Just as I’d found the perfect finger less gloves, spring arrives and it’s already too warm to wear them. On the positive side, spring brings with it some exciting, colourful foods that I felt like I’d forgotten, in the midst of all the kale and sprouts.

Smack bang in the middle of a pretty intense pancetta phase, and with wafer slices leftover in my fridge – I thought I’d incorporate it into something a bit ‘healthy’ and reflective upon the change in weather – rather than the norm, which is pasta for us.

My mums always been a broad bean fanatic, me not so much but this lunch may have changed my mind. The strength of colour is emulated by the punchy flavour and the poached egg somehow finishes off the dish, sitting on top of its emerald treasure like a victorious pirate……maybe.

It would be tempting for me to add some carbs, maybe crusty bread or even egg noodles – as it isn’t the most substantial lunch…..but I’ll be making this regularly this summer and the vinaigrette even more often so.

I went off on a quest to find unpodded broad beans and peas, but was not successful. Get them unpodded if you can. Add a sprinkle of Parmesan too, when serving for extra flavour (this was an after thought).

Ingredients for 2 servings

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced or chopped fine
• 80ml olive oil
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 4-6 slices of pancetta
• 200g broad beans (unpodded)
• 150g peas (unpodded)
• 1 handful of parsley, torn
• 1 handful of mint, torn
• ½ the amount of dill, torn
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 fresh eggs

Method

First, make the vinaigrette by adding the lemon juice, garlic, oil and sugar together. Season and whisk until combined. Set aside.

Bring a medium sized pan of water to the boil and a small saucepan to boil for the poached eggs. Add the vinegar to the smaller pan.

Add the broad beans to the larger pan and when the water comes back to the boil, add the peas and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Drain the peas/beans and add to a bowl of iced water. Remove the skins from the broad beans (if you like) they should easily pop out.

Break the eggs into cups and drop carefully into the small pan of water, it should be in between a simmer and rolling boil. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper.

Drain the peas and beans from the iced water and add to a frying pan with ¾ of the vinaigrette to warm through.

Mix in the herbs, crumble in the pancetta then serve with the egg perched on top and drizzle over the rest of the vinaigrette.

Enjoy!