John Torode's smoked salmon french toast
John’s back in the kitchen today and he’s starting things off with a super simple light lunch - Savoury French toast with smoked salmon, cream cheese & shallots.
Smoked salmon french toast
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 loaf of bread unsliced (white tin loaf)
100g crème fraiche
8 slices of smoked salmon
Small bunch of dill
3 eggs
2 tbsp yoghurt
100ml milk
Salt and ground black pepper
30mls vegetable oil
50g butter
For the salad
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp little capers
Handful dill
Handful parsley, picked
1 gherkin, chopped (or little cornichons)
1 lemon, plus extra to serve
Method
1. Slice the bread into 4 pieces, 1 and half inches thick, and remove the crust. Cut an incision on the side of the thickly sliced bread to make a pocket and fill with a mix of crème fraiche and half of the smoked salmon with some dill. Spread out evenly to fill all parts of the bread, be gentle so it doesn’t split.
2. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the yoghurt, milk, salt and pepper.
3. Place 2 slices of the filled bread in the egg mixture and turn three times, leave to soak for 30 seconds and turn again.
4. Heat a frying pan gently, add the oil, then the butter, when the butter has melted and starts to sizzle, gently place in the two pieces of the soaked bread. Cook each side gently, adjust the heat so it cooks slowly and smells of buttery toast. It will take a couple of minutes each side. Remove from the pan, wipe the pan out and repeat with the other two pieces.
5. Meanwhile, make the salad by placing all of the ingredients in a bowl and gently tossing together.
6. Serve each slice topped with a slice of smoked salmon and a squeeze of lemon some with crème fraiche. Place some of the salad to the side or on top of the bread. Squeeze some lemon on top.