Salad of Rocket, Parmesan, Artichoke & Poached Egg with Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil
Ingredients (serves 4):
240 g (8 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 head lollo rosso
salt & pepper
150 ml (5 floz) 8-year-old balsamic vinegar
480 g (1 lb) wild rocket leaves
1 spring mint, chopped
150 ml (5 floz) unrefined extra virgin olive oil
20 silver-skin pickled onions
4 poached eggs, cooked & refreshed beforehand
12 globe artichoke quarters, grilled (can be bought ready-made)
Preheat oven to 160 °C
To make Parmesan tuiles, sprinkle some of the grated Parmesan into a triangle-shaped template resting on a large baking tray covered with parchment paper, then lift the template. Repeat until you have 12 tuiles. Cook in the oven for about 5 minutes until the cheese is just golden. Remove from the oven and cool for a minute. Lift each tuile, while still warm, and carefully mould over the curve of a bottle. Set aside the tuiles and leave to cool completely.
On each serving plate arrange a circle of lollo rosso about 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter and season with salt, pepper and a teaspoon of the balsamic vinegar. In a bowl, mix the rocket, mint, remaining grated Parmesan, half the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Arrange this salad on top of the lollo rosso, along with the silver-skin onions.
While finishing the plate, reheat the eggs gently in simmering salted water.
To finish, place three pieces of artichoke evenly spaced around the edge of each plate, and between each of these put a Parmesan tuile. Place a hot poached egg on a top of the salad, season with cracked black pepper and dress generously with the remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar.