Smoked eggs

Prepare the smoked mousse

The day before serving, dice ¼ cup Morteau sausage fairly small.

Take the eggs out of the fridge, if that is where you keep them.

Put the diced sausage into a saucepan with ½ cup liquid cream, salt lightly and bring to the boil.

As soon as it boils, cover and leave to infuse overnight.

Next day, pour the cream into a cream whipper through a fine strainer.

You can keep the diced sausage for another dish.

Lightly pepper the cream and insert a gas canister into the cream whipper.

Shake the whipper vigorously and put to wait in the fridge.

Heat the egg yolks

Put each egg yolk into an individual verrine (the small plastic "glasses" for aperitif snacks are ideal) or something of similar size.

Bring a pan of water to the boil, take off the heat and lower in the glasses with the egg yolks. Ideally, they should float to heat the yolks through gently.

If you have an electronic thermometer, the ideal temperature for the yolks is 140°F (60°C). If not, leave for 7 minutes. You can also watch the small amount of egg white left around the yolk. When it turns opaque, the yolk will have reached the right temperature.

This is important because the yolk must not cook; it should stay liquid, not turn hard.

Prepare the toast fingers

While the egg yolks are heating through, remove the crusts from 2 slices bread, butter on both sides (preferably with lightly salted butter) and either fry, grill or cook in the oven until browned.

When browned, cut into fingers (or "soldiers") with a serrated knife and leave in the pan off the heat to keep hot.

Assemble the smoked eggs

Take the glasses out of the water and dry with a tea towel.

Sprinkle a pinch of chopped chives onto the egg yolk.

Squirt the smoked cream on top and garnish with more chives.

Finish with a finger of toast.

Serve immediately with the spare toast fingers on a small plate.