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SEA KALE WITH POACHED EGGS AND TRUFFLES

The eggs can be poached in advance. The truffles should

be shaved with a bespoke truffle slicer but a very sharp

Japanese mandoline will work very well. Slicing with a knife

is not really an option.

Serves six.

12 fresh eggs

1 tablespoon white wine

vinegar

2 bunches of sea kale

60ml (2fl oz) new season’s

olive oil

30–60g (1–21⁄4oz) fresh truffle

1 tablespoon chopped chives

sea salt flakes and black

pepper

To poach the eggs, fill a medium saucepan three-quarters

full of water and bring to the boil with the wine vinegar.

Have a large bowl of iced water nearby.

Break each egg into a cup. Slip an egg gently into the

area where the water is boiling most vigorously. It will sink

to the bottom, the water will come off the boil and return

to it as the egg rises back to the top, the white enclosing

the yolk in a round ball. If it fails to enclose it properly,

you may need to add more vinegar. Each time an egg rises

towards the surface, slip another into the just-boiling water

and repeat the process. Once 6 eggs are happily poaching

away, turn the heat down to the merest simmer for a few

moments. Lift out the first eggs with a slotted spoon as

soon as the white feels properly set and the yolk

underneath is still soft and yielding to the touch, then

transfer them to the iced water. Repeat with the remaining

6 eggs. Once chilled, lift the eggs out of the water, trim

away any lacy frills of egg white and dry on kitchen paper.

Place a rack in a deep baking tray and half fill the tray

with water. Place the sea kale on the rack, cover the tray

with another tray of the same size (or use foil), then steam

the sea kale on the hob for 3 minutes until just tender but

still with a little bite. Transfer the sea kale to a serving dish

and sit the eggs on the steamer rack to reheat.

Place the eggs on top of the sea kale and season both

with lightly crushed sea salt flakes and freshly ground

black pepper. Trickle olive oil over both, then cover

lavishly with the thinnest-possible shavings of truffle.

Sprinkle with chives then serve absolutely immediately.

WINE: Truffles do not always enhance wine and truffly

sauces can also overwhelm a wine’s fruit. I do not often

recommend champagne with food but this is undoubtedly

the moment for that rich cuvée of Blanc de Blancs that you

have been wondering when to drink.

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