Soft-Boiled Egg Salad with Arugola and Pancetta

This dish came about when I read a bucolic description of a luscious brunch in a French village. The writer of the piece — which recently appeared in a national magazine — wrote of a chef friend pulling soft-boiled eggs apart with her fingers before tossing them with greens from the garden and smoky pancetta. For a lover of rustic and honest foods like myself, the story was like a red flag to a bull. This salad is the low-carb result of my research, but you don’t have to use your fingers.

6 free-range or organic eggs
12 sun-dried tomato halves
6 ounces pancetta, sliced about 1/8-inch thick
1 shallot, minced
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons aged red wine or balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces (6 cups, loosely packed) washed and dried baby arugola

Place the eggs carefully in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Place over high heat and when the water has just begun to simmer, remove from the heat, cover the pan, and let stand for 4 minutes. Drain and immediately cover the eggs with cold water, adding 4 ice cubes. Let stand for up to 2 hours before peeling. Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in warm water for 30 minutes, then squeeze gently to remove some of the water.
In a heavy saucepan, sauté the pancetta over medium-low heat until crisp and brown. Drain on paper towels and break apart into large pieces. In a large mixing bowl, combine the shallot, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, mustard, garlic, vinegar, and oil. Whisk until smooth and emulsified.
Crack and scoop the eggs out of their shells, pulling them apart into large chunks with a spoon and fork. Distribute the eggs evenly on a platter and scatter the tomatoes over the top. Add the arugola to the mixing bowl and toss to coat the leaves thoroughly. Distribute the dressed arugola over the eggs and scatter with the pancetta. Serve within five to ten minutes.
Serves 6

Per serving: 312 calories, 11.5 grams net carbs (14 grams carbs less 2.5 grams fiber), 18 grams protein, 21.5 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 256 mg cholesterol.