Mark Hix recipe: Scrambled eggs with chilli and Rape greens

Serves 4

Scrambled eggs with chilli and Rape greens (Jason Lowe)

I was in Gloucestershire last week and came across a field of rape which was at the point where it perfectly sprouts. Now, at this stage, it's as good as any sprouting broccoli you can get your hands on, so I sneaked in and started harvesting a few heads. Along came the farmer in his truck and quizzed me about what I was up to. He had it in mind that I thought it was sprouting broccoli. When I told him I pay £15 per kilo for rape greens in London, his eyes wandered across his acres and off he went to get his scissors.

8 medium-sized free-range eggs, beaten
80g butter
50ml double cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red chilli, trimmed and finely chopped
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
100-150g rape broccoli or sprouting broccoli, trimmed

Melt half the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the cream and eggs, then season with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Stir over a low heat until the eggs are just cooked but still on the runny side, then stir in the chilli and spring onion; remove the pan from the heat.

Meanwhile, cook the broccoli in boiling salted water for a couple of minutes, then drain and toss in the remaining butter. To serve, spoon the eggs on to a warmed serving plate and lay the broccoli on top of it.