Ham, Boiled Egg, Avocado and Cheese Plate with Red Bell Pepper

Headnote

This is a composed plate of clean lines and quiet richness: salt-cured ham, softly set egg, ripe avocado, sweet pepper, and cheese brought together without excess. The balance depends on contrast—silk against firmness, fat against freshness, and sweetness against salinity. It should taste deliberate, generous, and composed.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Composed plate
Cuisine or origin: Contemporary European
Course type: Light lunch or starter
Yield: 1 plate
Serving size: 355 g
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Equipment

Medium saucepan
Small bowl
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Serving plate

Ingredients

Ham, thinly sliced: 110 g
Egg: 50 g
Avocado: 120 g
Red bell pepper: 40 g
Cheese: 35 g

Method

1. Place the egg in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then maintain a steady simmer for 8 minutes. The white should be fully set and the yolk just firm, with a tender center.

2. Transfer the egg to cold water for 2 minutes, then peel carefully and halve it lengthwise.

3. Cut the avocado open, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a small bowl. Mash it with a fork until smooth but not loose; it should hold soft ridges.

4. Trim the red bell pepper and cut it into neat strips, each about 5 g. Keep the cut edges clean and even.

5. Cut the cheese into 5 even pieces, or into slices if the texture is firm enough to hold shape cleanly.

6. Arrange the avocado mash on one side of the plate in a compact oval. Set the ham beside it in loose folds, not flattened. Place the egg halves with the cut sides visible.

7. Tuck the red bell pepper strips between the ham and avocado, then place the cheese in a separate cluster so each element remains distinct. The finished plate should read as balanced, with no ingredient dominating the others.

Plating and serving

Serve immediately on a chilled plate if possible. The avocado should remain vivid, the egg warm or room temperature, and the ham lightly relaxed rather than cold-stiff. The final composition should be neat, restrained, and clearly segmented.

Professional notes

Use avocado that yields gently to pressure; underripe fruit will make the plate heavy and blunt. Keep the egg precise: overcooked yolk will dry the dish, while undercooked white will weaken the structure. The plate depends on contrast, so maintain clean cuts and separate textures.