Fond recollections I have are making and eating 'toad in the hole', and boiled eggs with toasted dipping soldiers. I am amazed at how many people are unfamiliar with these dishes.
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I impress upon all that an order should take as long as the eggs take to cook. A good few hours are spent preparing for this important meal and I believe an aspiring chef should spend his / her first month on the breakfast shift because it teaches precision, speed and the importance of maintaining a high standard. No one wants a badly fried egg first thing in the morning.
Who could forget Deviled or stuffed eggs? These are regulars on a 'grown-up's' cocktail or snack menu. Dating back to ancient Roman recipes, Deviled describes a dark food, spicy and highly seasoned which is either chopped or ground and served hot or cold.
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Here are some ideas to make your picnics interesting yet stress free for the person hosting the occasion. Devils-on-horseback (prunes filled with camembert and rolled in bacon) are a popular, yet often overlooked, option. Their make up ensures limited oozing and provides savoury bursts of flavour.
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Frying is not an option so steaming, poaching, slow-cooking, braising, baking, grilling and boiling it has to be. Suddenly the options don’t seem quite so limited. Supplement weekly meat dishes with vegetarian and easily-digested fish options. Did you know fish is higher in vitamins and minerals than most meat dishes? Include it in your breakfast ideas too. Try poached haddock with soft-and-fluffy scrambled egg, made with one whole egg and two egg whites. It provides a healthy start to your day when your aim is to cut back.
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Reviving the classical avocado Ritz seems appropriate for this traditional occasion. That’s what we’ll have because my parents’ avocado pear trees are laden with the very best of the creamy - smooth fruit. A crème fraiche spicy dressing drizzled over lightly-blanched, firm shrimps is best with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some crisp Melba toast. There are some flavour combinations that will never die.
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Soups or herb frittatas are ideal hunger stoppers.
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Every chef/restaurant has a unique pesto recipe - and they’re all good. Try Sapore’s as an alternative to mine. We must celebrate eateries that make their own because, I assure you, many restaurants these days buy in a lot of their products. Nothing tastes better than dishes home made with love, rather than commercially manufactured poor cousins!
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I have, over the years, given out my tomato-soup recipe which is a firm favourite of mine. It immediately springs to mind after a night on the town... Filled with untold goodness it promises to help you feel healthier. I know one should avoid a Bloody Mary and rather drink the virgin option.
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Coq au vin.. we can’t get more French traditional than this. I am sure you too will be captivated by its olde-worlde charm.
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Nicoise salad is a traditional favourite. It’s gone out of fashion because it was over done and made without love. Make this salad with care otherwise it can go horribly wrong.
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