Senfei (Mustard Eggs)

, from Issue #66. May, 2016
Photography by Sarah Tuck.
Senfei (Mustard Eggs)

This humble, traditional dish is perfect for a mid-winter weekend lunch. It has a feel-good comfort factor while looking pretty as a picture. 

Serves: 4 for lunch

INGREDIENTS

50 grams butter
¼ cup plain flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon American mustard
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
sea salt and white pepper

8 eggs, boiled for 6 minutes, left to cool in cold water then peeled
⅓ cup salmon caviar
To serve
1½ cups baby watercress
½ cup fresh dill, picked into small fronds 

mashed potato

METHOD

Melt butter in a medium saucepan and add flour. Cook, stirring, over a medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of stock and whisk over the heat for 5 minutes until starting to thicken. Add milk, mustards and nutmeg and continue cooking until smooth and thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring a pot of water to the boil and drop peeled eggs in for 1 minute. Drain eggs and serve with warm mustard sauce, a spoonful of caviar, the baby watercress and garnish with dill. Accompany with creamy mashed potato. 

Cook's tips: To emulate the way this dish is served at La Soupe Populaire (the restaurant this recipe was inspired by), you can add some light potato crisps on the side. I also recommend accompanying it with Beetroot and Apple Chutney.

To ensure easy-peel boiled eggs, pierce the base of the egg with a needle before cooking and after cooking plunge into icy-cold water to chill.