Sorrel Rice Bowl
To learn more, read "She's the Jam" in our National Edition.
Recipe adapted from Jessica Koslow, Sqirl, Los Angeles
Sorrel Rice Bowl
Sqirl makes almost everything in-house, churning out some of L.A.'s most thoughtful and nuanced food in an unfussy setting. Dishes like a rice bowl topped with a poached egg, sorrel pesto and sheep's milk feta show Sqirl's careful attention to these two meals that can often be seen as less "serious"--the very thing that makes the café special.
servings
Ingredients
- Sorrel pesto
- One bunch of fresh sorrel, cleaned and stems removed
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- Rice bowl
- 1 cup cooked Heirloom Varietal Kokuho Rose rice (medium-grain white rice), cooked per package instructions (short-grain brown rice works, too)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- One preserved lemon (preferably Meyer lemon), pulp removed and discarded, peel chopped
- Good-quality hot sauce (preferably lactofermented)
- One egg (preferably free-range)
- ¼ cup sheep's milk feta (preferably Valbreso), crumbled
- One radish (preferably a watermelon radish), thinly sliced
Directions
- Make the sorrel pesto: Take the sorrel leaves and blend in a food processor with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and Kosher salt and pepper to taste, until a thick paste forms.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add 1 cup of the cooked rice, the chopped dill, preserved lemon and a tablespoon of sorrel pesto. Mix until thoroughly combined. Season with salt to taste and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with several dashes of hot sauce.
- Poach the egg: In a medium saucepan set over high heat, add water. Once it comes to a low simmer, reduce the heat to medium-high and use a slotted spoon to stir the very center of the mixture, creating a whirlpool-like effect. Crack the egg into a small bowl and gently slip it into the center of the whirlpool. Poach the egg until the whites are set and the yolk is still soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Use the slotted spoon to transfer the egg to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
- Place the poached egg on one side of the rice, and the sliced watermelon radish and feta on the other. Serve.