Mothers Day...BRUNCH

Happy Mothers Day! To all the wonderful hard working mothers out there. Today is the day to sit back relax and eat anything your heart desires! This mama's heart desires smoked salmon and a poached egg. It's my own play on Eggs Benedict. First I start with making homemade vegetable cream cheese that I put atop a toasted everything bagel and then the layers begin with sliced ripe tomato's, a couple leaves of fresh spinach, beautiful smoked salmon, and to top it off a perfectly cooked poached egg. If I could eat one thing for the rest of my life this would be at the top of my list. There is just something about a poached egg, the creamy yolk that oozes out with the prick of your fork and becomes a complimentary sauce to the entire dish. Of course this will be accompanied by a mimosa or two....   Here's to you mom's and here's how to make this dish!

Vegetable cream cheese:                         

1 shallot - diced
2 carrots - diced
1 stalk celery - diced
2 radishes - diced
1/2 red bell pepper - diced
8oz cream cheese at room temp
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment add all your ingredients and blend until your cream cheese is smooth and everything is incorporated.

Thats it. I like to store mine in the refrigerator for a few hours so the flavors come together.

 Now for the somewhat tricky part only if you have never poached an egg before. Here is how:

Use a large shallow pot or sauce pot and fill half way up with water. Put your water on med high heat, you DO NOT want to bring your water to a boil or even to a simmer. I poached my egg at about 150 degrees. Rule of thumb is you should be able to put your finger down in the water and pull it out without burning it. You will see small bubbles form at the bottom of the pot and steam will be coming off the top. I also add about 1 Tbs of white vinegar, this helps stabilize your egg. Next rule, when the water is ready do not just crack your egg into the pot...you will have to start over! Crack your egg into a small bowl then submerge your bowl with the egg down into the water. Let the water come up into the side of the bowl then slowly pull the bowl out leaving the egg down in the water. I let mine poach for 5 minutes exactly. Use a slotted spoon to retrieve your egg and place on a towel. Let cool slightly and then it's ready to plate!

Here is the finished product with that beautiful silky sauce of the yolk that is so bright and creamy!

I topped mine with fresh dill and finished off with a little chive oil!
Happy Mothers Day! From one mom to the next it's an incredibly hard and wonderfully rewarding job a job that will never end nor will we want it to!
Have a great day and remember to eat what your heart desires...I know I will!!

Happy Eatings Mommy's!