FRIED DUCK EGGS WITH CHILLI-BRAISED HAM HOCK & PICKLED OKRA

I love the marriage of bacon and eggs. This is my version of that combination, with some of my other favourite things including chilli oil, sichuan pepper and pickles. Not for the faint hearted, but rewarding for those who dare!

— 1 free-range ham hock

— 2 teaspoons chiu chow chilli oil (see Note)

— 30 ml (1 fl oz) vegetable oil

— 4 duck eggs

— snipped coriander (cilantro) cress, to garnish

— crusty bread, to serve

PICKLED OKRA

— 100 ml (3½ fl oz) rice vinegar

— 1 tablespoon sea salt

— 2 tablespoons sugar

— pinch of mustard seeds

— 1 bay leaf

— 4 okra

SICHUAN SALT & PEPPER

— 2 tablespoons sea salt

— 2 tablespoons whole sichuan peppercorns

FOR THE PICKLED OKRA

Bring the vinegar, salt, sugar, mustard seeds and bay leaf to the boil in a small saucepan. Place the okra in a heatproof glass or ceramic bowl, then pour the hot pickling liquid over. Cover while hot and leave to cool at room temperature, then leave to pickle in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

FOR THE HAM HOCK

Preheat the oven to 110°C (230°F). Place the ham in an oven bag with the chilli oil. Transfer to a baking tray and cook in the oven for 10 hours. It is a good idea to put it in before you go to bed, then remove it in the morning.

Leave the ham until cool enough to handle, but still warm. Wearing latex gloves, remove the skin. Shred the skin into nice long pieces and discard any fat or veins. Keep the meat warm in a small saucepan if you are going to use it shortly; otherwise refrigerate until required, and gently reheat for serving.

FOR THE SICHUAN SALT & PEPPER

Toast the salt and peppercorns in a dry frying pan over medium heat until you can smell the pepper. Cool, then grind to a fine powder using a spice grinder.

TO SERVE

In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the duck eggs and cook gently until the whites are almost done. Add 2 tablespoons water and put the lid on for 30 seconds to steam the top.

When the whites are done but the yolks are still runny, scatter evenly with the shredded ham and sprinkle with the sichuan salt and pepper.

Remove the okra from the pickling liquid and slice into 5 mm (¼ inch) rounds — beware, it is sticky! Arrange around the eggs, then top with the coriander cress. Serve with crusty bread.

SERVES 4 AS PART OF A SHARED MEAL