Posh Frittata - a treat …

A frittata always hits the spot – here's a posher version!

I had the usual suspects - leftover roasties – never wasted – and eggs, mature Cheddar cheese and a bunch of spring onions. The treat – smoked salmon.

Smoked Salmon Frittata

Serves 4

You'll need a large frying pan

240g roasties, cut into small pieces – plus

any crispy bits too!

1 bunch of spring onions, finely chopped

3 large eggs, beaten

2 handfuls of grated mature Cheddar cheese -

as a guide a handful weighs 75g approximately

100g packet of smoked salmon, snipped into

small pieces

a drop of rapeseed oil

black pepper

Heat a drop of rapeseed oil in your frying pan. Add the roasties and the spring onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the snipped pieces of smoked salmon and fold into the roasties and onions, sauté for 2 minutes.

Pre-heat your grill – BEFORE YOU TURN IT ON

ENSURE THAT THE FRYING PAN YOU'RE USING

WILL SLIDE EASILY INTO THE SPACE LEAVING AT

LEAST TWO INCHES GAP BETWEEN THE PAN AND

THE GRILL ITSELF, OTHERWISE YOU'LL BURN

THE TOP AND THE MIDDLE WON'T BE COOKED

Add the grated cheese to the beaten eggs to the roasties, onions and smoked salmon and cook on a medium heat on the hob for 2/3 minutes. Transfer the pan to the grill - cook for 2/3 minutes Remove the pan from the grill - USING OVEN GLOVES.

Using a fish slice gently flatten down the frittata so that you break the top – you'll find that the egg mixture is still not quite cooked. Place back under the grill for another 2/3 minutes and check – it should be golden brown but if your preference is for a darker colour carry on to your desired taste.

Serve on warmed plates – with any of the sides mentioned in the previous recipe.

Or you could try a spiced salmon version ...

Fluffy Frittata Fotos!

Here we go :

leftover roasties – too good to waste

the frittata from the grill

a generous slice

Quick, easy and delicious. It is perfect on its own as a breakfast treat – if you prefer a brunch you could serve with, as I did, coleslaw – because I love it or beetroot hot or cold – there's a thought! You could serve wedges on the side if you want a more substantial meal.

The world really is your lobster (as I am fond of saying) with frittatas – anything goes – it's the perfect vehicle for all your leftovers!

Fluffy Frittata

Frittata is a great way of using up leftovers, worthy of a rummage in your fridge, all your favourite bits brought together. The great thing about a frittata is that you can make it as big as you like!

Use your leftover chicken, roast potatoes and any

cooked vegetables – dice and set aside

Using a large frying pan, sauté a finely chopped

onion in a drop of rapeseed oil and add your leftovers

as above

OR you could

Raid the fridge for any raw veggies - peppers, courgettes,

carrots – sliced and diced to a similar size – sauté until soft

with the onion and then add the cooked chicken and potatoes

Whisk four eggs in a large mixing bowl, add a couple

of handfuls of cheese and black pepper and pour onto

the chicken, potatoes and other veggies – cook on a medium

heat for 2/3 minutes – transfer the pan to the grill for 2/3 minutes

• USING OVEN GLOVES!

Pre-heat your grill – BEFORE YOU TURN IT ON

ENSURE THAT THE FRYING PAN YOU'RE USING

WILL SLIDE EASILY INTO THE SPACE LEAVING AT

LEAST TWO INCHES GAP BETWEEN THE PAN AND

THE GRILL ITSELF, OTHERWISE YOU'LL BURN

THE TOP AND THE MIDDLE WON'T BE COOKED

Remove the pan from the grill

Using a fish slice gently flatten down the frittata so that

you break the top – you'll find that the egg mixture is still not

quite cooked. Place back under the grill for another 2/3 minutes

and check – it should be golden brown but if your preference is for

a darker colour carry on to your desired taste.

Serve with whatever floats your boat – bacon, sausages, fried chorizo and its oil, any cold meats and a salad – roasted portobello mushrooms make a perfect veggie addition. You could use Quorn pieces instead of chicken.

If your budget doesn't run to chorizo then use a packet of smoked bacon, place the rashers on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes – 180fan/200c/Gas 6 – turn and repeat. Set aside to cool – the bacon will be crispy – deliberately! When the bacon has cooled, break into tiny pieces, box and fridge.

