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 …

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 December Pick #5: Here’s what I mean by resourceful and creative

Editor's note: I’ve been craving some flavour lately after a fair few cold evening meals of soups and the like and this recipe is just the ticket. Spiced Salmon is a tried and tested favourite of MiamMiam and just the ticket for a little something different. It's recipes like this that inspire the most – I would never have put salmon in a frittata without reading it here, but you won’t look at a plain cheese omelette the same again!

Here's what I mean …

… by resourceful and creative – a canapé that can turn into a lunch or a supper.

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 :

5 spring onions, finely chopped

tiny drop of rapeseed oil

100g/4oz mature cheddar cheese, grated

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.

Using a non-stick frying pan – as a guide 28cms/11” in diameter. Heat a tiny drop of rapeseed oil and add the spring onions. 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!

Don't forget to salmon fillets to your freezer shopping list. There are good deals out there – usually individually packaged – in bags of six. You can pull out whatever you need. The bonus is that they don't take up too much space in the freezer.

What to serve with … hmm

Scone stack photos!

Not too shabby – assembled

There's nothing like a perfectly poached

egg

A side view showing the depth of the scone

Last but by no means least is the mornay sauce element – it's really easy and freezes too.

Mornay Sauce

Serves 4-6

40g unsalted butter

40g plain flour

600ml of milk – I use semi skimmed

150g mature Cheddar cheese

(or a combination of Cheddar and gruyere)

salt and black pepper

½ tsp Dijon mustard - optional

Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour. Cook gently for a minute, stirring – make sure you don't brown the mixture. Gradually add the milk whisking constantly and eventually bring to the boil, whisking until it's smooth and thick. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, then add the cheese, mustard and season. I'd taste before you add salt – there's salt in the cheese – adjust accordingly.

It's not compulsory to make 4-6 servings of the mornay sauce, halve the recipe if you prefer – personally I don't see the point of going to the bother of making a good sauce when you can freeze what you don't need for another day. A mornay sauce has many uses – it's perfect with smoked fish and hard boiled eggs – sounds a little odd but it works!

Next up, another weekend breakfast idea.

Matt's mayonnaise

Here it is :

Stick blender mayonnaise

1 egg

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

pinch of salt

juice of half a lemon – 2 tbsp

350ml of grapeseed oil

Break an egg into the stick blender jug. It's important that the yolk doesn't break. Add the mustard, salt and lemon.

Add the grapeseed oil, again being careful not to break the yolk. Insert the stick blender, be sure that the blades completely cover the yolk.

Blend – after a couple of seconds you'll see white ribbons rising through the oil. Slowly pull the blender up through the oil so it amalgamates and push down again to incorporate all the oil.

Serve!

Variations on a theme :

For a French mayonnaise swap the lemon juice

for white wine vinegar, keep the remaining ingredients

Smoked mayo – stir in a few drops of smoke flavouring

to the mayo – substitute 1 tbsp of cider vinegar for the

white wine vinegar. Add a few drops of maple syrup

on each dollop of mayo. Fab on fries!

There's Japanese, Salsa verde and Thai -

check out Matt Preston's essential tips for

making mayo at home.

It does exactly what it says on the tin, here's a photo :

Hold the front page – next year will be completely different for MasterChef Australia since there'll be a new line-up of Judges – watch this space!

The best tip and a couple of photos

The best tip though, is to tell you that Hollandaise can be made ahead and kept in a food flask - it will keep all day then ladle as required. A food flask is an invaluable, inexpensive – and best of all small – piece of kitchen kit that you might like to add to your on-line shopping list.

The flask will keep food hot or cold – contents should not be left for any longer than 24 hours maximum. I'm stating the obvious – this is a food flask and not to be used for carbonated/gaseous drinks. The instructions are straight forward. Pour in hot/cold tap water cover with the lid and let it stand for 5/10 minutes to preheat/precool the flask, empty the water, fill with your contents and secure the lid. If you decide to invest there are comprehensive instructions with the flask.

There's a bonus - a fold-up spoon which sits inside the lid – a good strong one I might add. A perfect piece of kit for your hollandaise sauce – made in the morning, ready for your brunch/supper – how to show off!

Back to the benedict … it might seem picky - the Hive Beach benedict was served on toasted ciabatta – as I've said it is traditionally served on a toasted muffin – I have to say my vote goes to the muffin!

Have a look at my efforts :

Round of applause please!

I shouldn't say I know but it tasted as good as it looks.

