Salt-Cured Egg Yolks
A little salt, sugar and patience transform Burford Brown yolks into something firm, glossy and intensely savoury. Orange zest, fennel and oregano perfume the cure without overwhelming the richness of the yolk. Once dried, grate them over hot pasta, buttered toast or vegetables anywhere you might usually reach for Parmesan. A revelation of a recipe!
Method
Mix the salt and sugar together in a large bowl, then add the orange zest, fennel seeds and oregano.
Spread half the cure into a deep tray. Use a whole egg to make 6 neat indentations, ready to hold the yolks.
Carefully separate the eggs, reserving the whites for another recipe. Nestle the yolks into the indentations and cover completely with the remaining cure. Cover the tray and refrigerate for 3–5 days.
When ready, gently brush away the cure and rinse the yolks in ice-cold water. Pat dry, place on a wire rack and dry in the oven at 50°C for 1 hour.
Cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. Grate over pasta or toast in place of Parmesan.
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Ingredients
6 large Burford Brown egg yolks
350g fine sea salt
350g caster sugar
½ orange, zest only
1 tbsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
Leaves from 2 sprigs of oregano