Here they are :

A very handy “savoury sprinkle” over scrambled eggs, fold into mashed potatoes or add to chicken casserole – the list is endless.

Frittata is never wasted – it's perfect the following day – cold – as part of a lunch box!

The extras!

Of course you will need submarine rolls – you can buy them from most supermarkets – I recommend Marks & Spencer's – they seem to keep their freshness.

I should say that “a recipe” is not appropriate because it's a matter of how many rolls you're assembling and the ingredients are entirely personal – it's a “fly by the seat of your pants” thing!

Now for the extras – who likes what? Here are my suggestions and it is not an exhaustive list!

Avocado, sliced or mashed to suit, with lemon

juice

Crispy bacon – and bits are better!

Hard boiled eggs, sliced

Beef tomatoes, sliced thinly

Beetroot relish or slices if you prefer

Any salad item you love – spring onions, shredded

iceberg lettuce

capers, cornichons

A slaw of your choice – an Asian

recipe follows

For the Italian meatball version

Good quality mayo

Mozzarella cheese – either grated or a torn

ball of buffalo mozzarella

For the Indian Kofta version

Mango chutney

Small cubes of paneer submerged in the

rendang curry sauce

Asian Coleslaw

110g white cabbage, finely sliced – approximately

one third of a medium size cabbage

1 carrot – peeled and sliced with a

julienne peeler

1 spring onion – 15g finely sliced

if you want to create a basic slaw stash then

double the amounts given above

3-4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp caster sugar

Half tbsp rice wine

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp peanut butter

Half tsp chilli powder

4 tbsp fresh coriander

Combine all the above ingredients except the fresh coriander.

Marinade for at least an hour – 2-3 is better still!

Just before serving strain off the excess liquid, stir in the coriander and serve.

Now for assembly and leftovers!

Sandwiches with a difference … do-it-yourself “subs”

Here's my version of a “submarine slob” it is truly the ultimate sandwich.

This is the burger recipe but made into meatballs – a little imagination goes a long way!

It might seem a tad long winded, since these elements will require cooking ahead but I assure you it will be well worth it.

The recipe is easy and makes really tasty meatballs, together with a delicious tomato sauce – a great idea for a batch cook.

Meatballs

450g minced beef, pork, turkey or Quorn

*salt and black pepper

*garlic – either 2 tsps of paste or 2 cloves, crushed

*mixed herbs or garlic Italian seasoning – a generous sprinkle

*half a tsp of chilli

*heaped tbsp of tomato paste

*1 egg

sprinkle of plain flour

Rapeseed or vegetable oil for shallow frying

Place the mince in a large mixing bowl then add the remaining ingredients marked *, mix well. At this point your mixture may be too wet. If it is, sprinkle a little plain flour over the mixture and fold in gently.

Use a teaspoon as a measure and heaped with mixture, roll it between your hands and set aside on a board. When the meatballs are ready, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry on a low heat, gently and carefully shaking the pan to ensure they are evenly coloured – use tongs if you are accident prone! Seal the meatballs in batches - 8 at a time and then transfer to an oven-proof dish or foil tray ready for later – place the dish or tray containing the meatballs in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 and complete the cooking for 15/20 minutes – this time will vary depending on the sizes of the meatball – ensure that they are properly cooked – cut a larger one in half to be sure, then cool, cover and fridge until you're ready for action.

The sauce that goes with …

The middle of the week …

If you want a supper for the middle of the week and you haven't got the Sunday leftovers can I remind you about a post I made last August – Rocket Science and light bulbs! I suggested that you could deliberately cook more than you'll use thereby creating a stash in your fridge. If your oven is turned on then fill it, wrap six large baking potatoes in foil and bake. Grate cheddar cheese, box it and fridge. It's the perfect solution for mid-week meals – both for economy and speed.

Spiced Salmon Frittata

Serves 4

For the spiced salmon marinade :

Marinade

2 x 4oz Salmon fillets

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp powdered star anise or one star anise

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Mix together the marinade, pour over the salmon fillets, turning to coat thoroughly, cover and leave in fridge for an hour or so – preferably in a foil tray – much easier to transfer straight to the oven later.

