flipMarmite Toast with Soft-Boiled Egg
Marmite Toast with Soft-Boiled Egg
Why this dish? Her file says: a light breakfast of eggs, toast and tea, typical of the post-war British middle class. A hasty meal before a long day of crystallography at King's College.
A slice of grilled white bread, buttered then spread with a thin layer of Marmite, topped with a soft-boiled egg barely runny. The deep saltiness of the yeast extract awakens the sweetness of the yolk.
You see, in London we hardly had time to linger in the morning: a toast, an egg, a strong cup of tea, and off we went. The secret of Marmite is measure — a layer so thin you can see the butter underneath, otherwise it overwhelms the palate. I let the egg boil for three minutes, not a second more, so the yolk stays tender. That was my fuel before going down to the X-ray room.
- •White bread — 1 slice (base)
- •Butter — a little (fat)
- •Marmite (yeast extract) — a trace (umami signature)
- •Egg — 1 (topping)
- •Black tea — 1 cup (accompanying drink)
Marmite Toast with Soft-Boiled Egg
A slice of grilled white bread, buttered then spread with a thin layer of Marmite, topped with a soft-boiled egg barely runny. The deep saltiness of the yeast extract awakens the sweetness of the yolk.
Why this dish? Her file says: a light breakfast of eggs, toast and tea, typical of the post-war British middle class. A hasty meal before a long day of crystallography at King's College.
You see, in London we hardly had time to linger in the morning: a toast, an egg, a strong cup of tea, and off we went. The secret of Marmite is measure — a layer so thin you can see the butter underneath, otherwise it overwhelms the palate. I let the egg boil for three minutes, not a second more, so the yolk stays tender. That was my fuel before going down to the X-ray room.
Ingredients (period version)
- White bread — 1 slice (base)
- Butter — a little (fat)
- Marmite (yeast extract) — a trace (umami signature)
- Egg — 1 (topping)
- Black tea — 1 cup (accompanying drink)
Ingredients
- Wholemeal or rustic bread — 1 slice (base)
- Salted butter — 10 g (fat)
- Marmite (or concentrated malted yeast) — 1/2 tsp (umami signature)
- Fresh egg — 1 (topping)
- Black pepper — 1 pinch (seasoning)
Method
- Plunge the egg into boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes (soft-boiled), then run under cold water and peel gently.
- Grill the bread slice until golden and crispy.
- Butter immediately, then spread a very thin layer of Marmite — the less you use, the better.
- Slice the egg in half over the toast, let the yolk coat, pepper.
- Serve with a cup of black tea.
How it was made : Marmite, born in 1902, was a staple of the British larder, even more so during post-war rationing when it provided cheap B vitamins. It was spread on toast for breakfast or as a snack.
The contemporary twist : A drizzle of olive oil and a few watercress leaves turn this austerity lunch into an avocado-toast before its time — without the avocado.
Rosalind Franklin · Charactorium
