3830. SOFT-BOILED DUCK EGG with BACON and ASPARAGUS SOLDIERS

Serves 4


8 asparagus spears (about 300g), woody ends discarded

4 long thin slices rustic bread (preferably sourdough)

8 rashers smoked streaky bacon

4 duck egg

Heat your grill to high. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus spears and discard. Cut the bread into 12 soldiers, a little shorter than the asparagus.

Place a spear onto each soldier and wrap tightly with a rasher of bacon. Place on a baking tray, season and grill for 15 mins or until the bacon is crisp.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and simmer the duck eggs for about 7 mins, to get a runny yolk and a cooked white. Serve immediately with the warm soldiers for dipping. 

bacon recipe source: Barney Desmazery, Good Food Magazine, May 2013

3615. DUCK EGG with WILD OYSTER MUSHROOMS, NASTURTIUMS and CRISPY BACON

2 free range duck eggs

250 grams fresh oyster mushrooms
2 slices of toasted granary bread
1 bunch nasturtium leaves and flowers
50 grams butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 rashers crispy bacon

Heat the vegetable oil in a non stick frying pan and add the duck egg. Toast the bread and place in the centre of the plate. In another pan heat some more oil and sauté the mushrooms and season. Add the butter and arrange around the plate. Drizzle some of the mushroom butter around and place the flowers and leaves neatly around it. Place the crispy bacon just over the egg. Serve with a little English mustard.


bacon recipe source: The Staff Canteen (@CanteenTweets), Unit B10 Arena Business Centre, Holyrood Close, Poole, Dorset, BH17 7FL UK

3277. SMOKED MACKEREL, BACON and DUCK EGG

serves four 


For the bread
200 grams light malthouse bread flour
300 grams white bread flour
300 ml beer
35 grams fresh yeast
10 grams (2/3 tablespoon) butter
20 grams (4 teaspoons) salt

For the topping
2 fillets of smoked mackerel
8 rashers of cooked lean bacon, sliced
4 duck eggs
200 grams watercress leaves 

For the mustard dressing
½ teaspoon finely chopped shallot
½ teaspoon English mustard
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
100ml rapeseed oil

For the bread, mix together all the ingredients, except the salt, to form a dough. Knead for five minutes. Add the salt and knead for a further two minutes. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for half an hour. Remove the dough, divide and roll into shape for two loaf tins. Place in the tins and cover with a damp cloth. Leave in a warm place for 45 minutes and preheat the oven to 235°C. Remove the cloth from the loaves, dust with flour and add a splash of water to the top, to create steam in the oven and a crusty top. Bake for 20 minutes. To make the topping, flake the smoked mackerel into large pieces and mix together with the bacon and watercress. Combine the mustard dressing ingredients together and drizzle over the salad. To serve, toast four slices of the beer bread, place the topping on the toast, poach the duck eggs for three minutes, season and add to the bread.


bacon recipe source: The New West Country Cookbook; Stylist Magazine