Serves 4

Baby spinach is at its best this month, so it is worth making the most of it. You can replace the duck eggs with hen eggs, if you like. The yolk should be nice and runny for this salad, and the cooking time will vary depending on how fresh the eggs are. The fresher the eggs, the longer they take. This is a meal in itself, served with some good sourdough bread.

3 free-range duck eggs
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
100g smoked streaky bacon, cut into lardons
200g baby spinach
75ml classic vinaigrette
Freshly ground salt and pepper

1 Place the eggs in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and plunge the eggs into a bowl of iced water. Leave until cool.
2 With a swivel potato peeler remove any tough outer stalk from the base of the asparagus spears. Blanch in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then plunge into iced-cold water. Drain well.
3 Place the lardons in a dry cast-iron frying pan and cook over a moderate heat until they are dry and crisp.
4 Divide the baby spinach between four serving plates and top with the asparagus spears. Cut the eggs over the plate so as not to lose any of the runny yolks, and arrange three pieces on each plate.
5 Add the vinaigrette to the bacon pan, stir well and bring to the boil. Immediately pour over the salad. Season well and serve.

Times Recommends

• Jane MacQuitty’s party wine
• Oliver Peyton's Christmas pavlova
• Blood orange cosmopolitan