The Hollandaise Sauce

First up the technical stuff – hollandaise is a butter sauce and it has a delicate rich flavour composed of butter and eggs adding lemon juice or vinegar. Hollandaise is not thickened with flour but with the emulsion of the butter and the liquid. Flavours are infused in the vinegar and reduced.

Slowly, slowly when you're adding the butter. If it should split or curdle take the mixture off the heat and add a fresh egg yolk to bring it back.

The Hollandaise

5 fl oz of white wine vinegar

6 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 blade of mace – optional

4oz unsalted butter

3 egg yolks

salt and black pepper

Put the vinegar and seasonings into a pan and reduce it to 1 tablespoon, then strain. Using a stick blender process the yolks with the reduction. Clarify the butter (in other words melt the butter in a small saucepan, a milk pan is ideal as it has a pourer). Normally you'd use clarified butter but it's not essential, you can use the whey. If you tip the pan gently when the butter has melted you'll see the golden butter and the whey which has separated. Pour the butter slowly onto the yolks, blending as you go. Season well.

A hollandaise should be served warm, not hot.

Needless to say this sauce takes time but it's well worth the trouble – a perfect weekend breakfast or brunch. Traditionally the benedict was served with ham but these days it is just as popular served with smoked salmon.

Coming next … the best tip and a photo or two.

Eggs Benedict – the history bit

The jury is out as to when eggs benedict first appeared either on a menu or in a restaurant. One thing is for sure it was definitely in New York, USA. It could be as early as 1860. There are lots of stories but the one I like the best is from 1894 when “Lemuel Benedict wanted a hangover cure and ordered buttered toast, poached eggs, crispy bacon and a hooker of hollandaise”. It was Oscar Tschirky, the maître d'hôtel who subsequently put it on the breakfast and lunch menus but changed the bacon for ham and the toast for a toasted English muffin.

A “Hooker” of hollandaise? – “hollandaise” means “from Holland” and probably the Hook of Holland - a town in the south west, hence the hooker, may be?

The sauce was originally Sauce Isigny – not surprisingly French and from the Normandy region in particular. It's thought that it morphed into hollandaise when butter was imported from Holland during World War I. These days Isigny sur mer is famous for its cream, butter and cheese. Its high quality butter is still produced the old fashioned way – churning.

There are heaps of alternatives to the “Benedict”.

Here are three :

Blanchard substitutes Béchamel sauce for Hollandaise

Florentine substitutes spinach for the ham or adds it underneath.

Mornay substitutes a cheese sauce for Hollandaise

I couldn't leave out “Irish Benedict” - replaces the ham with corned beef or Irish bacon.

Hats off to Oscar Tschirky who had the idea of serving the benedict on a toasted muffin - genius – a perfectly neat shape just right for a poached egg.

You never know where this history stuff is going to take you – I hope I haven't bored you – you know what they say, “you learn something new every day”!

Now for the recipe …

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 BBB – bits and bats

The joy of this dish is that you can make it what you want. It's perfect for a working week supper – as I've said, make sure you take the BBB out of the fridge before you leave home and place it somewhere covered and cool during the day. All you have to do when you get home is turn on the oven whilst you're pouring yourself a well earned glass of something and then pop it into the oven for 40 minutes or so. Set your timer to add whatever to go with – baked sausages or serve cold with slow cooked gammon and a salad. The dish then stands (or rests if you prefer) for 10 minutes so in effect you've 50 minutes to multitask – or relax. A quick shower and change into your pjs – job done!

You'll love the aroma from your oven, it's nothing short of yum.

Have a look at it after cooking :

Now for the bits and bats – this dish would be great for a brunch, great cold for lunch at the office with salad and some Asian Spiced Salmon Saturday 14^th May 2016 – The F Word … “It's too boring”, as part of a picnic or you can fancify it – my new word – it seems to fit what I'm trying to say to you. You can use a smaller cutter and place a portion in an individual pot, like this :

The cutter used is 8cms/3” in diameter

Perfect as a side or even as a starter but … a warning note ... it is filling. I realise that portion control is personal I just thought I'd mention it!

In the hope that we may get some decent weather soon, it's time for some ideas for portable food but before we begin, a treat me thinks.

The BBB – Assembly

… and step by step photo guide :

Layer the bread, overlapping

Soak the bread in the egg mixture and the onions

Sprinkle the layer with half of the grated cheese

Add another layer of bread

Add the remainder of the egg mixture

Complete the dish with the remaining grated cheese

Wrap the dish in cling film and fridge. Fast forward to the following morning … don't forget to take it out of the fridge to allow to come to room temperature or keep covered and in a cool place if you're leaving for work and won't cook until later in the day.

The result up next!