- 2 eggs
- 250g cocktail vine tomatoes
- 500g new potatoes
- 200g French beans
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 50g watercress
- 80g black olives
- 70g pancetta
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1.
Bring a small pan of water to the boil. Add the eggs. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 6 mins. Lift the eggs out and pop them in a bowl of cold water to cool.
- 2.
Heat the grill to a medium high setting. Tumble the cherry tomatoes onto a baking tray. Slide under the grill and cook for 5 mins till the skins are beginning to burst open.
- 3.
While the tomatoes and eggs cook, bring a larger pan of water to the boil. Scrub the potatoes and chop them into equal-sized chunks. Add to the boiling water. Simmer for 7 mins.
- 4.
Trim the French beans. Add them to the potatoes. Simmer for another 3 mins till the beans are just tender and the potatoes are cooked through. Drain them.
- 5.
Peel and grate the garlic. Juice the lemon. Whisk half of the juice with 1 tbsp Dijon mustard and the garlic. Whisk with 2 tbsp olive oil and some salt and pepper to make a mustardy dressing. Put to one side.
- 6.
Pick any large sprigs out of the watercress. Arrange the watercress, grilled tomatoes, potatoes and French beans on a platter or two plates. Scatter over the black olives. Drizzle over any juices from the tomatoes.
- 7.
Peel and halve the eggs, then add them to the salad. Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add the pancetta. Fry for 2-3 mins till the pancetta is crisp.
- 8.
Lift the pancetta out of the pan. Cut into shards. Pop on top of the salad. Spoon over the dressing and serve straight away.
- Tip
Egg-cellent timing
Simmering the eggs for 6 mins should give you an egg that’s still soft in the middle. For a firmer yolk, simmer for 8-10 mins.