Smoked salmon scrambled eggs on sourdough with lemon crème fraîche
Quick, indulgent pescatarian brunch: creamy scrambled eggs, silky smoked salmon and zesty crème fraîche on toasted sourdough.
This is the sort of brunch that makes a mid-morning feel like a celebration. Creamy scrambled eggs, smoky salmon and a lemony crème fraîche lift ordinary toast into something delightfully grown-up.
It’s quick enough for a relaxed weekend, but precise cooking — low heat and gentle stirring — is what makes the eggs sing. Perfect with a pot of good coffee or a glass of chilled sparkling wine if you’re feeling fancy.
Ingredients
- 4 sourdough slices — about 4 medium slices (approx. 200 g total)
- 30 g unsalted butter — divide between toasting and eggs
- 4 eggs
- 30 ml double cream
- 140 g smoked salmon — slices or ribbons
- 80 g crème fraîche
- 1 lemon — use half for juice and half for garnish
- 15 g chives — finely snipped
- 30 g capers — drained
- sea salt — pinch, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper — to taste
- 10 ml olive oil — for toasting, optional
Instructions
Make the lemon crème fraîche: finely snip half the chives (reserve the rest for garnish). Zest half the lemon and squeeze 15 ml (about 1 tbsp) juice from the same half. In a small bowl stir together crème fraîche, lemon zest, lemon juice and half the snipped chives. Season with a little freshly ground black pepper and set aside.
Toast the sourdough: heat a frying pan over a medium hob. Add 10 g unsalted butter and the olive oil; when the butter foam subsides, add two slices of sourdough. Toast for 150 seconds, flip and toast a further 150 seconds until golden. Repeat with the remaining two slices. Keep warm on a plate.
Make the scrambled eggs: crack the eggs into a medium bowl, add the double cream, a pinch of sea salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until blended. Return the frying pan to a low hob heat and add the remaining 20 g unsalted butter. When the butter has melted and stopped foaming, pour in the egg mixture. Stir constantly with a silicone spatula, scraping the base, until soft curds form and the eggs are still slightly glossy — about 240 seconds. Remove from the heat while a little runny; they will finish cooking from residual heat.
Assemble: spread a generous tablespoon of the lemon crème fraîche on each toasted slice. Pile the scrambled eggs onto the toasts, top with the smoked salmon and scatter over the remaining snipped chives and the capers. Finish with a light grind of black pepper and a little extra lemon zest if you like.
Serve immediately while the eggs are warm and the toast still crisp.
Tips
- Cook the eggs gently over low heat and remove them when they still look slightly underdone — carryover heat finishes them and keeps them silky.
- Taste before adding salt: smoked salmon and capers are salty, so use only a light pinch in the eggs.
- Make the lemon crème fraîche up to 6 hours ahead and keep chilled — it will mellow and save time on the day.
- If your pan runs hot, reduce the hob setting; eggs must never be rushed with high heat.
- To refresh leftovers, warm eggs very gently in a low oven (100°C fan/120°C conventional) for a few minutes; avoid the microwave which dries them out.
Substitutions
smoked salmon → smoked trout same quantity
Stays closecrème fraîche → Greek yoghurt same quantity (expect tangier, slightly looser texture)
Noticeably differentsourdough slices → gluten-free bread same number of slices (toast a little longer for best texture)
Noticeably differentdouble cream → whole milk 40 ml (eggs will be a touch less rich)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 830
- Calories
- 39 g
- Protein
- 50 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 1250 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use cold smoked salmon straight from the packet?
Yes — cold smoked salmon is ready to eat. Arrange it on the warm eggs so it just takes the chill off without cooking through.
How long can leftovers keep?
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 24 hours. Reheat gently; texture will be best on the day.
Can I make the scrambled eggs ahead of time?
You can make them briefly and cool, but they’ll lose silkiness. It’s far better to cook eggs just before serving and prepare the crème fraîche ahead.
How do I reduce the saltiness?
Use fewer capers, rinse them briefly, and choose a smaller portion of smoked salmon. Omit added salt in the eggs and rely on pepper and lemon for lift.
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