Purple sprouting broccoli with poached duck egg and saffron hollandaise

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

To make the hollandaise, soak the saffron in 50ml of just-boiled water for a few minutes. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat. Once melted, pour the clarified butter into a clean saucepan, discard the white sediment and keep warm.

Whisk the saffron and water with the lemon juice, zest and egg yolks until smooth. Add the melted butter a little at a time, whisking continuously until it has been completely incorporated and has emulsified into a thick, glossy sauce. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste, adding a little extra lemon juice if needed. Set aside and keep warm.

In the meantime, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the broccoli until tender but not overcooked. Drain, set aside and keep warm.

Bring a separate saucepan of water to simmering point and add the vinegar. Break the duck eggs into a small cup and gently slide them into the water. Let them poach for about 3 minutes until the whites are opaque and the yolks are cooked but still runny.

To serve, place the broccoli on a plate, top with a poached egg and pour over the saffron hollandaise and serve immediately.