Ham and egg salad

Tam West

The title is prosaic but the ham is prosciutto and the eggs soft boiled so the yolks enrich the dressing. This is a fresh-tasting warm salad of new potatoes, spring vegetables, soft boiled eggs, prosciutto, black olives and herbs with a dressing of extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar.

Ingredients

6	Eggs (Main)
400 g	New potatoes, small, well scrubbed, halved (Main)
200 g	Beans, stalk ends cut off
250 g	Sweet stem broccoli, stalk ends trimmed, broccoli halved at the stalks
1 cup	Peas, frozen are fine (Main)
2 handfuls	Baby cos lettuce leaves
6 slices	Prosciutto, paper thin, halved (Main)
½ cup	Kalamata olives, pitted (Main)
4 Tbsp	Extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp	White wine vinegar
1 sprinkle	Basil leaves, for serving
1 sprinkle	Mint leaves, for serving

Directions

1. Put the eggs in a saucepan and cover well with cold water. Bring to the boil and boil gently for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and place under a running cold tap until completely cold. Carefully peel and reserve.
2. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil. Boil gently for 10 minutes or until tender.
3. When the potatoes are cooked, add the beans, broccoli and peas and continue to boil 3 minutes. Drain everything well.
4. Place the cos leaves on a shallow serving platter. Place the warm vegetables on top. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the prosciutto and olives. Slice each of the eggs into 4, holding each over the salad as you do it to catch any yolk.
5. Mix the oil and vinegar, taste and season. Drizzle this over everything.
6. Sprinkle basil and mint leaves on top and serve.

More fresh springtime recipes from Ray

• Zucchini, broad bean, rocket, lemon and rice soup
• Spring pasta with parmesan cream