Soft-boiled egg, bacon & watercress salad

• large eggs↗2

  at room temperature

• shallot↗1

  very finely chopped

• red wine vinegar↗1 tbsp tbsp
• wholegrain mustard tsp
• rapeseed oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• handful chives

  snipped (optional)

• thick rashers streaky smoked dry-cured bacon↗4
• 2 slices good white crusty bread↗

  (ideally sourdough)

• good handfuls British watercress2

  thick stems removed

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put the eggs in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for 3 mins, then lift into a bowl of iced water and cool completely. Very carefully peel away the shells. Leave the eggs in the iced water until you finish the recipe, or for up to 1 hr ahead.

2. 2

   Mix the shallot with the vinegar and a pinch of salt, then set aside for a few minutes to soften. Whisk in the mustard, oil and chives, if using, to make a dressing.

3. 3

   Heat the grill to low-medium and cook the bacon until crisp right through. Remove the bacon, then brush the bacon juice and fat all over the bread. Grill the bread for about 1 min on each side until crisp, then cut into soldiers and keep warm.

4. 4

   Just before serving, bring the pan of water back to the boil and add the eggs. Boil for 1 min to reheat. Toss the dressing with the watercress and divide between 2 plates. Top with an egg and 2 rashers of bacon, with the toast to the side. The egg yolks will still be runny inside.