WILD GARLIC GREEN EGGS

Wild garlic’s long and broad green leaves are heavily scented and unmistakable when stumbled upon in wet, shady spots. While there are a few urban areas in which it can be found, a more reliable place to ‘forage’ is at the Market. Though harsh if eaten raw, when wilted the taste is rounded and pleasingly garlicky, and it works particularly well in a brunch-style dish. Eggs in this shakshuka-esque format are often labelled as baked, but the most reliable way to keep the yolks runny is to keep the cooking on the stove, using a lid to help the steam cook the whites at the last minute. If you feel the urge to eat this outside wild garlic season, simply add 2 crushed garlic cloves to the cooked leeks 2 minutes before adding the spinach

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Step 1

Wash the spinach thoroughly. Cut the leaves from the stems then cut the stems into roughly 1cm lengths. Refresh the wild garlic in a bowl of cold water.

Step 2

Put a heavy-based sauté pan (for which you have a lid) over a medium-high heat – a 20–22cm-diameter works best. Add 20g of the butter and allow it to melt, then add the leeks, chopped spinach stems and a pinch of fl aky sea salt.

Step 3

Stir, reduce the heat a touch and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are much reduced, meltingly so? and sweet. Place the washed spinach leaves and wild garlic on top and leave to steam, folding them into the leeks as they wilt. A?er 5–6 minutes the spinach should be so?, and water will be leaching out.

Step 4

G rate the nutmeg onto the spinach and add a good few grinds of black pepper, plus another pinch of salt. Mix well. Increase the heat to medium-high, create 4 holes in the greens and crack an egg into each hole. Place a lid on top and cook for just under 3 minutes, until the whites appear set but the yolks are still runny.

Step 5

Meanwhile, season the yoghurt with a pinch of salt, plenty of pepper and the lemon juice. Heat the remaining butter in a small saucepan with the Aleppo pepper, until it melts and begins to foam.

Step 6

Take the green eggs of f the heat, add 8 dollops of yoghurt over the greens and spoon the foaming butter on top. Serve immediately, with fresh bread for scooping and mopping up the juices.