This dish ended up being quite the highlight at my spring seasonal supper club in April at Brown and Green. The 24hr marinated eggs were a Clarence Court rare breed, called Seabright Sage, which are a jungle breed fowl brought to Gloucestershire in the 1930s and have the most fantastic colour and flavour yolks. They suit marinating very well and the red cabbage vinegar (I used a homemade one, which had added fennel to and made out of cyder vinegar) added a sweet and sour element. The asparagus was from Wye Valley Produce, in Hereford, and was the first of the season. The fatter, juicer spears are best for this.
Served 4
12 asparagus spears
1 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
zest and juice 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp mint, roughly chopped
1 tbsp parsley, roughly chopped
4 Clarence Court Seabright eggs
50ml red cabbage cyder vinegar*, plus 40g pickled red cabbage
1 tbsp soy sauce
40ml cold water
1 garlic clove, sliced
fennel sourdough bread, to serve
Put a large saucepan of just boiled water on the hob and bring to the boil. Add the eggs and simmer on a medium heat for 6 mins and 15 seconds. Refresh the eggs with cold water immediately, refilling the water each time it gets warm until the eggs are cold.
Peel the eggs and put them in a sealable tub with the red cabbage vinegar, soy sauce and cold water and garlic. Make sure the eggs are completely covered by the liquid. Add more cold water if they are not. Cover with a lid and marinate in the fridge for 24hrs.
Mix together the herbs, lemon zest and juice and 2 tbsp olive oil together in a small jug, then cut the eggs in half, carefully, the yolk should still be very soft.
Coat the asparagus with the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Heat a griddle pan on the hob until very hot, then griddle, turning every 2 mins, for 6 mins. Divide the asparagus between four places, then top with the egg halves and a pinch of red cabbage each. Dress the dishes with the herb oil and serve with sourdough.