Unlike chickens, which lay eggs most of the year, ducks tend to lay seasonally, in the spring. The eggs are very beautiful, coming in a range of pale, semi-translucent shades of white and sometimes blue. The texture of the shell is like alabaster – quite different from a chicken’s egg. Inside the shell the egg is different, too: a large yolk equivalent to two chicken yolks and a relatively small white. The flavour is stronger and richer. Duck eggs are also marvellous for baking, with the large yolks adding extra richness and a wonderful yellow colour to a sponge cake.

Serves 2
asparagus 2 bunches
parmesan cheese 25g
sage leaves 10
butter 60g
duck eggs 2
lemon juice of ½
sea salt and black pepper

Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Meanwhile, snap off the dry, woody base from each asparagus spear. Using a potato peeler, shave the parmesan into thin slivers and crumble them up a little with your fingers. Slice the sage leaves as thinly as you can.

Once the water is boiling rapidly, add the asparagus and cook for about 2 minutes, until just tender. Drain through a colander and set aside.

Melt half the butter in a frying pan, break in the duck eggs and fry, seasoning with a little salt and pepper as they cook. Quickly heat the remaining butter in a separate frying pan, large enough to hold the asparagus. When it begins to brown, throw in the sage and squeeze in the lemon juice. Add the cooked asparagus, season with a little salt and pepper and toss gently so that the asparagus is well coated in the butter and lemon.

Share the asparagus out between 2 warm plates, put the eggs on top and sprinkle with the parmesan. Serve with bread and butter.

From Fern Verrow by Jane Scotter and Harry Astley (Quadrille, £25)