Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

I was recently sitting at the front desk of the salon flipping through my new favorite magazine. The fact that I chose Sunset over the current issue of US Weekly, speaks volumes of how my interests have matured...

There is a scene in the book, Eat, Pray, Love when Liz is alone in her apartment in Italy enjoying a simple lunch consisting of two soft boiled eggs, thin asparagus spears, olives, and oily salmon. I recall reading this and becoming curious about soft boiled eggs. Four years later, inspired by this recipe, my curiosity got the best of me, and I am grateful that it did.

It's pouring rain outside, typically not a salad kind of day. But, the warmth from the gooey-centered egg and sautéed mushrooms, plus, the richness of the hollandaise, provide just enough comfort to ward off the chill of the crisp greens, making it an excellent rainy day salad.

Mushroom and soft-cooked egg salad with hollandaise
(recipe from Sunset magazine)

Ingredients

• 4  large eggs
• 3  tablespoons  melted butter, divided
• 1  tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
• 8  ounces  cremini mushrooms, stems removed and quartered
• 4  ounces  chanterelle mushrooms, cut into 1-in. pieces
• 4  ounces  oyster mushrooms, cut into 1-in. pieces
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  crème fraîche
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  Dijon mustard
• 1  teaspoon  lemon juice
• 2  teaspoons  lemon zest
• About 6 cups watercress with tough stems removed
• Pepper

Preparation

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Using a slotted spoon, gently submerge eggs into water. Simmer 5 minutes, then carefully immerse in cool water.

2. Heat 1 tbsp. butter with the oil in a 12-in. frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 8 minutes, then season with salt.

3. Whisk together crème fraîche, mustard, and lemon juice and zest in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in remaining 2 tbsp. butter to make hollandaise sauce.

4. Divide watercress among plates. Top with warm mushrooms, then drizzle with hollandaise. Crack an end of each egg and peel a quarter of shell. Using a spoon, carefully loosen eggs from their shells and scoop onto salads. Add a few turns of pepper on top.