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Posts Tagged ‘Eggs’

Broad Beans with Garlic, Dill & Eggs

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 July 2023| Leave a Comment »

Jono picked this Iranian dish for his Father’s Day breakfast. It’s delicious! Serve with naan bread, tortillas or toast.

Broad beans with garlic, dill & eggs – serves 4

  • olive oil
  • 1 bulb of garlic, cloves bashed and thinly sliced
  • 1kg podded frozen broad beans, skins removed (blanch for a couple of minutes and the skins will pop off easily)
  • 3 tsp turmeric
  • generous tsp crushed sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 60g dill, stalks and leaves finely chopped
  • 25g butter
  • 4 large free-range eggs

Heat a large deep frying pan over a low-medium heat, add a generous drizzle of olive oil and sweat the garlic until it softens. Add the broad beans and increase the heat to medium, then add the turmeric, sea salt and some black pepper and stir well. After 5 minutes, mix in the chopped dill and cook for another 8 minutes.

Add the butter to the pan and let it melt into the beans. Crack the eggs on to the surface of the beans and allow to cook using the heat from the beans – about 15 minutes. The beans will be a dull green by the end of the cooking time. Serve with your bread of choice.

(Original recipe from Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2014.)

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Smoked Mackerel & Spinach Frittata

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 16 June 2023| Leave a Comment »

For no particular reason we’ve started cooking frittatas at last … why did no-one tell us how simple they are to make? We particularly enjoyed this one with mackerel and dotted with horseradish cream. Serve with a green salad.

Smoked mackerel and spinach frittata – serves 6

  • 60g butter
  • 50g baby spinach, washed and drained but still damp
  • 220g smoked mackerel
  • 3 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 tbsp chopped dill
  • 8 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 tbsp crème fraîche
  • 1 tsp horseradish sauce

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C/Gas 5.

Melt 20g of the butter in a heavy non-stick frying pan, about 25-30cm diameter, over a medium heat. Stir in the spinach, then cover with a lid and leave for a minute or two until wilted. Tip into a colander and leave to cool. Wipe the pan out with kitchen paper.

Put the cooled spinach into a bowl. Break the mackerel into pieces, discarding any skin and bones, and add to the bowl with the spinach. Add the scallions and herbs, then pour in the eggs and stir until will combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Melt the rest of the butter in the wiped-out pan and place back over a medium heat. Swirl the pan so the base is coated in butter, then tip in the frittata mixutre and smooth out. Let the eggs cook gently for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the crème fraîche and horseradish together, then dot over the top of the frittata. Put the pan in to the oven and cook for about 12 minutes or until set and golden on top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting. It will be delicious eaten warm or cold.

(Original recipe from Notes from a Small Kitchen Island by Debora Robertson, Michael Joseph, 2022.)

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Bucatini with Courgettes

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 24 September 2022| 1 Comment »

You need to cut your courgettes into very thin strips for this, as thin as the pasta. The sauce is a bit carbonara-ish, very delicious.

Wine Suggestion: Something fun and white like the El Abuelo de Piqueras, a Verdejo – Sauvignon Blanc blend from Almansa in Spain. Vibrant fruit tied together with a sense of fun and energy.

Bucatini with courgettes – serves 4 (easily halved)

  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 300g courgettes, cut into 5cm long, 2mm thick strips
  • 400g bucatini (or spaghetti, linguine or fusilli)
  • 2 eggs, plus 2 extra egg yolks
  • 70g Parmesan, grated
  • a few fresh basil leaves

Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and courgettes with a pinch of salt, then cook gently for 10 minutes, turning over gently, until very soft. Remove from the heat.

Bring large pan of water to the boil, then add lots of salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, put the eggs, egg yolks, Parmesan, a pinch of salt and lots of black pepper into a large bowl. Whisk together to combine.

When the pasta is almost cooked, return the courgette pan to the heat to warm through the fat and courgettes and add the torn basil.

Drain the pasta and reserve some of the water. Add the pasta to the courgette pan and stir together. Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg mixture and a splash of pasta water, then stir quickly until everything is coated in a creamy sauce. Add a little more pasta water to make it silky if needed, then serve.

(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Fig Tree, 2021.)

