Â鶹Éç

Ingredients

Ìý

• 12 stalks of asparagus
• 4 free range eggs
• Plain flour, egg wash
• 100g white bread crumbs
• 50g butter
• 1 shallot, peeled & finely chopped
• 200g St George’s mushrooms
• Handful wild garlic leaves
• Malden sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Oil for deep frying

Ìý

Method

Ìý

Start by preparing the asparagus.

Ìý

Cut the woody last 2 cm from the bottom of the stalk & shave the bottom 2cm of outer skin from the newly sliced stalk.

Ìý

Cook the asparagus in plenty of boiling salted water for approximately 2½ minutes, keeping it firm & crunchy – not soft. Refresh it immediately in iced water to prevent it from continuing to cook – or eat it hot straight away.

Ìý

Next, poach the eggs. Bring a large pan of water to a simmer, add a few drops of vinegar & swirl with a slotted spoon to create a whirlpool effect. Cook the eggs two at a time. Crack one into a small bowl & gently slide into the centre of the whirlpool; repeat with the other egg.

Ìý

Poach for about 3 minutes until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny in the middle. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon & slide into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Repeat to cook the other eggs.

Ìý

When cool, remove the eggs from the water, drain & dry on a clean tea towel. Dust in plain flour, dip in egg wash & roll in white breadcrumbs until the poached egg is evenly coated. Repeat the process to give the eggs a thorough coating, ready for deep frying to crispy & golden just before serving.

Ìý

Place a large non-stick frying pan on the hob over a moderate heat. Put the butter in the pan. When the butter starts foaming add the shallot & gently sweat without colouring until softened. Add the mushrooms & gently fry in the onion butter. Add the wild garlic, season & let the garlic wilt for a few seconds.

Ìý

Divide the mushroom mix between four warmed plates. Take the chill off the asparagus stalks in the same frying pan (no need to clean).

Ìý

Drop the breadcrumbed poached eggs into a pan of hot oil & deep fry for 60 seconds until golden. Remove from the oil & pat dry on kitchen paper.

Ìý

Place the warmed asparagus over the mushroom salad & finally top with a crispy poached egg.

Ìý

When you cut into the egg, the yolk becomes the sauce to dress the dish.

Ingredients

Ìý

• 6 free-range egg yolks
• 2 free-range eggs
• 150g caster sugar
• 300ml whole milk
• 300ml double cream
• 1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scrapped out
• 75g butter
• 8 ready-made hot cross buns, halved
• 25g sultanas
• 25g raisins
• 25g demerara sugar

Ìý

Method

Ìý

For the custard, whisk the egg yolks, whole eggs and sugar together in a bowl. Place the milk, cream and the vanilla pod and seeds into a pan over a low heat and slowly bring to a simmer.

Ìý

Remove from the heat and remove the vanilla pod. Then pour the milk and cream onto the egg mixture and whisk well. Butter the hot cross buns and cut into quarters.

Ìý

Place a layer of the hot cross buns into a 22cm deep ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with some sultanas and raisins and the demerara sugar. Repeat the layers and finish with a final layer of buns. Pour the custard over the buns and leave to stand for 20 minutes.

Ìý

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Once the oven is heated, place the dish into a deep roasting tray and add enough water to the tray to come a third of the way up the dish (this is a bain-marie) then cover with foil.

Ìý

Finally, carefully place the pudding and bain-marie into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the custard has set. Remove the foil for the final five minutes of cooking to brown the top.

Ìý

Serve the pudding with cream or mascarpone.