Poached egg and pea purée with Joselito ham, English asparagus and olive crisp – by Anton Escalera

Ingredients
(Serves four)

50g Joselito ham (including fat and lean)
300ml oil
4 duck eggs
Salt
250g cooked fresh peas
100g cooked frozen peas
75ml concentrated chicken stock
50ml vegetable nage
16 asparagus spears
Fleur de sel
Olive oil
Pepper
4 slices black olive baguette, dried

Method

Cut the ham into large bits, place in oil and confit on low heat for two hours, then leave to cool. Poach duck eggs in lightly salted water, drain and reserve in iced cold water.

Make pea purée by liquidising fresh peas with 25ml stock and nage. Strain liquidised peas and add 25ml more stock to get the right consistency, then blend again with frozen peas to create dark-green colour. Season well. Take ham from confit, flake and place in 25ml stock. Pare asparagus spears then blanch in salted water.

To serve, place warm pea purée and moist flaked ham on the plate. Add the reheated poached egg and asparagus coated with olive oil. Season with fleur de sel and pepper. Finish with a hint of reserved fat.

Serve with slices of olive baguette brushed with a little extra virgin olive oil.

by Anton Escalera, head chef, Alimentum, Cambridge