Jack's ham, egg and chips

Jack’s MasterChef calling card recipe; a refined version of the much loved pub classic, ham, egg and chips! There are a few elements on the dish, but once you’ve eaten this you’ll never look at ham, egg and chips in quite the same way!

Serves 4

Ingredients 

Gammon
4 x gammon steaks (or buy a whole gammon & slice into four)
50ml maple syrup 

Chips
4 x medium Maris Piper potatoes
500ml vegetable oil for frying 

Pea puree
200g frozen peas
Handful of fresh tarragon
200ml chicken stock
20g butter
Salt & pepper

Crispy egg
4 free range eggs
50g plain four
100g fresh breadcrumbs (panko is best)
1 free range egg (for the egg wash)
Vegetable oil for frying

Pickled onion
150ml water
30g caster sugar
150ml red wine vinegar
1 x bay leaf
1 x sprig of thyme
1 onion, finely diced

Mustard cream sauce
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp French mustard
2 tbsp crème fraiche

Instructions

To make the chips peel the potatoes, shape into a block then cut the chips, to around 1cm in width. Place into cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 – 12 minutes and then drain and allow to cool. Give them a bit of a shake to rough the edges up.

Then deep fry at 140 degrees for 4-5 minutes or until you get a bit of a crust, allow to cool in the freezer and then deep fry at 180 degrees for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

To make the pea puree cook the peas in chicken stock until tender and add the finely chopped tarragon. Drain and combine with the crème fraiche. Blend together, season to taste and pass through a sieve, keep warm.

To make the mustard mayo sauce mix all of the ingredients together, check seasoning (add a little more mustard if it needs the kick) and keep cool ready for plating.

Finely dice your onion. Combine the sugar, thyme, bay leaf, vinegar and 100ml water. Bring to the boil and then remove from the heat. Add the onion and allow to cool. The longer you keep them in the pickle the better! 

To make the crispy egg poach your eggs in water with a good dash of vinegar, on a rolling boil, until just set – a couple of minutes max! Immediately chill in an ice bath to stop the cooking.  Once cold, dip into seasoned flower, egg wash and breadcrumbs – be gentle! Deep fry at 180 degrees for 1 minute and season.

Fry the gammon in hot oil for approx. 4-5 minutes until the fat is crispy, brush with maple syrup and finish in the pan for 30 seconds. 

To serve put a table spoon of pea puree on the plate and sprinkle on some pickled onions, top with the crispy fried egg. Cut the gammon into strips and lay to the side. Spoon on some of the mustard mayo around the plate and arrange the chips on the side.

Did you make this recipe?

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