Potato Tortilla

The classic tortilla can be found in every tapas bar in Spain. 

The size of a large cake, it is dense and very satisfying. 

It can be eaten in wedges with a fork, a meal in itself with a salad, 

or cut into chunks, served on toothpicks and enjoyed 

as a snack with drinks.

Ingredients:

450g small waxy potato, peeled

1 Spanish onion

45ml olive or sunflower oil

4 large eggs

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh parsley, tomato wedges or Slow Roasted Tomatoes to garnish

Method:

Using a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into thin slices and slice the onion into thin rings. Heat 30ml of oil in a 20cm heavy-based frying pan. Add the potatoes and onions to the pan and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes, or until the potato slices are just tender. Stir from time to time to prevent the potatoes from sticking. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs with a little salt and pepper. When the cooked potatoes and onion have cooled a little, stir the potatoes into the eggs.

Clean the frying pan with absorbent kitchen paper. Heat the remaining oil and pour in the potato and egg mixture. Cook very gently for 5-8 minutes until set underneath. During the cooking, lift the edges of the tortilla with a spatula to allow any uncooked egg to run underneath. Shake the pan from side to side to prevent sticking.

Place a large heatproof plate upside-down over the pan, invert the tortilla on to the plate and then slide it back into the pan. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the underside of the tortilla is golden brown.

Cut the tortilla into wedges and serve immediately or leave until warm or cold. Serve garnished with fresh parsley, tomato wedges or Slow Roasted Tomatoes.

Egg Salad Filled Avocados with Lime Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients:

Lime Pickled Red Onions:

2 small red onions

Juice of 3 limes

15ml oil (avocado, sunflower, light olive oil, or any mild flavoured oil)

15ml salt + more to adjust taste

Egg salad:

8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced

125ml finely diced radishes, about 3-4 radishes

125ml finely diced red onion, about ¼ of a large onion

125ml finely diced celery, about 2 stalks

30ml mayonnaise

30ml unsweetened plain yoghurt

10ml mustard

30ml fresh lime or lemon juice

2.5ml cumin powder

1 jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Avocado stuffing:

4-5 ripe but firm avocados, cut in halves, seeds removed and peeled

30ml fresh lime juice

Lettuce leaves

Lime Pickled Red Onions for garnishing

Fresh sprigs of dill  to garnish

Method:

First make the Lime Pickled Red Onions:

Cut the onion in half, slice very finely (a mandolin is very helpful with this part) and place in a bowl.

Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and a squeeze of lime juice, let rest for about 10 minutes.

Cover the onions with lukewarm water and let rest for another 10 minutes.

Rinse and drain the onions. Add the lime juice, salt and the oil, and mix well.

Cover the onions and place in the fridge, the onions will start to turn pinkish after about 3 hours, and will turn very pink if left overnight. Taste again before serving and add salt if needed.

Secondly make the egg salad:

Combine the diced hard-boiled eggs, radish, red onion, celery, mayonnaise and/or yogurt, mustard, lime juice, and cumin powder in a large bowl. Mix well.

Add the diced jalapeño (if using) and salt/pepper to taste.

Use immediately or save the egg salad in the refrigerator until ready to stuff the avocados.

Thirdly, complete the stuffed avocados:

Drizzle the peeled avocado halves with the lime juice, this will slow down the darkening process.

Stuff the avocados with 1-2 spoonfuls of the egg salad.

Place the egg salad stuffed avocados on top of lettuce leaves. Garnish with your choice of fresh dill and red pickled onions.

Serve immediately.

Coronation Salad

The famous salad dressing used in this salad was created especially for the coronation dinner of Queen Elizabeth II. 

It is a wonderful accompaniment to hard-boiled eggs and vegetables.

This recipe uses cucumber and radishes with potatoes, but grilled courgettes, avocado and dried fruit, such as apricots, apples, peaches and pears also work well with new potatoes.

Ingredients:

450g new potatoes

45ml French Dressing

3 spring onions, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 eggs, hard-boiled and halved

Frilly lettuce leaves

¼ English cucumber, cut into thin strips

6 large radishes, sliced

1 carton of salad cress

For the Dressing:

30ml olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

15ml mild curry powder 

..... or 10ml medium curry powder and 5ml turmeric

10ml tomato purée

30ml lemon juice

30ml sherry

300ml mayonnaise

150ml plain yoghurt

Method:

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain them and transfer them to a large bowl. Toss in the French dressing while they are still warm. Stir in the spring onions and seasoning and allow to cool thoroughly.

Meanwhile make the dressing:

Heat the oil in a small saucepan and fry the onions for 3 minutes, until soft. Stir in the curry powder and fry for a further minute. Remove from the heat and mix in all the other dressing ingredients.

