Lemony Watercress Salad with Wild Rice, Asparagus, Mushroom & Poached Egg

Have you tried watercress?  It’s Mother Nature’s version of a natural, good tasting multivitamin!  According to Watercress.com — and by the way, do all vegetables have their own website?!? — watercress is the most ancient of the green vegetables and its use can be traced back to Greek and Roman times.  It’s one of the few greens I don’t grow because I can’t keep up with its thirst for water, but I love the peppery bite and just crave it sometimes.  It’s delicious alone or mixed with other greens.  It’s also excellent in soups and smoothies as well.

Watercress is definitely a Super-Veggie and is trademarked as the Super Leaf—ounce for ounce, watercress has more vitamin C than an orange and more calcium than whole milk.  Watercress is packed with beta-carotene and vitamin A, and is a better source of vitamins C, B1, B6, K, E, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, and Potassium than apples, broccoli, and tomatoes.  That makes me want to eat some stat!

In keeping with the egg theme leading up to Easter, I have for you today my Lemony Watercress Salad with Wild Rice, Asparagus, Mushroom & Poached Egg.  I love warm salads — and the textures in this one is spot on.  Best of all, it’s super easy to make and is the perfect spring salad.

Along with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and water, here’s all you need to make my Lemony Watercress Salad with Wild Rice, Asparagus, Mushroom & Poached Egg:

Whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste.

Heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat, add the shallot and mushrooms and cook until tender.  Add the asparagus and cook until crisp tender.

Poach an egg in acidulated water, assemble, and ENJOY!

Lemony Watercress Salad with Wild Rice, Asparagus, Mushroom & Poached Egg

 

Print

Prep time

10 minutes

Cook time

15 minutes

Total time

25 minutes

 

The textures in this warm salad are spot on. Best of all, it’s super easy to make and is the perfect spring salad!

Author: Brett@MisterMartha.com

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided use
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
• kosher salt and black pepper as desired
• 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
• 8 fresh asparagus spears, cut into 3-inch pieces
• ⅔ cup cooked wild long-grain rice
• 2 large eggs
• 4 cups watercress, trimmed of thicker stems

Instructions

1. Bring 2-inches of water to a simmer in a shallow pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste; set aside.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium sauté pan. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon water and cook until softened and light brown in color, about 4 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. (Note: Add additional water if pan becomes too dry).
3. Meanwhile, add the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the simmering water. Crack the eggs into individual custard cups or small ramekins and gently release into the simmering water. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 4 minutes. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper toweling.
4. Dividing evenly, assemble the watercress, rice, and asparagus mixture in two bowls. Top each with a poached egg, a sprinkle of salt and pepper as desired, and a drizzle of the vinaigrette. (Note: Alternately, add the warm vegetables to the vinaigrette and toss with watercress and rice before topping with poached egg.)

Notes

Though optional, the addition of lemon juice to the simmering water helps the egg whites to remain intact while poaching.

Alternately, add the warm vegetables to the vinaigrette and toss with watercress and rice before topping with poached egg.

3.2.2265