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6. If you've used a foil tray to marinade the salmon then wrap it in foil and bake it for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. When the salmon has cooled flake it into small pieces, ready to add to the frittata.

For the frittata :

1 large cooked baked potato – peeled if

you prefer – cut into small pieces

5 spring onions, finely chopped

tiny drop of rapeseed oil

100g/4oz mature cheddar cheese, grated from your stash

4 large eggs

salt and black pepper

Whisk four eggs in a large mixing bowl, add the cheese and whisk again. Add a touch of salt and plenty of black pepper.

Sauté the potato and onions until softened then sprinkle in your flaked salmon, add the egg and cheese mixture.

Follow the frittata method to complete the dish. You could drizzle the residual marinade from the salmon over the the top of the cooked frittata.

You could use this recipe for a canapé - I used a straight sided cutter measuring 6cms/2½” in diameter and you should get 12-14 canapés depending on how careful you are cutting out – just a thought.

Then there's beetroot ...

The Frittata method

Method

Using a non-stick frying pan – as a guide 28cms/11” in diameter. Heat a tiny drop of rapeseed oil, add the chicken, roast potatoes and veggies - sauté until softened, then pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Cook on your hob for 2/3 minutes to set the bottom. Transfer the pan to the grill - cook for 2/3 minutes REMOVE USING OVEN GLOVES – SEE WARNING!

Words of Warning!

Pre-heat your grill – BEFORE YOU TURN IT ON ENSURE THAT THE FRYING PAN YOU'RE USING WILL SLIDE EASILY INTO THE SPACE LEAVING AT LEAST TWO INCHES GAP BETWEEN THE PAN AND THE GRILL ITSELF, OTHERWISE YOU'LL BURN THE TOP AND THE MIDDLE WON'T BE COOKED.

Using a fish slice gently flatten down the frittata so that you break the top – you may find that the

mixture is still not quite cooked. Place back under the grill for another 2/3 minutes and check – it should be golden brown but if your preference is for a darker colour carry on to your desired taste.

Minimum effort – maximum taste. Can definitely be made ahead as a canapé. A frittata is excellent served cold in whatever guise - so easy … so tasty – who needs a pre-packaged recipe box!

If you haven't got leftovers from your Sunday roast, then you might like the idea that follows …

Your flexible friend … the egg!

I make no apology for repeating this recipe – frittata is the perfect way to use leftovers, worthy of a rummage in your fridge, all your favourite bits brought together. The great thing about a frittata is that you can make it as big as you like!

Frittata

Use your leftover chicken, roast potatoes and any

cooked vegetables – dice and set aside

Raid the fridge for any raw veggies. Using a large

frying pan, sauté a finely chopped onion in a drop of

rapeseed oil

Add any raw vegetables, i.e. peppers,

carrots – sliced and diced to a similar size – cook until soft

Add the cooked chicken, potatoes and cooked veggies

Whisk four eggs in a large mixing bowl, add a couple

of handfuls of grated cheese from your boxed stash and black pepper

If you're not adding chicken serve with whatever floats your boat – bacon, sausages, fried chorizo and its oil – drizzled over the top, any cold meats and a salad – roasted portobello mushrooms make a perfect veggie addition. You could use Quorn pieces instead of chicken.

If your budget doesn't run to chorizo then use a packet of smoked bacon, place the rashers on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes – 180fan/200c/Gas 6 – turn and repeat. Set aside to cool – the bacon will be crispy – deliberately! When the bacon has cooled, break into tiny pieces, box and fridge.

Here they are :

A very handy “savoury sprinkle” over scrambled eggs, fold into mashed potatoes or add to chicken casserole – the list is endless.

Frittata is never wasted - it's perfect cold the following day as part of a lunch box – if there's any leftover – good luck with that!

leftover roasties – too good to waste

the frittata from the grill

Quick, easy and delicious. It is perfect on its own as a breakfast treat – if you prefer a brunch or a supper you could serve with, as I did, coleslaw – because I love it, or beetroot relish would definitely work well too.

Next up the method …

Two loaves!

Here are the two loaves fresh out of the oven :

Here's one of them sliced and ready to be devoured!

My immediate instinct is to slice, butter and consume – cook's privilege surely!

