Ingredients

• 3 free-range eggs
• 50g/1¾oz plain flour
• 100g/3½oz Panko breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil
• for deep-frying
• 500g/1lb 2oz frozen peas
• defrosted
• ladle warm ham stock
• from cooking or from a cube
• handful fresh peas
• 10 mangetout
• 300g/10½oz cooked ham hock
• shredded
• 75g/2½oz pea shoots
• 2 fresh mint sprigs
• leaves picked
• 25g/1oz Parmesan shavings
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Cook two eggs in a saucepan of boiling water for 4 minutes
• until soft-boiled. Cool in cold water and carefully peel.
• Beat the remaining egg in a shallow bowl. Put the flour in a second shallow bowl and season. Put the breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl. Roll each boiled egg in the flour
• then the beaten egg
• then the breadcrumbs.
• Fill a deep-fat fryer or a large
• deep
• heavy-bottomed pan two-thirds full with the vegetable oil. Heat to 180C (a cube of bread should turn brown in one minute when dropped in.) CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended. Deep-fry the eggs for 3–4 minutes
• until golden
• Meanwhile
• blend the defrosted peas with the warm ham stock in a food processor. Pass the purée through a fine sieve. It should have the consistency of double cream.
• Blanch the fresh peas and mangetout in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and refresh under cold water.
• In a bowl
• mix together the blanched peas and mangetout
• ham
• pea shoots
• mint and Parmesan. Dress with the olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Check the seasoning.
• To serve
• spoon the pea purée into the bottom of four serving dishes. Pile on the ham salad and top with the crispy eggs.