Clean and simple. This is one of my favourite lunches for a few reasons… it’s really quick to throw together, since the dressing is just a squeeze of lemon and olive oil, and it’s so fresh. Not to mention, I can boil the eggs in advance and pack it as a lunch!
Since the flavours in this salad are so simple, it’s important to use quality ingredients. A nice olive oil and good quality salt go a long way in a recipe like this one. I like to use one of my favourite garlic-infused oils from Italy and, most importantly, Maldon salt! The ultimate finishing salt. It’s flakiness allows it to stick to the eggs and all the different sprouts, creating a lovely balance for the lemon’s acidity.
As for the sprouts, you can usually find a a nice variety at your local supermarket or, better yet, Farmer’s Market. That being said, they’re super easy to grow yourself! Lots of sprouts tend to be on the bitter side, but the combination of the oil, lemon, and salt really cuts that down and allows you to enjoy all the deep flavours. However, if you’re sensitive to bitterness, try to choose milder options like alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots.
Lastly, I have a really great tutorial on boiling eggs so you don’t have to fight with a fussy peel! This recipe includes most of the steps, but if you’d like to know more about that, check out this post!
Simple Sprout Salad
Ingredients
- 1-2 Cups Various Leafy Sprouts and Shoots, Alfalfa, Arugula, Clover, etc.
- 1 handful Bean or Pea Sprouts, Lentils, Chickpeas, Adzuki, etc.
- 1-2 Eggs
- 2 Tbsps Quality Olive Oil, garlic-infused is a nice touch
- 1/2 Lemon
- Maldon Sea Salt, to taste
- Pepper, option
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. If you like to use vinegar in the water to help with the peeling of the egg, add 2 tbsps. Once boiling, carefully lower the egg(s) into the water, using a slotted spoon. If necessary, cover the pot to help bring the water back to a boil and allow it to remain there for roughly 30 seconds. Then lower the heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 6-7 minutes for soft and 10-11 minutes for hard.
- Prepare an ice bath for the eggs.
- Once the eggs have finished cooking, remove them from the water using the slotted spoon and transfer them to the ice bath. They should remain in the ice bath for at least 15 minutes, in order to stop the cooking process and cool completely. Once they’ve cooled, you can either store the eggs in the fridge until you’re ready to use them, or move onto the next step.
- Arrange the sprouts and shoots in a bowl. Peel the egg(s), slice it in half or however you prefer, and add it to the bowl. Drizzle, as evenly as possible, roughly 2 tbsps of oil over the salad. Then, squeeze some or all of half a lemon over the contents of the bowl, add 1 or 2 pinches of Maldon Sea Salt, and finish with a couple cracks of pepper (if you like).
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