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Breakfast Tacos with Bacon, Eggs & Avocado

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 20 May 2022| Leave a Comment »

We loved these little breakfast tacos so much we made them a few days in a row; and the mini yellow corn tortillas from Picado work perfectly. Jono bravely picked each taco up with a bit of spillage, Jules sensibly used a knife and fork.

Breakfast tacos with bacon, eggs & avocado – serves 2

  • 4 rashers smoked back bacon
  • 3 tsp butter
  • 6 medium eggs
  • 8 mini corn tortillas (use less if you’re using bigger ones)
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • a bunch of coriander, chopped
  • Sriracha sauce, to serve

Grill or barbeuce the bacon until cooked and crispy, then snip with scissors into small pieces.

Melt the butter in a saucepan then softly scramble the eggs, take them off the heat when still slightly liquid so they don’t overcook. Stir in the crispy bacon.

Meanwhile, warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan and lay onto two warm plate.

Spoon the bacon and eggs over the tacos, then top with avocado, coriander and a drizzle of Sriracha sauce.

(Original recipe from The BodyCoach App)

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Smoked Salmon Soufflé

Posted in Fish, Food, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on 31 December 2021| 2 Comments »

This has to be the perfect post-Christmas dish; great for using up the cheeseboard leftovers and all that smoked fish you though you would eat. Our daughter was so enamoured of this that she has been demanding it ever since. Serve with a green salad and some crusty bread.

Wine Suggestion: Find yourself a Chardonnay made on the lees, but not necessarily in oak. This will preserve a freshness and mid-weight while giving a yeasty, buttery character. A good producer from the Maçon, like Manciat-Poncet, would be ideal and that’s what we had.

Smoked Salmon Soufflé – Serves 3

  • 20g freshly grated Parmesan, plus an extra 1 tbsp
  • 1 small onion, peeled
  • 100g smoked salmon or smoked trout, finely chopped
  • 300ml full fat milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 50g butter
  • 55g plain flour
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 2 tbsp chopped tarragon

You will need a soufflé dish or baking dish, approximately 18-20cm.

Lightly grease the inside of the dish with butter, then dust with the 2 tbsp of grated Parmesan.

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.

Put the milk into a small saucepan with the onion and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to sit for a few minutes. Remove the onion and bay leaf and discard.

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, then stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Then pour in the warm milk and stir vigorously until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Continue to cook for another couple of minutes, then remove from the heat.

Lightly beat the the egg yolks with a fork, then stir them into the sauce with 20g of Parmesan, the chopped fish and the tarragon.

Beat the egg whites until stiff with a whisk in a large bowl. Fold the egg whites into the sauce, then spoon into the buttered dish. Smooth the top if needed, then sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan. Put the dish onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. The crust should be pale brown and the centre slightly soft, it should still have a little wobble when you give it a shake.

Serve immediately with dressed salad leaves and crusty bread. You need to eat it all up as this dish will not keep.

(Original recipe by Nigel Slater in The Guardian, Tuesday, 28 December 2021.)

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Haddock Bake

Posted in Fish, Gluten-free, Potato, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 1 November 2021| Leave a Comment »

This is like a fish pie … but is so much easier to make and perfect for a Friday night after a long week. It’s also usefully gluten-free, unlike many other fish pies. Serve with a big bowl of peas.

Wine Suggestion: A new find from Cabardes in France, Domaine Ventenac’s “les Dissidents” Cassandre. A joyfully fresh Vermentino, a grape we think is the next big thing from southern France.

Haddock Bake – serves 6

  • 350g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
  • 500g baby spinach
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
  • 3 eggs, hard-boiled and cut into quarters (put them into boiling water and time for 8 minutes)
  • 500g skinless smoked haddock, cut into large chunks
  • 300ml double cream
  • 2 tsp grainy mustard
  • 75g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.

Put the potatoes into cold salted water, cover and bring to the boil, then cook for about 10 minutes or until just cooked. Drain well and leave to steam dry in the pot

Heat a large fring pan, add the spinach, and cook until just wilted, then drain in a colander. You will need to do this in batches. Squeeze the spinach against the colander to get rid of as much water as possible. When cool enough to handle you can squeeze it again with your hands.

Heat the oil in the same frying pan, add the mushrooms, and fry for a few minutes until just cooked.

Grease a 2 litre shallow oven-proof dish with a little butter.

