This vibrant brunch was created with Christmas morning in mind—a dish that feels celebratory yet nourishing, colourful yet effortless to bring together. It combines so many wonderful flavours and textures: cool, tangy whipped feta; silky, lightly cured smoked salmon; tender asparagus infused with herbs and butter; and perfectly poached eggs. It looks spectacular on the plate but remains wonderfully manageable on a busy festive morning.
Much of the preparation can be done ahead, from whipping the feta to trimming the asparagus, so that on the day itself you only need to assemble and enjoy. The whipped feta can also be tinted with beetroot, spinach or roasted peppers for a festive splash of colour, turning each plate into a little edible tableau. With watercress, good wholemeal toast and perhaps some avocado alongside, this makes a beautiful, balanced brunch—fresh, elegant and full of Mediterranean brightness in the heart of winter.
Ingredients (serves 4)
For the whipped feta
- 100g feta
- 80g cream cheese
- 50g Greek yogurt
- 50ml milk
- 1 lime, zest
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- Salt to taste
- Pinch of pepper
For red whipped feta, add 50g of chopped cooked beetroot to 1/3 of the whipped feta mix
For green whipped feta, add 50g of fresh spinach leaves (after you dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then drop in icy water to cool and strain) to 1/3 of the feta.
For the quick cured smoke salmon
- 400g lightly smoked salmon
- Juice of ½ lime
- Juice of ½ grapefruit
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp juniper berries
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
For the asparagus
- 5 asparagus per person, 20 in total
- 50g unsalted butter
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 tbsp vegetable stock powder (bouillon)
For the poached eggs
- 4 eggs
- 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
To serve
- Watercress – sliced avocado would be lovely with these flavours too!
- Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
- 4 wholemeal bread slices, toasted
Method
Start with the whipped feta. You can make this on the day before. Blitz all the ingredients in a small food processor and adjust seasoning. Put in a piping bag or more if you are using colour in your whipped feta. Keep in the fridge until serving.
For the asparagus, trim each asparagus. Put a sauteing pan or deep frying pan on a medium heat and add enough water to cover the asparagus spears, add the vegetable stock, thyme and butter and bring to the boil. Stir to create a hot emulsion. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes on a low heat until cooked but with a little bite and holding their shapes.
To poach the eggs, put a piece of plastic wrap into a small bowl as this will help you hold the egg into place. Add a tsp of extra virgin olive oil into the plastic wrap, break the egg into it and fold the ends together to make a knot so that the egg is closed within the wrap. Repeat this for the remaining eggs. Bring a large saucepan with water to a soft boil, add the eggs and with the use of a ladle and spoon keep moving within the hot water until the egg white is opaque and surrounds totally the yolk, 3-4 minutes. Remove the eggs and keep to the side.
Lay the smoked salmon slices on a platter. Crush the spices in a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder. Whisk all the quick cure ingredients in a little jug and drizzle over the salmon.
Toast the bread slices and cut into triangles to symbolize Christmas trees. Use any remnants to make breadcrumbs and keep in a bag in the freezer for other uses. Use the feta in the piping bags to pipe onto the toast.
To serve, lay one quarter of the watercress on each plate, top with salmon and asparagus, cut the plastic wrap off each egg and place on top of the salmon, drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with some freshly grounded black pepper. Serve the toast on the side.