Calabrian ’nduja (spreadable pork sausage) is fiery, fruity and salty. Ideal with eggs, then. It mellows just a little as soon as included into melted butter – though admittedly that’s nonetheless a wealthy mixture; much more so when joined by molten egg yolk. But there’s steadiness right here, with the ooze offset by the purity of the poached whites, plus a tender mattress of spinach and English muffins, which soak all the pieces up. Glorious.

Timings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 16 minutes

Serves

2

Ingredients

• 35g ’nduja
• 20g unsalted butter, plus further for the muffins
• 200g child spinach
• 2 English muffins, halved and toasted
• 4 eggs
• ½ tbsp white-wine vinegar

Method

1. Gently soften the ’nduja and butter collectively in a small saucepan over a really low warmth. Prod and stir till mixed. The sauce must be unfastened and shiny – don’t let this boil or fry, in any other case the pork within the ’nduja hardens and the butter and sauce will break up. Remove from direct warmth whilst you assemble the opposite parts.
2. Wilt the spinach in a big sauté or frying pan set over a medium-high warmth. Add a tablespoon of water to encourage the cooking course of (no want for butter or oil – there’s sufficient already on this dish). Once cooked, squeeze away any extra liquid. Season generously with salt and freshly floor black pepper.
3. Meanwhile, toast and butter the muffins and poach the eggs. Fill a medium saucepan with water to a depth of 10cm or so. Bring that water to a assured simmer, then cut back the temperature so the water is what I name ‘near simmering’ (ie there’s an everyday stream of effective bubbles and you realize instinctively that it wouldn’t take far more warmth to generate a rolling boil). Add the white-wine vinegar.
4. Break an egg right into a small, shallow bowl or ramekin. Swirl the deal with of a picket spoon (or comparable) within the pan of water in speedy circles to create a vortex. With the bowl or ramekin just about touching the water, tip the egg into the centre.
5. Swirl the spoon deal with spherical the sting of the pan to maintain the vortex going. After 10 seconds or so, add a second egg. (If you’re feeling assured sufficient to prepare dinner greater than two eggs without delay, go for it. If not, two at a time is optimum; the primary set will likely be effective to hold round for 2-3 minutes extra, though you could possibly additionally pop them again into the water to heat up for 15 seconds when the second set is sort of prepared.)
6. It takes 2½-3 minutes for the whites to grow to be opaque and agency. During that point, take note of the water temperature (small bubbles, nothing extra). Between 30 and 90 seconds, use a slotted spoon to encourage the albumen to remain near the eggs.
7. Line a plate or shallow bowl with a chunk of kitchen paper or absorbent fabric. Use a slotted spoon to switch the eggs from the saucepan to the plate to absorb extra water. Trim any scraggly whites (if there are any).
8. To serve, prime the toasted muffins with mounds of spinach and the poached eggs.
9. Give the ’nduja butter a superb stir, then spoon excessive.

Recipe from Good Eggs by Ed Smith (Quadrille, £22)