Ingredients

• caster sugar
• measured to the 850ml/1½ pint mark in a measuring jug
• 3 unwaxed lemons
• 9 free-range eggs
• 150g/5oz butter
• cut into small pieces
• 3 tbsp snipped chives
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped tarragon
• 1 tbsp chopped mint
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 450g/1lb smoked salmon
• cut into 1-2cm/½-¾in thick steaks

Directions

• For the lemon purée
• put the sugar and 850ml/1½ pint water into a saucepan.
• Over a low heat
• allow the sugar to dissolve and then bring it up to a light simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. This stock syrup will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
• Prick the lemons fairly deeply all over and place into a saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover. Bring to the boil
• remove from the heat and allow the lemons to cool in the water. Repeat this twice more using fresh water each time.
• Place the lemons into the saucepan again and cover with a third of the stock syrup. Bring to the boil
• remove from the heat and allow the lemons to cool in the stock syrup.
• Repeat this twice more using fresh stock syrup each time.
• Place the lemons together with a few tablespoons of the stock syrup (retain the remaining stock syrup) and blend in a blender until smooth.
• Pass through a sieve
• taste and add a little more of the retained stock syrup if necessary
• store in a squeezy bottle in the fridge.
• For the herbed scrambled eggs
• break the eggs into a large bowl
• beat them well and then push them through a sieve into a heavy based
• non-stick saucepan. Add the pieces of butter and set aside.
• Place the chives
• parsley
• tarragon and mint in a bowl.
• About 20 minutes before serving
• heat the eggs on the lowest possible heat
• stirring continuously.
• Once the butter has melted
• the eggs will start to cook: watch them carefully as they need to be fairly runny when served and will continue to cook after you have taken them off the heat.
• Just before serving
• add the herbs and salt and pepper
• to taste.
• For the salmon
• heat a heavy-based ridged frying pan until it is nearly smoking.
• Place the salmon steaks across the ridges of the pan and press down for no longer than 30 seconds.
• Turn the steaks over and repeat on the other side.
• To serve
• place the salmon onto each plate
• pile the eggs alongside with a squeeze of lemon purée.