When Spring peas are new and sweet, they barely need accompaniment. This is a classic Spring dish to celebrate the sweet pea with several complementary flavors. It’s a satisfying lunch or dinner that comes together in under 10 minutes. While the “crispy” egg may look overcooked, it is violently fried in a good amount of butter to create crispy crags and crannies but the yolk remains surprisingly creamy. We (obviously) flipped ours, but if you prefer a very runny yolk, you’ll slip it out of the pan after about 90 seconds on one side.
Ingredients
4 cups sweet spring peas
4 ounces pancetta or salt pork cubed into pea size pieces
2 shallots, peeled and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
Salt to taste (pancetta and salt pork can have different levels of salt, so taste before you shake)
2 tablespoon salted butter
4 pastured eggs
Directions
For The Peas:
Cook pancetta over medium high heat for 5-8 minutes until crispy, rendered and fully cooked. Remove all but 1 tablespoon fat and reserve fat for other cooking.
Add chopped garlic and sliced shallots, toss a bit, then peas.
Add lemon juice, lemon zest and cook, stirring / tossing frequently for 2 minutes.
Add mint and toss.
Take off heat and distribute onto serving plate(s) and set aside.
For Crispy Egg:
Because there is a good amount of butter, it is far easier to cook eggs 1 at a time versus all at once so as not to overcook, or get splattered.
In non-stick pan, heat butter over medium-high heat.
Once butter starts to gently foam, crack egg into pan.
Cook for 60-90 seconds on one side, until white starts to get browned and crispy, but yolk is still very loose.
At this point either slip eggs out of pan to serve, or if you prefer over easy gently loosen the egg and flip carefully to not splash butter.
Cook for 15-30 seconds on second side
Slip egg onto peas for each serving.
Serve immediately.
