Eggs Benedict

Put the bagels on a plate and flake over the Regal smoked salmon, discarding the skin. Set aside.

Put some ice into a large bowl, cover with cold water and set aside. Bring a medium sized pot of water to the boil. Drop in your asparagus and boil for exactly 1 minute. Scoop out (don’t drain water as you will cook your eggs in it) and plunge into the ice water to retain colour and crunch.

Turn the heat down to low so there are no bubbles and add the vinegar. Crack the eggs into the pot and cook for approximately 3 minutes or until they are cooked to your liking. The cooking time depends on the freshness and size of your eggs. I use a flat potato masher to scoop out poached eggs – place eggs on top of salmon. Top with hollandaise, capers, chives and a little pepper. Serve with extra hollandaise on the side and a mug of tea.

Hollandaise

In a food processor add the zest, juice and egg yolks and whizz up for a minute, then slowly pour in the melted butter. Taste and check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Fold through the chopped capers. Pour into a jar (with a lid). Store in a cool place, but not the fridge – if it is in the fridge it will completely harden.

Extracted with permission from My Garden Kitchen: Easy weekdays and slow food weekends rec