Spiced Röstis with Poached Eggs and Eggplant Dip

Steps

1. oven to 160°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Bring a small pot of water to a simmering boil.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a fry-pan on medium heat and cook first measure of shallot for about 1 minute. Add rösti spice mix and cook for a further 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside. Whisk egg in a large bowl. Add flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until smooth. Add milk and continue whisking until smooth.
3. Add all remaining rösti ingredients including cooked shallot mixture to the bowl. Mix to combine and season with black pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil the same fry-pan on medium heat. Divide rösti mix into 3 equal portions and dollop into the pan, spreading out with a spoon until about 1cm-thick.
4. Cook röstis, in 3 batches, for 2-3 minutes each side, until golden and cooked through. Transfer cooked röstis onto prepared tray and keep warm in the oven, while you cook remaining röstis. While röstis are cooking, prepare the salad.
5. In a large bowl mix oil, lemon juice and honey together. Cut cucumber into quarters lengthways, then slice 0.5cm on an angle; finely slice second measure of shallot; cut pear in half then thinly slice (discard core); roughly chop mint. Add all to bowl with dressing, along with mesclun, season and toss to combine.
6. Add vinegar to pot of simmering water, once simmering again crack eggs into pot and cook for about 2 minutes (or 4 minutes for hard eggs). Remove from pot using a slotted spoon to drain excess water. While eggs are poaching, combine eggplant dip and mayonnaise in a small bowl and set aside.
7. place röstis onto plates and top with mesclun and pear salad. Place an egg on top and dollop with a good spoonful of eggplant dip.