There is a particular species of silence that lives in British pubs on Tuesday nights. It’s the sound of twelve people collectively drawing a blank on a question about 14th-century French kings, or the capital of Eswatini, or what exactly a “gill” measures. Pub quizzes have been a cornerstone of British social life since the 1970s, when the first one was apparently held in a Manchester pub called The Hope & Anchor. Forty-five years later, they remain — a weekly ritual of mild embarrassment, lager, and the occasional moment when someone actually knows something useful.
The theme for tonight’s recipe? The questions you always get wrong. Eggs Florentine are the culinary equivalent of the pub quiz answer you know you should know but can never quite recall at the right moment. So here’s a version that’s slightly off-piste: eggs poached on spinach, yes, but with a black pudding crumble and a chilli-hollandaise that brings a proper kick. It’s the kind of dish that, in quiz terms, would be the bonus question nobody expected — but everyone orders a second helping of.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs (the kind from hens who’ve definitely seen better days)
- 200g fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 slice black pudding, diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp butter, plus extra for the eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (adjust to taste — this is the “difficulty setting”)
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 2 slices sourdough, toasted
- Salt and pepper
- A squeeze of lemon juice
Method
- The spinach bed: Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Throw in the spinach and garlic, toss until the spinach has wilted down to a third of its volume — about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then pile it onto a serving plate to form four small mounds. Leave the pan on the heat.
- The black pudding crumble: In the same pan, fry the diced black pudding until it’s properly crisp — 4-5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. This is your “bonus round” topping. Set aside on a paper towel.
- The poaching water: Fill the pan (or a wide saucepan) with enough water to come about 5cm up the sides. Add a generous splash of white wine vinegar (this helps the eggs hold their shape — science, not superstition). Bring to a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. There should be movement, but not enough to tear the eggs apart.
- Poach the eggs: Crack each egg into a small cup first, then slide it gently into the water. Poach for 3.5 minutes for a runny yolk, 4.5 for something firmer. The ideal is somewhere between “I know the answer” and “I’m fairly confident I know the answer” — that middle ground where the yolk gives way but doesn’t run away completely. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper.
- The chilli-hollandaise: While the eggs are poaching, melt the butter and keep it warm. Whisk the two egg yolks with the chilli flakes, a squeeze of lemon juice, and the wholegrain mustard in a small heatproof bowl over a pan of barely-simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Whisk constantly while slowly drizzling in the warm melted butter. Keep going until it thickens into a loose sauce — about 2 minutes. Season. This should be creamy with a low, steady burn. If it gets too thick, a splash of hot water sorts it.
- Assemble: Lay a slice of toasted sourdough on each plate. Top with the spinach mound, then the poached egg. Spoon the chilli-hollandaise over everything. Scatter the black pudding crumble on top like confetti for a correct answer.
Serve immediately, while the yolks are still running and the quiz results are still unchallenged. Best eaten with the same competitive determination you’d bring to the General Knowledge round.
