and then add the marinated shrimp with the marinating liquid. Cook only until shrimp are just pink, don’t over cook or they will be chewy. Remove shrimp from skillet using a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Reserve cooking liquid. Let shrimp cool slightly then transfer to cutting board to roughly chop, keeping smallest bits to ½”. Add Shrimp to tomato and pesto and add another 2 Tbsp of pesto. Stir.
Reduce your simmering poaching liquid until barely bubbling. Add your eggs to the water one, by one either using a ramekin to slowly transfer the egg to the water or crack all of your eggs into a large liquid measuring pitcher and let one egg slide into the water at a time. I usually start at 12 o’clock if I imagine the pan is a clock and add eggs clockwise so I remember which one went in first. Each egg should take about 3-4 minutes, depending on how runny you like your yolk. DO NOT SWIRL WATER, the vinegar in the water should keep the whites from spreading out, once they are all in the poaching liquid I like to gently lift each egg to ensure the it will look even on top and bottom, then release and let finish poaching. Once their 3-4 minutes are up lift each egg, with a slotted spoon, (12 o’clock position first) to a plate lined with paper towels.
Assemble:
Place poached eggs (roll off plate gently) on English muffin, toast, tomato slice or avocado slices, top with pesto tomato shrimp and spoon the slightly warm, reserved cooking liquid from the shrimp over the salad and the eggs. The lemony notes in the cooking liquid pairs perfectly with the pesto.
*You may purchase pre-made pesto if you’d like, I have a dairy allergy so it’s easier to make my own, you may also substitute real Hollandaise sauce if you’d prefer, however, I think that the freshness and delicate flavors of this dish does well with a subtle sauce. Enjoy!