However – stoically I resisted and in the interests of all things practical - I also foil wrapped a loaf and popped into the freezer.

The verdict – not that I am in any way biased you understand – the ability to freeze the loaf is an added bonus – you can use one and freeze the other.

Here's the veggie option I mentioned - top a toasted slice and add mushrooms in balsamic :

Mushrooms in Balsamic

Serves 4 as a topping

4 tbsp rapeseed oil

500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves of garlic or paste

pinch of salt

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp soft brown sugar

60g shaved parmesan

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook on high for 5 minutes until browned. Mix the vinegar with the sugar and pour over the mushrooms. Stir until syrupy – 1-2 minutes – toast your slices of Cheese and Onion Muffin Loaf under the grill and top with the mushrooms, garnish with shaved parmesan.

Variety is the spice of life!

Lets do breakfast … or brunch if you prefer

What about a Cheese and Onion Muffin Loaf – a thick slice, toasted – topped with a poached egg and then the world really is your lobster – bacon on the side – sausage too. For a veggie idea mushrooms are always a winner with me!

Cheese and Onion Muffin Loaf

170ml vegetable oil

1 large egg

284ml buttermilk

70ml milk

500g self raising flour

1 tsp English mustard powder

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

150 mature cheddar cheese, grated

bunch of spring onions – or 6 if you want to be precise

200g Crumbly Lancashire cheese, crumbled

or Lancashire Tasty if you can get hold of it

Kit required

You have a choice – one x 900g loaf tin for one loaf

or

two x 450g for two loaves

You can either grease your tin with oil and then

line with baking paper overlapping so that it's easy

to remove

or

You can use cake liners instead

Pre-heat your oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4.

Mix together the wet ingredients – vegetable oil, egg, buttermilk and milk – ideally in a large jug.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl – flour, mustard powder, cayenne and salt and then add the grated cheddar (reserve a handful to sprinkle over the top of the loaves) and spring onions.

Add the wet to the dry together with the Crumbly Lancashire taking care not to overwork the mixture – divide into the two loaf tins and top with the reserved grated cheddar. Bake for 65/70 minutes until golden on the top. Push a skewer through the middle – it should be clean when removed. You can cover with foil once golden. Leave to cool for 15 minutes and then remove from the tins and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Hold that thought ...

Chapter II of the cheap & cheerful ideas - Frittata

The second of my favourites is equally easy, peasy and tasty and anything goes in this dish!

Frittata

Frittata means “fried”. As we all know frittata is a great way of using up leftovers, worthy of a rummage in your fridge, all your favourite bits brought together. The great thing about a frittata is that you can make it as big as you like!

Use your leftover chicken, roast potatoes and any

cooked vegetables – dice and set aside

Raid the fridge for any raw veggies. Using a large

frying pan, sauté a finely chopped onion in a drop of

rapeseed oil

Add any raw vegetables, i.e. peppers, courgettes,

carrots – sliced and diced to a similar size – cook until soft

Add the cooked chicken, potatoes and cooked veggies

Whisk four eggs in a large mixing bowl, add a couple

of handfuls of cheese from your boxed stash and black pepper

If you're not adding chicken serve with whatever floats your boat – bacon, sausages, fried chorizo and its oil – drizzled over the top, any cold meats and a salad – roasted portobello mushrooms make a perfect veggie addition. You could use Quorn pieces instead of chicken.

If your budget doesn't run to chorizo then use a packet of smoked bacon, place the rashers on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes – 180fan/200c/Gas 6 – turn and repeat. Set aside to cool – the bacon will be crispy – deliberately! When the bacon has cooled, break into tiny pieces, box and fridge.

Here they are :

A very handy “savoury sprinkle” over scrambled eggs, fold into mashed potatoes or add to chicken casserole – the list is endless.

Frittata is never wasted - it's perfect the following day as part of a lunch box – if there's any leftover – good luck with that!

leftover roasties – too good to waste

the frittata from the grill

a generous slice

Quick, easy and delicious. It is perfect on its own as a breakfast treat – if you prefer a brunch you could serve with, as I did, coleslaw – because I love it. You could serve wedges on the side or beetroot relish would definitely work well too.

See below for the method.

And then there's ...

