Eggs and bacon

Spring

A camping trip wouldn’t be a camping trip without eggs and bacon for breakfast. You can cook them on a little gas stove or over a fire, it doesn’t really matter which – the smell of bacon sizzling will soon draw your sleepy family out of their tents. I’ve always enjoyed tinkering with convention, so instead of frying the eggs, I’ve boiled them, but they’re still perfectly soft in the middle. I’ve also cut chunks from a piece of bacon, instead of frying rashers; it gives you something to get your teeth into. At the end everything gets scattered with chopped dill, a herb that’s at home in the morning.

Serves 2

Ingredients

3–4 eggs
200g (7oz) piece of unsmoked streaky bacon
2 thick slices of sourdough bread
butter, for spreading
a small handful of dill, chopped (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the eggs and cook for 5½–6 minutes, which will give you a soft-set yolk. Drain the eggs, let them cool a little, then carefully shell them and set them aside.

Meanwhile, set a close-knit grill down over the fire. The fire shouldn’t be too fierce or the bacon will burn. Slice the bacon into thick, chunky pieces and set them down over the grill. Turn them regularly with a pair of tongs until you have caramelized their outer edges while keeping the middles deliciously juicy. Remove the bacon pieces one by one as they’re ready and set aside.

Toast your bread over the fire and butter generously.

Cut the eggs in half and divide them between two plates. Pile on the bacon and scatter over the chopped dill (if you don’t like dill, use chives or leave the herbs off altogether). Season with some salt and pepper and serve.

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