Stir the dressing into the potatoes and add the eggs. Place the potatoes in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes.

Line a serving platter with lettuce leaves and pile the salad in the centre. Scatter over the cucumber, radishes and cress. 

Tomato Egg Salad

Ingredients:

4 hard boiled eggs

60ml mayonnaise

5ml Dijon mustard

15ml white wine vinegar

30ml sour cream

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 red pepper, cut into bite size pieces

1 potato, boiled and chopped

15ml fresh chopped parsley

Method:

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.

Boil eggs for 7-8 minutes.

Remove the eggs and let cool.

Peel the eggs and cut in half and remove the yolks and chop the whites and set aside.

Place egg yolks in a bowl and mash with mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar and sour cream and then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mix the dressing with the tomatoes, red peppers, potato, egg white and chopped fresh parsley.

Chicken and Mixed Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients:

350g skinless, cooked chicken, cut into cubes

Olive oil

1 onion, peeled and sliced,

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

175g frozen mixed vegetables

4 eggs

Small bunch parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish

5ml paprika

Sea salt

Cucumber and tomato salsa

Method:

Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick 20cm frying pan.

Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1-2minutes, stirring continually. Stir in the chicken and vegetables and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.

Whisk the eggs with the chopped parsley, paprika and salt. Pour the mixture into the pan with the chicken and vegetables and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the underneath is almost set.

Place under a preheated grill for 1-2 minutes or until the top has set. Serve in wedges,garnished with parsley, with a salad on the side.

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Breakfast Bites

Preparing the muffin cups.

Ingredients:

12 eggs

6 strips of bacon cut lengthways to make 12 strips

12 bits of proscuitto to fill bottom of muffin tins

12 cherry tomatoes halved

12 slices of mushroom

12 large pieces of flat leaf parsley

salt and pepper

Breakfast Bites cooked and ready to devour.

Method:

Pre heat oven to 180 ˚C.

Spray olive oil in the muffin tin and place proscuitto on the bottom , and bacon around the sides of each muffin spot.

Place mushroom slice, two halves of cherry tomato and a piece of parsley in each muffin tin. Crack open an egg on each muffin and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.

Perfect Fried Eggs

Have you ever wondered how chefs get perfectly round fried eggs? Well, they use metal rings in the frying pan and remove the ring when serving. I like this idea of using a ring of onion... it's edible and you don't have to try and remove the onion ring when serving. Clever and great for Sunday breakfast!

Spinach & Cheese Omelette Cups

Ingredients:

Frozen Spinach
8 eggs
Grated cheese
Diced tomato
Salt
Pepper
Paprika

Method:

Preheat oven to 190˚C
Arrange spinach on the bottoms of a paper lined muffin pan (approx. 15ml per cup) 
Add a thin layer of diced tomato to each cup
Add a layer of shredded cheese
Season with salt & pepper
Beat the eggs with additional salt & pepper
Using a small ladle, fill each cup almost to the top
Top with a small pepper slice & sprinkle paprika over top
Bake for 15-20 minutes. Check after 15 minutes – depending on your oven may need less or more time.

Gruyère and Bacon Soufflé

A Soufflé is a light and fluffy, sweet or savoury baked dish consisting of stiffly beaten egg whites folded into a sauce pr puree that has been thickened with egg yolks. Origin: A French noun use of the past participle of the verb, souffler, to blow or puff, from the Latin, sufflare, to breath on or blow on.

Ingredients:

500ml milk

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 tbsp olive oil

150g heavily cured bacon, finely chopped

65g butter, plus extra for greasing

55g plain flour

pinch English mustard powder

5 free-range eggs, separated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp fresh chopped chives

To serve

300ml double cream

110g gruyère cheese, very finely grated

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C (convection mode) and generously grease six ramekins of 7cm x 4cm.

Place the milk in a saucepan, add the thyme, bay leaf and nutmeg, and bring to a simmer.

Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for a few minutes.

Heat a frying pan until hot, add the olive oil and bacon and cook until crisp. Remove and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour and mustard. Cook for a couple of minutes until a nutty aroma is released.

Strain the milk and add it to the saucepan containing the flour and mustard. Whisk continuously until thick, then beat in the egg yolks and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Allow to cool slightly.

Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until firm, adding a pinch of salt.

Add one-third of the egg white to the soufflé base mix and beat in. Stir in the chives and then carefully fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon the mixture into the buttered ramekins and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the tops begin to brown.

To serve, preheat the grill to high.

Warm the cream in a saucepan and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Increase the temperature and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by one-third.

Add the crispy bacon and mix well, then add salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the cream into six serving bowls and turn the soufflés out onto the cream.

Cover the soufflés with the grated gruyère cheese and place under the grill. Once golden-brown and bubbling, remove from the grill and serve immediately.