Big Love serveware
By Jamie Oliver
20 mins
Not Too Tricky
serves 4
About the recipe
Think of this as the perfect boiled egg, but stepped up a gear. As well as enriching your body with a tasty, nutritious combo of egg and wholemeal toast, the super-charged asparagus soldiers are a genius way to up your veg intake. Happy days!
Recipe From
Ingredients
1 large bunch of asparagus (16 spears)
8 slices of higher-welfare pancetta
4 large free-range eggs
4 slices of wholemeal bread (50g each)
Top Tip
Try adding sprigs of lemon thyme to the bacon wraps for bonus freshness and flavour – seriously tasty!
Method
- Place a griddle pan over a medium/high heat to heat up.
- Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and discard.
- Fill a medium saucepan three-quarters of the way up with water, add a pinch of sea salt, then place over a high heat and bring to a fast boil.
- On a chopping board, slice the pancetta in half across the middle, so you end up with 16 pieces, then gently stretch out each one.
- Wrap each asparagus spear in a piece of pancetta, then place onto the hot griddle and cook for 5 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender and the pancetta is crisp, turning occasionally.
- One at a time, place the eggs onto a spoon, then carefully dip in and out of the boiling water a few times – dipping will reduce the temperature shock and stop them from cracking – then gently lower into the pan.
- Cook the eggs for 5½ minutes so that they’re runny for dunking – set a timer.
- Carefully remove the eggs from the water and place into egg cups set on a plate, then divide up the asparagus.
- Meanwhile, quickly toast the bread on the griddle for 30 seconds on each side. Remove from the pan, slice into soldiers on a clean board and divide between your plates.
- Lightly tap and remove the top of each egg, season with black pepper, then tuck in.
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