Soft Boiled Eggs and Asparagus

This feels like more of a serving suggestion than a recipe but after a big lunch today, this was all I wanted to eat for dinner. When asparagus is in season, I want to eat it every chance I get. I love making soft-boiled eggs and serving them with asparagus that’s blanched so that it’s still got a little bit of bite to it. Use the spears to dip into the eggs if you fancy.

• A bunch of asparagus

• 2 eggs, room temperature

• A loaf of bread for toast

• A lemon

• Plenty of salt and pepper

• A teaspoon of salted butter

Put a pot of salty water on to boil. Snap the woody ends off each asparagus spear and add them to the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove each piece of asparagus with tongs and plunge them into a bowl of iced water so they stay bright green and crisp. Keep the pot of water boiling and add in the eggs and set a timer for exactly 6 minutes. Once the eggs are in, turn the heat down to a simmer and make some toast.

Put a metal bowl over the pot of boiling water and add the butter and juice of a lemon to it so it melts. Butter the toast, drain the asparagus and pop the eggs in egg cups and serve together on a plate with plenty of salt and pepper and the lemon butter drizzled over the asparagus.