“Coddled eggs are cooked slowly in special little pots within a bain marie until soft and creamy. Not many people have the pots at home, myself included, so I use ramekins instead. I love how the egg breaks into the sauce for a truly luscious dish. As Marmite can be controversial, it is, of course, optional…” Dan Doherty, author of Toast Hash Roast Mash

Serves 4

50g (1¾oz) butter

100g (3½oz) chestnut mushrooms (button are fine too), quartered

Sea salt flakes and freshly ground

Black pepper

100g (3½oz) spinach leaves, washed

4 eggs

8 tablespoons double cream

4 slices of bread

Marmite

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Using 10g (¼oz) of the butter, grease 4 ramekins.

Heat a saucepan over a medium heat, and add 20g (¾oz) of the butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté them, seasoning at the end so the juice doesn’t come out and make them stew. Remove the mushrooms to a plate, then add the remaining butter to the pan. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, then season with salt and pepper.

Divide the spinach between the prepared ramekins, and put the mushrooms on top. Crack an egg into each ramekin, then top each with 2 tablespoons of double cream. Finish with a pinch of salt and a twist of black pepper. Put the ramekins in a roasting dish, then pour boiling water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 6–8 minutes or until the eggs are set, but are still nice and soft .

While the eggs are baking, toast the bread and spread it with Marmite.

Cut it into soldiers so you’re all ready to go. Serve the eggs straight from the oven with the Marmite soldiers.