Recipe by Julie Le Clerc.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

12 quail eggs (or 4 hen’s eggs)

150g washed baby spinach leaves (or rocket leaves)

1 punnet cherry tomatoes

300g (6 slices) rindless bacon, chopped

2-3 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbs torn fresh basil leaves

Method:

1. Hard-boil quail eggs for 3 minutes, or hen’s eggs for 6 minutes, then plunge into cold water. Once cold, peel and halve quail eggs or quarter hen’s eggs.

2. Put spinach and cherry tomatoes in a serving bowl. Scatter with eggs and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a pan with a little oil, add bacon and cook until crisp and brown. Remove from heat. Add balsamic vinegar to the pan, then oil and stir to form a warm dressing. Pour over salad and serve scattered with basil.