Retreat Recipes: COMO Shambhala’s Healthy Eggs Florentine Alternative

Eggs are one of those wonderfully humble foods that are loaded with a world of benefits. Low-calorie but super filling and protein-packed, eggs are your best friend if you’re on a fitness transformation to build muscle and shed fat. Eggs also happen to be a breakfast, lunch and brunch-time favourite, which means getting them into your daily diet shouldn’t be too tricky—especially with this easy and delicious dish from COMO Shambhala Estate. Providing a lighter alternative to the standard carb-laden brunch dish (although, adding a wholegrain muffin to this recipe if you’re so inclined wouldn’t be a bad idea), this recipe offers vitamin-rich seasonal greens and perfectly poached eggs, tied together with COMO’s signature ‘Green Goddess’ sauce in lieu of hollandaise. It’s a brunch favourite at COMO Shambhala Estate, but you can have it right in your very own dining room—although if you’d rather be in Bali, we understand. 

Vitamin-Rich | Antioxidant-Rich | High-Protein | Calming | Gluten-Free

Serves 4

• 20g/¾oz Tarragon leaves
• 15g/½oz Chives, cut into 2cm length
• 20g/¾oz Chervil leaves
• 7.5g/¼ oz Flat-leaf parsley
• 10g/⅓oz Basil leaves
• 1 Clove of garlic, sliced
• 1 Lemon, peeled
• 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Avocado, peeled, stoned and roughly chopped
• Sea salt and ground white pepper to taste
• 125ml Soy milk
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the seasonal greens and poached eggs

• 1 Teaspoon white vinegar
• Sea salt and ground white pepper to taste
• 4 eggs
• 8 Green asparagus spears, trimmed and stalk bases peeled
• 20 Baby green beans, tailed
• 12 Stems of broccolini, trimmed and stems peeled
• 12 Kale or chard leaves, cleaned and stems removed

For the lemon dressing

• 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Sea salt and ground white pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Equipment

• • 2x bowls

• • 1x large saucepan

• • Blender

• • Whisk

• 4 Plates (for serving)

1. First, make the ‘Green Goddess’ sauce. Roughly chop the herbs and place all of the ingredients in the blender, except the soy milk and olive oil.
2. Blend to a smooth consistency. With the motor running, gradually add the soy milk and oil to produce a thick sauce (thick enough to achieve a napping consistency that evenly coats the back of a spoon).
3. Check the seasoning of the sauce and adjust as necessary.
4. Next, make the lemon dressing. Whisk the lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil together in a bowl. Season to taste.
5. For the seasonal greens and poached eggs, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.
6. Cook the season greens in salted water 2-3 minutes.
7. Poach the eggs in acidulated water 3-4 minutes.
8. To serve, place the kale in the centre of the serving plates and arrange the seasonal greens over the top. Place the poached eggs on the greens and spoon over 1 tablespoon of ‘Green Goddess’ sauce. Serve immediately.