Pesto Rice Bowl with Poached Egg (Sqirl Copycat)
I’ve decided that I’m starting a brand new series where I recreate some of the most delicious things I’ve eaten since living in Los Angeles. This is the first time I’m stating this commitment but I have a few fun ideas up my sleeve so I’m excited to get into it! Starting with this incredible pesto rice bowl with poached egg, inspired by the iconic rice bowl at Sqirl.
If you’ve never been to Sqirl, it’s a very cute and delicious restaurant on the east side of LA that serves up bowls like this one and unbelievable toasts on the thickest slices of brioche toast that you can imagine. They’re slathered with homemade jam and they’re pretty perfect. BUT today we are focusing on the rice bowl, which they make with sorrel pesto that has a light, slightly lemon-y taste (see full description below). Although I would love to have made it this way, I unfortunately don’t have sorrels at the ready and wanted to make this as easy as possible to whip together, so I just use a local farmer’s market pesto and it’s equally as tasty! The idea is mostly to get a base of flavourful pesto rice (you can use white or brown rice) and then top it with pickled radishes, avocado, feta and a poached egg.
I also added some sautéed garlicky spinach to mine because why not get more greens in, and then topping it all off with your favourite hot sauce is a must. You can easily make this vegan by using vegan feta (which I did) and removing the poached egg or replacing it with tofu. I hope you enjoy this lovely pesto rice bowl as much as I do!
Pesto Rice Bowl with Poached Egg (Sqirl Copycat)
Ingredients
For the quick pickled radishes:
2 cups radishes, very thinly sliced
⅔ cup apple cider vinegar
⅔ cup water
½ tsp sea salt
2 tsp honey or maple syrup
½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
2 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)
For the pesto rice bowl:
1 ½ cups cooked brown or white rice
2-3 tbsp pesto (store bought or homemade)
1 ripe avocado, sliced
2 eggs
2 large handfuls spinach
1 clove grate garlic
¼ cup sheep milk or vegan feta cheese
Hot sauce of choice
Lemon juice + fresh herbs, to finish
Method
Start by making your quick pickled radishes: place thinly sliced radishes in a jar with the garlic cloves if using. Heat your water and vinegar together in a saucepan over medium just until it starts to simmer, then remove and stir in the sea salt, chili flakes and honey/maple. Carefully pour this mixture over the radishes and let jar cool on the counter for at least 2 hours before placing in the refrigerator. You can use them right away once they cool or let them sit in the fridge for up to 1 week.
To make the sautéed spinach, add some olive oil to a pan over medium. Add the spinach and grated garlic and let cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and the garlic is cooked. Remove and add a squeeze of lemon and a big pinch of sea salt and stir.
To make your poached eggs, bring a saucepan of water to a simmer (with a splash of vinegar if desired to help with keeping the eggs together). Crack 1 egg into a separate small bowl, then gently pour it directly into the simmering water. Repeat with the other egg. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes (I like a firmer jammy egg so I do 3), then use a slotted spoon to remove each egg from the water and place on a paper towel to drain.
Mix your rice with the pesto (add more or less as desired) and divide between two bowls. Add a scoop of sautéed spinach, ½ a sliced avocado, 2 tbsp feta and a poached egg to each bowl. Add as many pickled radishes as desired, then top with hot sauce, a squeeze of lemon and some fresh herbs if you like. ENJOY!
Serves 2