Scatter the potatoes, spinach and mushrooms over the base of the dish, then spread the haddock and eggs over the top and season.

Mix the cream and mustard together with some seasoning, then pour over the dish and sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until bubbling and browned on top.

Serve with lots of peas.

(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks up a Feast with Lucy Young, DK, 2019.)

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Piperada Vasca – Peppers & Tomatoes with Eggs

Posted in Brunch, Food, Gluten-free, Spanish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 30 October 2021| Leave a Comment »

A Spanish-inspired breakfast or brunch dish. The serrano ham is good on the side but not essential.

Piperada vasca – serves 2

  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 1 small red chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • a knob of butter
  • 3-4 large eggs, lightly beaten and seasoned
  • slices of serrano ham
  • toasted bread, to serve

Grill the peppers until blackened all over, then place in a bowl and cover with cling film. When the peppers have cooled, peel and deseed them, then cut into strips.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onion, until soft and golden. Add the garlic and chilli and stir, then add the tomatoes. Add the sugar and season, then cook for 10 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes have collapsed. Add the roasted peppers.

When almost ready to serve, melt the butter in a small frying pan and gently scramble the eggs. You’re looking for a creamy texture.

Serve the piperada with the eggs, ham and some toast on the side.

(Original recipe from The Food of Spain by Claudia Roden, Michael Joseph, 2012.)

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Baked Green Eggs

Posted in Brunch, Cheese, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 23 August 2021| 1 Comment »

Try this for a tasty weekend brunch dish. Serve with toasted sourdough for mopping.

Baked green eggs – serves 2

  • 100g baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 4 tbsp fresh pesto
  • 100ml double cream
  • 1 tbsp finely grated gruyère
  • 2 eggs

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Mix together the spinach, pesto, cream and some seasoning, and tip into 2 shallow ovenproof dishes.

Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top.

Create a hollow in each dish with a spoon, then gently break in the eggs. Bake the dishes in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Spring Salad

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 15 May 2021| Leave a Comment »

We tend to be a bit suspicious of salads that claim to be a main course but we promise you won’t be hungry after this one.

Wine Suggestion: Naturally when eating asparagus we gravitate to Grüner Veltliner, but for this dish we felt drawn to Souther France and opened the Ch Vignelaure, La Source Blanc from Provence. Made mostly from Vermentino with a touch of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh and summery with citrus fruits and a gently herbal twist; full of energy and vitality.

Spring Salad – serves 4 as a main

  • 300g baby new potatoes, half any biggish ones
  • 1 spring of mint
  • 2 eggs
  • 200g asparagus, woody ends snapped off and saved
  • 50g frozen peas
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 green apple, cored and finely chopped (we used a Granny Smith)
  • 3 scallions, finely sliced
  • 1 tsp capers, drained
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 Little Gem lettuce, leaves washed and dried, heart split in two
  • a few handfuls of soft herbs e.g. tarragon, parsley, mint, chives

FOR THE GARLIC CROUTONS:

  • 2 slices of sourdough or white baguette
  • a drizzle of olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Drizzle the bread with some oil and season, then roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through. They should be crispy and golden.

Once baked, rub the bread with the raw garlic and cut into croutons.

Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the potatoes, mint sprig and 1 tsp salt, then simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, no firmness should remain. Drain and discard the mint.

Meanwhile, bring another pan of water to the boil and add the eggs. Cook for 6 minutes and 30 seconds for firm whites and runny yolks, then drain under cold running water to cool and peel.

Bring another pan of salty water to the boil. Chop the asparagus spears into three and boil for 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon, then bring the water back to the boil and ad a pinch of sugar. Add the peas and cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Toss the potatoes with 2 tbsp of the mayonnaise, apple, scallions and capers. Whisk the olive oil and white wine vinegar together, season, then dress the lettuce and soft herbs, the asparagus and peas. Spread the rest of the mayonnaise across a serving plat, top with the postates and dressed salad, halve the eggs and add more mayonnaise if you like. Garnish with the croutons and extra herbs.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Smoked Haddock & Spinach Egg Pots

Posted in Brunch, Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 19 March 2021| 2 Comments »

These make a nice brunch or lunch dish with some brown bread or toast. 

