Egg, beetroot & bacon salad

• large eggs↗6
• 750ml bottle beetroot

  juice (not a mix or a smoothie)

• thick hand-cut slices of white bread↗3
• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• about 200g diced pancetta or unsmoked bacon lardons
• about 175g leavesa mixture of pea shoots and baby leaves is nice, or try a whole head of frisée

  a mixture of pea shoots and baby leaves is nice, or try a whole head of frisée

• pack cooked beetroot↗250g

  (not in vinegar), or homegrown (boiled until tender), diced

• shallots↗3

  finely chopped

• fat garlic cloves↗2

  crushed

• Dijon mustard↗1 tbsp tbsp
• English mustard↗2 tsp tsp

  powder

• white wine vinegar↗4 tbsp tbsp
• extra virgin olive oil↗4 tbsp tbsp
• few pinches of sugar

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put the eggs in a large saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat and set your timer for 8 mins if the eggs were from the fridge, 7 mins if at room temperature. When the time is up, immediately transfer the eggs to a colander, run under cold water to cool, then peel. Fully cover the peeled eggs with beetroot juice and chill for 2 hrs. Drain the eggs and discard the juice. Put the eggs back in the fridge. Can be done 1 day ahead.

2. 2

   Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the bread into neat cubes, then toss with the olive oil and some salt on a big baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 mins until golden brown and crisp. Can be made 1 day ahead – store in an airtight container when cool.

3. 3

   Put the pancetta or lardons in a large, cold frying pan over a low-medium heat. Fry until crisp and golden, stirring occasionally. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper to drain. Tip any remaining fat or juices into a jar and add the dressing ingredients. Season and shake well to mix.

4. 4

   Bring the eggs to room temperature about 30 mins before assembling. Toss the leaves, croutons, pancetta, beetroot and shallots with the dressing on a platter (give the jar a good shake first). Halve the eggs and add to the salad.