How to fry an egg

1. A perfectly fried egg is a glory to behold – crispy edges and a wobbly, pinkish yolk. How do you like your eggs? When considering a recipe for fried eggs, this is the pertinent question. It's very personal, but my own method, below, can be adjusted to suit most tastes. It will provide a fried egg with a slightly crispy, frilly edge; the white will be set and the yolk soft and runny. If you prefer not to have the crispy edge, use a medium heat from the beginning and, if you like your eggs more cooked, give them a little longer. Always use eggs as spanking fresh as you possibly can.

2. For 2 eggs, place a small, heavy-based frying pan over a high heat, with 1 level dessertspoon of fat left from frying bacon (or groundnut or grapeseed oil) in it. As soon as it is really hot (with a faint shimmer on the surface), carefully break in 2 large, very fresh eggs. Let them settle for about 30 seconds, then turn the heat down to medium and carry on cooking them, tilting the pan and basting the eggs with the hot fat so that the tops of the eggs can be lightly cooked, too. After about 1 minute, the eggs will be ready, so remove the pan from the heat and then lift the eggs out with a slotted kitchen slice. Let them rest on some kitchen paper for a couple of seconds before putting them on a warmed plate, then lightly blot up any excess fat with kitchen paper and eat them as soon as possible. If you would like to fry your eggs in butter, then you need to use a gentler heat and give them a bit longer, so the butter doesn't brown too much.