Smoked haddock & spinach egg pots – serves 4

  • a little soft butter for greasing
  • 4 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
  • 200g skinless smoked haddock fillets, diced
  • 200g baby spinach
  • 6 large eggs
  • 200ml crème fraîche
  • ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 50g Cheddar, grated
  • a pinch of sweet smoked paprika
  • a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Brown bread or buttered toast, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6. 

Grease the inside of four 250ml ramekins or oven-proof dishes with butter, then dust with the breadcrumbs. 

Divide the fish between the dishes and put onto a baking tray. 

Wilt the spinach in a large saucepan with a tiny amount of water. Stir over a high heat for a few minutes, until wilted. Remove from the heat and drain in a colander. Leave to cool slightly, then squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the spinach. Roughly chop and divide between the dishes. 

Whisk the eggs and crème fraîche together in a bowl and season with a little grated nutmeg and some salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the dishes and sprinkle with the cheese and a little smoked paprika. 

Put the tray on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the oven to the grill setting and cook for a further 5 minutes or until golden brown on top. 

Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with the toast or bread. 

(Original recipe from Fresh Start by Tom Kerridge, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018.)

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Baked Eggs with Tomatoes

Posted in Brunch, Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 6 March 2021| Leave a Comment »

This makes a delicious veggie breakfast with toast or with bread and a salad for lunch. It is so simple but you need to use top quality tinned tomatoes as they are the star of the show.

Baked eggs with tomatoes – serves 4

  • 500g tinned tomatoes, drained, seeded and chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 fresh eggs

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.

Put the tomatoes into a saucepan with 2 tbsp of water and a couple of pinches of salt. Cover and simmer slowly for 30 minutes, give it a stir occasionally.

Pour the olive oil into an ovenproof dish, then pour the tomatoes on top.

Break the eggs into the dish on top of the sauce and season with black pepper. Bake for 5 minutes or until the whites are just set and the yolks still runny.

(Original recipe from Southern Italian Cooking by Valentina Harris, Pavilion Books Limited, 1993.)

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Eggs Kejriwal

Posted in Brunch, Food, Indian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 March 2021| Leave a Comment »

Try this delicious Indian brunch dish by Cyrus Todiwala – chilli cheese on toast with a fried egg on top and ketchup on the side. We poached our eggs this time.

Wine Suggestion: What do they serve in those brunch places? Bottomless prosecco – something like that.

Eggs kejriwal – serves 2

  • 1 tsp butter, plus more for spreading on the toast
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2-4 thick slices bread
  • 100g mature cheddar, grated
  • 2 tsp English mustard
  • a small handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 1-2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • tomato ketchup, to serve (optional)

Melt the tsp of butter in a small frying pan and fry the onion for about 5 minutes or until soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Lightly toast the bread, then spread with butter and put onto a baking tray.

Heat the grill to medium.

Mix the onion, cheese, mustard, coriander, chilli and 1 egg together in a bowl and season.

Spread the cheese mix over the toast and grill for about 5 minutes or until set and bubbling.

Meanwhile, fry or poach your eggs.

Serve the cheese on toast on warmed plates with an egg on top and ketchup on the side.

(Original recipe by Cyrus Todiwala in BBC Good Food magazine, March 2020.)

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Green Spiced Rice

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 9 February 2021| Leave a Comment »

We love recipes like this; perfect for using up bits and pieces and super tasty. 

Wine Suggestion: There’s a vibrancy to this food and we matched it with Ventenac’s “Dissidents” le Paria, a fresh-fruited, minerally grenache. Lovely light spices, a stony core of texture and bright plums and cherry flavours.

Green Spiced Rice – serves 2-3

  • 150g frozen broad beans
  • 400ml vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
  • 200g basmati rice
  • a slice of butter
  • a few sliced mushrooms
  • a large carrot, coarsely grated
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • a handful of coriander, roughly chopped
  • a few handfuls of spinach

Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and pop them out of the skins. 

Wilt the spinach is a saucepan, then leave to cool. Squeeze out any excess liquid if necessary and chop. 

Pour the vegetable stock into a saucepan, then add the curry paste and the rice. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until almost tender and most of the liquid absorbed. 

Melt the butter in a large frying pan, then fry the mushrooms until lightly coloured. Add the rice and carrot to the pan with the broad beans. Stir until the rice is moist but no longer wet, then add the eggs and season. Keep cooking, stirring now and then to break up the egg, until it is lightly cooked. Fold through the chopped spinach and coriander, then serve. 