Spiced Salmon Frittata

For the spiced salmon marinade :

Marinade

2 x 4oz Salmon fillets

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp powdered star anise or one star anise

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Mix together the marinade, pour over the salmon fillets, turning to coat thoroughly, cover and leave in fridge for an hour or so – preferably in a foil tray – much easier to transfer straight to the oven later.

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6. If you've used a foil tray to marinade the salmon then wrap it in foil and bake it for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. When the salmon has cooled flake it into small pieces, ready to add to the frittata.

For the frittata :

1 large baked jacket from your stash – peeled if

you prefer – cut into small pieces

5 spring onions, finely chopped

tiny drop of rapeseed oil

100g/4oz mature cheddar cheese, grated from your stash

4 large eggs

salt and black pepper

Whisk four eggs in a large mixing bowl, add the cheese and whisk again. Add a touch of salt and plenty of black pepper.

Method

Using a non-stick frying pan – as a guide 28cms/11” in diameter. Heat a tiny drop of rapeseed oil, add the spring onions and potato. Sauté until softened, sprinkle in your salmon pieces including any residual marinade, then pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Cook on your hob for 2/3 minutes to set the bottom. Transfer the pan to the grill - cook for 2/3 minutes REMOVE USING OVEN GLOVES – SEE WARNING!

Words of Warning!

Pre-heat your grill – BEFORE YOU TURN IT ON ENSURE THAT THE FRYING PAN YOU'RE USING WILL SLIDE EASILY INTO THE SPACE LEAVING AT LEAST TWO INCHES GAP BETWEEN THE PAN AND THE GRILL ITSELF, OTHERWISE YOU'LL BURN THE TOP AND THE MIDDLE WON'T BE COOKED.

Using a fish slice gently flatten down the frittata so that you break the top – you may find that the

mixture is still not quite cooked. Place back under the grill for another 2/3 minutes and check – it should be golden brown but if your preference is for a darker colour carry on to your desired taste.

For a canapé I used a straight sided cutter measuring 6cms/2½” in diameter and you should get 12-14 canapés depending on how careful you are cutting out.

Minimum effort – maximum taste. Can definitely be made ahead as a canapé. A frittata is excellent served cold in whatever guise - so easy … so tasty – who needs a pre-packaged recipe box!

If you like the ideas I've given you then you'll like what's coming next ...

Editor's January Pick #7: Here's a cure for the winter blues

Editor's note: It might not have escaped anyone's notice that it's Winter in the Northern Hemisphere at the moment, or as we say in the UK - it's business as usual. Now I don't know about you but when I'm cold and it's dark at 4pm and the urge for a snack strikes, it's hard to beat a Croque Monsieur. Read on for a different spin on the classic, and whatever you do, leave the "Toastie maker" in the cupboard.

Here's the sandwich - the “Croque” …

I'm sure you've heard of a Croque Monsieur – it's a baked, or more popularly, fried sandwich which forms a crispy crust but an oozing filling in the middle. Croque literally means “crunch” from the verb “croquer” - “to bite”.

Croque, sandwich, tartine, brushetta, crostini, whatever is your favourite they should all be treated with respect. My personal favourite is a toasted version so, for a decadent treat, here's my latest :

Croque Marianne

for 4 sandwiches

8 slices of medium wholemeal bread

4 tsps Dijon mustard

75g each of Gruyere and mature cheddar cheese, grated

1 medium onion, preferably sweet or mild flavour,

finely sliced and left raw

60g unsalted butter

Spread ½ tsp of mustard over each slice of bread. Spread the cheese onto 4 slices of bread followed by the onions. Sandwich together with the other 4 slices of bread.

Heat half the butter in a frying pan until foaming – you'll get two sandwiches in your frying pan – fry for 1-2 minutes on each side and then pop the croques onto a baking sheet and into the oven whilst you repeat using the remaining butter and two sandwiches.

You may think the onion would be harsh to the palate but I assure you it isn't, provided you use either a sweet or mild variety. The sharpness of the onion cuts through the richness of the cheese.

Serve with your fried potatoes and a salsa or beetroot chutney or even small chunk Branston.

Any leftovers wrap in foil and fridge. Pop into a pre-heated oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6 with your leftover potatoes for 10 minutes. As with the potatoes, some may say even better the next day – I can absolutely confirm you'll still get oozy delicious Croque Marianne!

