Warm Spinach, Bacon & Egg Salad

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 150 g baby spinach
• 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 rashers smoked back bacon, cut into lardons
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• crusty bread, to serve
• sourdough bread, thickly sliced, to serve

Method

1. Bring a wide pan of water to a gentle simmer — you want lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Crack the eggs in one at a time and poach for 3 minutes for a soft, runny yolk. Lift out with a slotted spoon and rest on kitchen paper.
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon lardons in a dry frying pan over medium heat until deeply golden and crisp at the edges, about 6–8 minutes. Pour off all but a tablespoon of the rendered fat.
3. Turn the heat to low. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon and honey to the bacon pan and stir for 30 seconds until the dressing is glossy and warmed through. Season with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper.
4. Tip the spinach and cherry tomatoes into a large bowl and pour over the warm bacon dressing. Toss quickly — the leaves should wilt and glisten but not collapse.
5. Divide between four plates, top each with a poached egg, and serve straight away with thick slices of toasted sourdough.