Pan-Cooked Leeks, Ham & Eggs

📝 Ingredients

• 3 medium leeks (about 450 g once trimmed)
• 10 g unsalted butter
• 1 garlic clove
• 100 ml light single cream, 12 %
• 120 g cooked ham (3 slices of 40 g each)
• 4 eggs
• 160 g country bread (4 slices of 40 g each)
• Salt, black pepper, nutmeg

🍴 Utensils

• Chopping board and knife
• Large frying pan with a lid (28 cm)
• Wide spatula
• Small cup
• Toaster

📖 Steps

1. Trim the root and the tough dark green tops off the leeks, then split them in half lengthways. Rinse under cold water, separating the layers to wash out any soil, then slice into 5 mm half-moons. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
2. Melt the butter in the large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic with a pinch of salt, then stir for 2 min to coat them well in butter: they should start to wilt without colouring.
3. Cover and leave to soften for 12 to 15 min over a low heat, stirring every 3 or 4 min. The leeks are ready when very tender and translucent. If they start to stick or brown, turn the heat down: they should stay mild and meltingly soft.
4. While the leeks are softening, cut the ham into 1 cm wide strips. Then pour the cream over the leeks, add a pinch of nutmeg and some pepper, and let it thicken for 2 min uncovered. Stir in the ham and taste before adding salt: the ham is already salty.
5. Make 4 small wells in the mixture with the back of a spoon. Crack each egg into a cup, then gently slide it into a well: this avoids bits of shell and broken yolks. Lightly season the whites with salt and pepper.
6. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 min over a low heat. Check from 5 min: the white should be completely set and opaque, even next to the yolk, and the yolk still glossy and wobbly when you shake the pan. If overcooked, it won't be runny any more.
7. While the eggs are cooking, toast the slices of bread in the toaster, or dry-fry them in another pan for 1 to 2 min per side, until golden and crisp.
8. Serve straight away, sliding a wide fish slice under each pair of eggs to transfer them with their bed of leeks onto the plates. Serve with the toast for dipping into the yolk and creamy leeks.