A Croque, the jam and a wedge

Cooking doesn't have to be complicated – the simpler the better. Here's an example - recipes for a sandwich, with two sides.

The beauty of these recipes are that they are straight forward – the Croque can be made ahead, ready to fry whilst your wedges are in the oven.

I know the Croque is indulgent – it's meant to be – perfect for the weekend in front of your favourite film.

The Croque :

Croque Monsieur

4 slices of medium sliced wholemeal bread

2 tsp Dijon mustard

75g (3oz) Gruyere cheese (grated)

2 slices of ham or try 45g of cooked ham hock

if you can get it – omit the ham for the vegetarians

30g (1½oz) unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 160fan/180c/Gas 4

Spread ½ tsp of mustard over each slice of bread.

Spread half the cheese on two slices of bread followed by the ham, remaining cheese on top. Sandwich together with the other two slices of bread.

Heat the butter in a frying pan until foaming – fry your Croque Monsieur for 1-2 minutes on each side. If your frying pan is suitable for the oven then pop in for 4-5 minutes. If not then transfer the Croque to a baking sheet.

If you haven't got or can't get hold of Gruyere then use Mature Cheddar instead – nothing is set in stone!

Adaptable for meat eaters and vegetarians too.

The jam :

Balsamic Onion Jam - 4 of everything!

4 medium brown onions, finely diced

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 tbsp soft dark brown sugar

1 garlic clove, finely chopped (optional)

1 tbsp unsalted butter – 15g-30g

as a guide my “tablespoon” was exactly that -

from the cutlery drawer

the large frying pan measures 29cms/11” in diameter

and is non-stick

Using a large frying pan, cook the onions in the butter over a medium/high heat, stirring constantly for 5-8 minutes until they are opaque. Add the vinegar and sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the onions are cooked down to a jam-like consistency for 20-25 minutes. Do not cover the pan at any stage.

The recipe will give you 300g of jam.

Cool and place in a sealed container or a jar with a tightly fitting lid and keep in the fridge.

Finally the wedges :

You can use Charlotte or any waxy potato for wedges. If in doubt check the instructions on the bag. King Edward potatoes are great too – crispy on the outside – fluffy on on the inside. Cut your wedges into similar sizes and place on a large baking tray, drizzle with rapeseed oil and pop into a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 – 20 minutes then shake and repeat. The more wedges you have the longer it will take for them to be crispy and brown. Tip into a bowl and sprinkle with a seasoning of your choice – Chinese 5 Spice, Chilli Flakes, or Classic Paprika & Onion, to name but three. Shake again and serve.

Phew!

Now for something sweet …

The real thing … Tuesday morning breakfast

or is it brunch?

Remember me telling myself at the outset to “get a grip”?

I'm out shopping and excited at the thought of the kids' visit. As usual I have my list or should I say lists!

Picture the scene – I'm in front of the racks that hold the pre-packed bread, staring at the Warburton's thick sliced white when fear strikes and I have a pixie on my shoulder, whispering in my ear … do you have enough food? How many loaves of bread do you need – one or two?! Seriously I stood in front of the racks for what seemed like an eternity and I couldn't decide whether to buy one or two loaves – really! Yes, really.

Common sense prevailed and I bought two – how pathetic!

I made the right decision. After arriving on Sunday afternoon the kids were hungry and I made them sandwiches. On Monday, after going out for breakfast they needed sandwiches at lunchtime and … on Tuesday morning I made them Croque Monsieur without the ham! Plant based spread can be used in cooking so perfect instead of the traditional unsalted butter to lightly fry the Croque Monsieur. I spread the Warburton's bread with a dairy free Dijon mustard – Grey Poupon and then added the Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese, lightly fried the sandwiches on both sides and served. A note about the cheese – cheese with trace levels of less than 0.5 grams of lactose such as Cheddar or Parmesan can be digested by many people who are lactose intolerant. The more mature the cheddar i.e. “extra” the better.

The Croque Monsieur may not have suited the purists out there but who cares – rules are meant to broken – or adapted.

I don't mind admitting that I was stressed – it's a long time since I felt pressure and really it's nothing compared to what, in my case, I've always done. It just goes to show how hard it has been and it's going to take a while to get back in the saddle.