(Original recipe from Eat by Nigel Slater, Fourth Estate, 2013.)

 

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Smoked Mackeral & Leek Hash with Horseradish

Posted in Brunch, Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 27 January 2021| 2 Comments »

Thanks to a kind and generous birthday gift from friends we have been endowed with lovely smoked fish from the Connemara Smokehouse. The smoked mackerel made a lovely weekend brunch.

Smoked mackerel & leek hash with horseradish – serves 2

  • 250g new or salad potatoes, halved
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 large leeks, thinly sliced
  • 2-4 eggs
  • 100g peppered mackerel, skin removed (we used regular smoked mackerel and that was good too)
  • 2 tbsp creamed horseradish

Steam the potatoes until tender. 

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until softened. You will need to stir now and then to stop them sticking. 

Add the cooked potatoes, then turn up the heat and fry for a couple of minutes so they start to crisp and brown a bit, then flake through the mackerel.

Make some holes for the eggs in the mixture, then crack an egg into each, season, then cover the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes. You’re looking for set whites and runny yolks. Serve the horseradish sauce on the side. 

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Smoked Paprika-Baked Courgettes, Tomatoes & Green Beans with Eggs

Posted in Brunch, Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 25 July 2020| Leave a Comment »

Smoked Paprika-Baked Courgettes, Tomatoes & Green Beans with Eggs

We’re really not brunch people, mainly as there’s so much going on at the weekends that we don’t have the time. Lockdown has provided us with some opportunities however. So instead of getting up early and out the door on a Saturday morning we’ve been coming downstairs in our pjs and making something nice for breakfast.

Smoked paprika-baked courgettes, tomatoes & green beans with eggs – serves 2

  • 2 large courgettes, cut into ½ cm slices
  • 200g small waxy potatoes, quartered
  • 150g cherry tomatoes
  • 6 scallions, trimmed
  • 2 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme plus a few whole sprigs
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • ½ tbsp smoked paprika, plus extra to serve if you like
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 125g green beans, trimmed
  • 2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 190C/400F/Gas 6.

Blanch the green minutes for a couple of minutes in salty boiling water, then drain and run under cold water to stop them cooking. Dry with some kitchen paper and toss with ½ tbsp of the olive oil. Set aside.

Put all of the vegetables (except the green beans) into a large baking tray and spread them out in an even layer. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, the thyme, chilli flakes, smoked paprika, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Toss everything together, then bake for 30 minutes, tossing the veg a few times.

Sprinkle the green beans over the top and return to the oven for another 8 minutes.

Break the eggs on top, season and put back in the oven for another 8 minutes for runny eggs.

Serve with a little more smoked paprika if you like.

(Original recipe from Diana Henry’s ‘From the Oven to the Table’, Mitchell Beazley, 2019.)

 

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Croque Madame

Posted in Brunch, Cheese, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 10 June 2020| Leave a Comment »

Croque Madame

This is a cheat’s version of the French classic and makes a great brunch/lunch.

Croque Madame – serves 2

  • 4 large slices of sourdough
  • Dijon mustard
  • 100g grated gruyère
  • 4 slices thick-cut ham
  • butter
  • 4 tbsp crème fraîche
  • 2 eggs

Spread the sourdough with a thin layer of mustard on one side, then fill the sandwiches with half the gruyère and the ham. Spread the outside of the sandwiches with butter.

Heat a non-stick frying pan and fry the sandwiches on both sides until golden.

Mix the crème fraîche with the rest of the gruyère and spread over the top of the sandwiches. Put under a hot grill until the cheese bubbles and starts to brown.

Serve with a fried or poached egg on the top.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, May 2015)

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Chachouka

Posted in Brunch, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 20 April 2020| Leave a Comment »

Chachouka

This is the second version of this we’ve done in the last few weeks. Both times inspired by two extra peppers in a pack when we only needed one. This version is more caramelised and uses less fresh ingredients but it also takes a lot longer to cook. We loved the addition of saffron too.

You can cook the sauce the night before if you like  or keep half of it for the following day. You just need to reheat, then crack in the eggs and bake.

