Here’s a fabulous spring brunch dish for two. Simple and delicious.
Ingredients
- 75g/2½oz unsalted
butter - 2 x 150g/5½oz pieces of
ham, cut into 2½cm/1in thick slices - 1 bunch
asparagus (about 8-10 spears), woody ends trimmed and peeled - 2 tbsp chopped fresh
parsley - 2 tbsp
sunflower oil - 2 free-range
eggs - salt and pepper
For the potato fries
- 3 small Maris Piper
potatoes, cut into very thin strips -
vegetable oil for deep fat frying
Method
Add 200-300ml/7-10fl oz water to a pan with the butter. Bring up to the boil, drop in the ham and warm through. Once the volume of liquid has reduced by half and has started to emulsify, add the asparagus and carefully remove the ham. Cook the asparagus for one minute in the emulsified liquor.
Add the chopped parsley at the end. Keep warm.
Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 180C/350F, or heat the oil in a heavy-based pan until a small piece of bread sizzles and goes brown when dropped into the oil. (Caution: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Cook the potato strips in boiling water until soft. Drain and dry the potatoes. Put the chips into the deep fat fryer and cook until crisp.
Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan and add the oil. Once hot, add the eggs and fry to your liking.
To serve, put the warm ham onto each of two serving plates, and pile the asparagus next the ham. Taste the ham cooking sauce and season with salt and pepper as necessary. Spoon the sauce over the ham and asparagus and top with a fried egg and a small pile of chips.