Can I make a suggestion – when you're thinking about entertaining give yourself a break and keep it simple, very simple – you won't be sorry.

Exhausted!

P.s. A message from Cheryl … just wanted to say that I have eaten more fried cheese and mustard butties since being at yours than is probably healthy but soooo good.

My reply … hey, they're a favourite here too – you could add finely diced onion – delish!

Ooooo!

Up next … a new ice cream

The poached egg photo guide

The egg submerged in the pan

The kitchen roll and the slotted spoon

Toast your muffin and butter generously!

Your egg draining on the kitchen roll

Ta dah – your egg on the muffin, seasoned

and oozing – yum

Now for the Benedict bit!

The poached egg!

I said when I reviewed Hive Beach Café that I'd eaten the best poached eggs I'd had in years.

Sometimes when you sample food on holiday the memory stays with you – whether bad or good! In this instance good. I came home and was inspired to replicate the Smoked Salmon Benedict dish.

You'd think that a poached egg and toast were the easiest elements in the world to cook – and then I remembered there's a certain knack to a poached egg. I don't use any of the kit you can buy, for example silicone pods, poaching pans, microwaveable kit, et al and don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with any of them if that's your bag. I'm a saucepan of simmering water and a couple of shakes of malt vinegar gal and the only physical kit is my timer. That's before we even get started on the Hollandaise Sauce so you've got double trouble!

If you are a certain age and spent any time in your family kitchen then you'll have been brought up poaching eggs this way. There are however hints and tips that might be helpful if you want to have a go.

Here are mine :

Make sure your eggs are fresh.

Use the correct size of saucepan – you need room to move with your slotted spoon. The pan I use measures 19cms in diameter (7 ½” in old money).

If you aren't confident breaking an egg into simmering water then don't – break gently into a saucer – it's easier to slide in.

It takes approximately 3 minutes to poach a large egg – set your stall out – if you don't you'll finish up with a cold poached egg!

Arm yourself with kitchen roll and a slotted spoon. They serve a very useful purpose, have a couple of sheets of kitchen roll ready, when you lift out your egg with the slotted spoon set it on top of the kitchen roll to absorb any excess water.

I've always added a couple of drops of malt vinegar to the water, there'll be others who will disagree. I was taught that it helps the whites cook and so you don't get lots of wispy bits. Whilst I'm on the subject don't add any salt to the water, if you do you'll loosen the whites.

Finally, don't try and be clever and poach too many eggs at a time, it may be a bit of a faff but you want to serve your eggs hot on your buttered muffin so I'd opt for two. They don't take long to cook and it's better than cold poached eggs.

It may be old fashioned but it works for me!

Photo guide up next.

The cracking Three Cheese Tart!

I don't normally “blow my own trumpet” but on this occasion I will – if you're a cheese lover it'll be right up your alley!

Here's the recipe :

Three Cheese Tart

The pastry case

8oz/225g Wholemeal Flour

4oz/110g unsalted butter – sliced, cubed or grated

Pinch of baking powder

Ice cold water to bind

The filling

2 medium onions, chopped

knob of butter, drop of rapeseed oil

12oz/350g grated cheese, 4oz/110g each mature

cheddar, Red Leicester and Gruyere

1 egg, beaten to bind

Black pepper

ice cold water to bind

Grease and line a 9”/22cm dish or spring clip tin. Cling film to wrap.

For the pastry case, use a food processor if you have one, pop in the flour, baking powder and butter and blitz until breadcrumbs. Add a drop of ice cold water and pulse until the pastry comes together - do not over do it. Tip the pastry out onto a sheet of cling film, using the film gather the pastry together into a ball and fridge for 30 mins.

Soften the chopped onions in the butter and rapeseed oil.

Add the cheese, onions, black pepper and beaten egg, set aside and fridge until you are ready to roll!

Roll out your pastry and fridge again until you are ready to bake.

Pre-heat your oven to 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

When you are ready to bake put the chilled filling into the chilled pastry and bake for 35/40 minutes until golden.

Leave the tart to cool, ideally serve it warm. If you cut into the tart when straight out of the oven the cheese filling will ooze – you need to leave it to settle.

This tart is excellent warmed the next day – if you're fortunate enough to have any leftovers!

Coming next a plan and the prep.