Chachouka – serves 4

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 large onion, halved and finely sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 red pepper, finely sliced
  • 1 yellow pepper, finely sliced
  • ½ tsp hot smoked paprika
  • a pinch of saffron strands
  • 400g tin plum tomatoes, squeeze with your hands to break them up as you add to the dish
  • 4 eggs

Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan, then add the cumin seeds and fry gently for a couple of minutes. Add the onion and cook gently for about 10 minutes or until golden.

Add the garlic and peppers and continue to cook for at least 20 minutes, stirring often, until the peppers are soft and wilted. Add the paprika and saffron, then the tomatoes and some seasoning. Cook gently for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. If you can’t put your pan in the oven just transfer the sauce into a baking dish. Make holes in the mixture and gently break in the eggs (easier if you break into a mug first). Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the eggs are set but the yolk still runny.

(Original recipe from River Cottage Veg Everyday by Hugh Rearnley-Whittingstall, Bloomsbury, 2011.)

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Spicy Asparagus & Chorizo Baked Egg

Posted in Brunch, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 16 April 2020| Leave a Comment »

Spicy Asparagus & Chorizo Baked Egg

We had this for breakfast on Easter Sunday but you could also have it for a handy lunch or dinner.

Spicy asparagus & chorizo baked egg – serves 2

  • 250g asparagus, cut into 3cm pieces
  • 40g diced chorizo
  • 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
  • 150g frozen spinach
  • 2 tbsp crème fraîche
  • 2 large eggs
  • flatbreads or toast, to serve

Heat a medium frying pan over a medium heat, add the asparagus and chorizo and cook for about 8 minutes. Stir in the paprika and cook for a further minute.

Add the frozen spinach and cook for about 5 minutes or until it has completely wilted. Stir in the crème fraîche and season with salt and pepper.

Make two space in the mixture for the eggs and gently slide them in. We find it easier to break them into mugs first. Cover the pan with a lid and leave for 5 minutes or until just set.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Shakshuka

Posted in Brunch, Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 5 April 2020| 8 Comments »

Shakshuka

We needed a green pepper for another dish, but could only get a mixed bag of three leaving us with a red and yellow pepper needing to be used. The clocks have changed and so we had brunch, very unusual in this house where our human alarm clocks goes off at 6am most days. Jono has been mastering a new skill and so we had this with freshly baked sourdough. Don’t think we’ll be eating another bite until this evening!

Shakshuka – serves 2

  • 1 tbsp cold pressed rapeseed oil (we used olive oil)
  • 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
  • 1 red pepper, finely sliced
  • 1 yellow pepper, finely sliced
  • 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
  • 1 heaped tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 400g tin of cherry tomatoes
  • 115g baby spinach (we used frozen spinach, boil for a minute or two to wilt, then drain, squeeze out water with hands and chop)
  • 4 medium eggs
  • ½ small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
  • ½ small bunch of dill, roughly chopped (we didn’t have any dill but used some fennel fronds)

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the onions and peppers and cook over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until starting to soften. Add the garlic and spices and stir for another minute, then add the tomatoes, spinach and 100ml of water. Turn the heat down and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Season to taste.

Make four indentations in the mixture and gently crack an egg into each one (we find it easier to crack the eggs into mugs and pour them in). Cover with a lid or foil and cook over a low heat for 8-10 minutes or until the eggs are just set. Scatter over the herbs and serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Breakfast Quesadillas

Posted in Brunch, Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 19 March 2019| Leave a Comment »

Breakfast quesadilla

Quesadillas are a regular feature on our weekend breakfast/lunch table as we often have tortilla wraps leftover from pack lunches in the week. We loved these spicy, veggie ones for Saturday breakfast.

Breakfast Quesadillas – serves 2

  • a knob of butter
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ½ an avocado, sliced
  • 2 flour tortillas
  • 4 cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • 25g cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2 pickled jalapeños, chopped

Heat the butter in a small pan, tip in the eggs and stir until scrambled.

Scatter the avocado over one of the tortillas. Top with the scrambled eggs, the cherry tomatoes, the cheddar and the jalapeños. Top with the other tortilla and slide into a hot non-stick frying pan (we brush the tortillas on the outside with a tiny bit of oil to help them brown). Cook for 2-3 minutes then flip over and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and the insides are hot. Cut into wedges to serve.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in BBC Olive Magazine, March 2019.)

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