Spicy Bloody Mary eggs with crunchy croutons

• red onions↗2

  1 sliced into rings, 1 finely chopped

• lemon↗juice of ½

  juice of ½ (or lime)

• sugar↗1 tbsp tbsp

  plus a pinch

• vodka↗splash of

  (optional)

• olive oil↗3 tbsp tbsp
• celery↗1 stick

  finely chopped, plus leaves to garnish

• garlic cloves↗2 large

  chopped

• red peppers↗2

  sliced

• chopped tomatoes2 x 400g cans
• red wine vinegar↗1 tbsp tbsp
• red chillies↗3
• stale bread2 chunky slices of

  such as sourdough or ciabatta, torn into chunks

• Tabasco↗5-10 shakes of

  to taste

• eggs↗8
• Greek-style yogurt↗150g g
• extra virgin olive oil↗drizzle of

  to serve

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Separate the rings of the sliced onions and put in a bowl with the citrus juice, a good pinch each of salt and sugar, and the vodka, if using. Leave to pickle for at least 30 mins until softened and pink. Will keep chilled for two weeks.

2. 2

   Meanwhile heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the chopped onion and celery for 5-8 mins until softened and translucent.

3. 3

   Stir in the garlic and peppers, and sizzle for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar and some seasoning. Pierce each chilli a few times with the tip of a knife, add to the sauce, put the lid on and reduce the heat. Leave to simmer gently for 20 mins.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, toss the chunks of bread in a bowl with the remaining oil and some freshly cracked black pepper. Tip onto a baking tray and bake in the oven or an air fryer for 10 mins at 180C/160C fan/gas 4, tossing halfway through cooking, until golden and crunchy.

5. 5

   Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, adding a few splashes of Tabasco to make it as spicy as you like – it should be thick and rich at this stage. Lift out the whole chillies using a slotted spoon, if you prefer.

6. 6

   Use a large spoon to create gaps in the sauce to drop the eggs into. Working one by one, crack an egg into a bowl then drop into a pocket in the sauce. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer gently for 3-5 mins until the egg whites are set and the yolks still runny.

7. 7

   To serve, spoon dollops of yogurt over the exposed areas of sauce and scatter with the croutons, pickled onions and celery leaves. Give the eggs a twist of pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve.