Bloody Mary eggs

Serves: 3

Time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

olive oil

2 shallots finely chopped

5 garlic cloves minced

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes

200 g cherry tomatoes

2 tsp horseradish

2 tsp tabasco

1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp celery salt

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

6 eggs

40 g olives (black or green – your choice), thinly sliced

2 tbsp pickled red onion

50 g feta cheese

large handful parsley leaves only

salt & freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan (one with a lid!) over a medium heat. Once hot, add the shallots and a good pinch of salt and fry gently for 5-6 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, tomato puree and smoked paprika and fry for a further minute or so, just to soften the garlic.
Pour both tins of tomatoes into the pan, and use your wooden spoon to roughly crush and break them apart. Next, add the cherry tomatoes, horseradish, tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt and a good grind of black pepper. Give everything a stir, then bring the pan to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and the cherry tomatoes have broken down (you can crush them a little with your spoon, to help them along). Stir through the red wine vinegar, then taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Make a well in the sauce, large enough for an egg to sit in. Quickly crack an egg into it, then repeat with the remaining 5 eggs. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, or until the egg whites are opaque (it is super easy to overcook the eggs here – do keep a close eye on them).

Finish the eggs by sprinkling over the olives and pickled red onions. Crumble over the feta, and serve garnished with parsley and a good crack of black pepper. Eat with toast, if you like.

Recipe credit: Georgie Mullen