3 rashers of rindless streaky smoked bacon
2 tablespoons oil for frying
1 slice of bread
2 handfuls of very young spinach or beet leaves
1 handful of young dandelion leaves, or watercress if not available
French dressing
12 Raw quail’s eggs

1. Cut the bacon across into thin strips. Brown them rapidly in the oil. Remove and drain on absorbent kitchen paper. Cut the bread into small dice and fry in the hot fat until evenly browned. Remove with a perforated spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
2. Wash and pick over spinach and dandelion leaves and pull them into small pieces, discarding any stalks or thick ribs. Dry well. Toss in the dressing and arrange on 4 individual plates.
3. Get a frying pan or shallow sauté pan of water bubbling on the heat. Break the quail’s eggs carefully on to a plate. Slide the eggs into the pan. Reduce the heat and poach for 1 minute. Remove from the pan and slip into bowl of warm water until ready for use.
4. Arrange 3 well-drained eggs per person on the salads. Add a sprinkling of bacon, then the fried croûtons, still warm, and serve immediately.

Wine: DRY WHITE

________________________________________

Excerpt from Leiths Cookery Bible

[Leith, P., and Waldegrave, C., (2003), Leiths Cookery Bible, 3rd edition, Bloomburys, UK]

SERVES 4

110 g | 4 oz rindless streaky bacon, chopped
30 g | 1 oz butter
3 sticks of celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large yellow pepper, cored, deseeded and finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 large potato, peeled and diced
30 g | 1 oz plain flour
570 ml | 1 pint milk
4 ears of boiled sweetcorn or 340 g | 12 oz cooked sweetcorn kernels
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Garnish
chopped fresh parsley

1. Fry the bacon in the butter. When brown but not crisp add the celery, onion, yellow pepper and bay leaf. Reduce the heat and cook slowly until the onion looks soft and transparent. Add the potato after 5 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from pan heat; mix in the flour, cook for 1 minute and then add the milk.
3. Return the pan from the heat; stir until boiling.
4. Cut the kernels from the ears and add them to the soup. Scrape the cobs with a sharp knife to extract all the juice and add this too. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but not broken. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
5. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Wine: DRY WHITE

________________________________________

Excerpt from Leiths Cookery Bible

[Leith, P., and Waldegrave, C., (2003), Leiths Cookery Bible, 3rd edition, Bloomburys, UK]