Boiled eggs with asparagus soldiers

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Blanch the asparagus for 1 minute and then plunge into iced water for 1 minute. Drain on some kitchen paper

Prepare 3 bowls for crumbing. Add flour to the first, 2 beaten eggs to the second and breadcrumbs to the third

Coat each asparagus spear in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs until evenly coated

Heat a deep-fat fryer to 180°C. While it heats, draw faces on the eggs in non-toxic pen or pencil

Bring a pan of water to the boil. Lower the eggs into the boiling water and cook for around 3 1/2 minutes for soft boiled, 6-7 minutes for hard boiled

Meanwhile, fry the asparagus (do this in 2 batches of 8) for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Drain well on kitchen paper and season with salt

Place each egg in an egg cup, remove the tops and serve with the crispy asparagus soldiers