As I said last week, this is one of those years when Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday, so there is time for a little planning and an opportunity to make the day that bit special. If you want to get off to a good start, you could not do better that to surprise the one you love with this delicious breakfast that you could have on a tray in less than half an hour.
This meal is very inexpensive so you can up the budget on a present. I have put two eggs in this recipe, but you can always double it if you love eggs. Brady’s Family Ham does a very good shredded ham. The chili flakes are very hot so use them sparingly. I always use the ready-roasted peppers at demos. They are very handy and the sort of thing you should keep in your cupboard.
If you want to make breakfast extra special, you could try the egg in the heart with smoked salmon and avocado. You will certainly get a smile. And, depending on how well you do, it may be a laugh, but that is a great way to begin any day. I usually use Burren smoked salmon, or you cold use smoked trout instead. This also works well as a brunch after a little prosecco.
I did this one on the radio with Marty Whelan and he has promised to make it for his wife. We will see. He will be able to manage the prosecco part anyway.
Happy cooking.
Home Chef is on RTÉ One
at 7.30pm on Wednesdays.
Baked eggs with spinach & ham
Serves two
1 tbsp Donegal rapeseed oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp paprika
400g can chopped tomatoes
Pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
100g (4oz) ready-roasted peppers from a jar or can, drained and thinly sliced
150g (5oz) shredded ham
50g (2oz) baby spinach leaves
2 medium eggs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Sliced crusty bread to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/ gas mark four). Heat the oil in a small sauté pan. Add the onion and cook for about five minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and paprika and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, chilli flakes, if using, and 100ml of water. Season to taste and stir in the peppers and ham. Bring the sauce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and has started to thicken. Fold in the spinach and allow it to wilt down.Make two hollows in the tomato and pepper mixture and crack the eggs into them. Season to taste and place in the oven for 10 minutes until the whites of the eggs have set. Garnish with the parsley and then serve straight away with crusty bread.Egg in the heart with smoked salmon & avocado
Serves one
Knob of butter
2 slices white bread (from a sliced pan)
1 small firm ripe avocado
½ lemon pips removed
1 large egg
2-3 slices smoked salmon
Handful watercress or baby spinach
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
As I said last week, this is one of those years when Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday, so there is time for a little planning and an opportunity to make the day that bit special. If you want to get off to a good start, you could not do better that to surprise the one you love with this delicious breakfast that you could have on a tray in less than half an hour.
This meal is very inexpensive so you can up the budget on a present. I have put two eggs in this recipe, but you can always double it if you love eggs. Brady’s Family Ham does a very good shredded ham. The chili flakes are very hot so use them sparingly. I always use the ready-roasted peppers at demos. They are very handy and the sort of thing you should keep in your cupboard.
If you want to make breakfast extra special, you could try the egg in the heart with smoked salmon and avocado. You will certainly get a smile. And, depending on how well you do, it may be a laugh, but that is a great way to begin any day. I usually use Burren smoked salmon, or you cold use smoked trout instead. This also works well as a brunch after a little prosecco.
I did this one on the radio with Marty Whelan and he has promised to make it for his wife. We will see. He will be able to manage the prosecco part anyway.
Happy cooking.
Home Chef is on RTÉ One
at 7.30pm on Wednesdays.
Baked eggs with spinach & ham
Serves two
1 tbsp Donegal rapeseed oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp paprika
400g can chopped tomatoes
Pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
100g (4oz) ready-roasted peppers from a jar or can, drained and thinly sliced
150g (5oz) shredded ham
50g (2oz) baby spinach leaves
2 medium eggs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Sliced crusty bread to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/ gas mark four). Heat the oil in a small sauté pan. Add the onion and cook for about five minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and paprika and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, chilli flakes, if using, and 100ml of water. Season to taste and stir in the peppers and ham. Bring the sauce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and has started to thicken. Fold in the spinach and allow it to wilt down.Make two hollows in the tomato and pepper mixture and crack the eggs into them. Season to taste and place in the oven for 10 minutes until the whites of the eggs have set. Garnish with the parsley and then serve straight away with crusty bread.Egg in the heart with smoked salmon & avocado
Serves one
Knob of butter
2 slices white bread (from a sliced pan)
1 small firm ripe avocado
½ lemon pips removed
1 large egg
2-3 slices smoked salmon
Handful watercress or baby spinach
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Butter both sides of bread, then cut a large heart out of the centre of one slice, using a heart-shaped biscuit cutter or with a small sharp knife.Place both slices of bread, including the cutout piece, into the frying pan and cook for one to two minutes.Meanwhile, cut the avocado in half, peel off the skin and remove the stone. Cut into slices and squeeze over the lemon juice to prevent it from going brown.Flip the bread over, then crack the egg into the cutout hole and season to taste. After one to two minutes, the pieces of the bread should be golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate. Cover the frying pan with a lid or some foil and lower the heat. Continue cooking for one to two minutes until the egg is done to your liking.Top the toasted bread with the avocado and season to taste. Arrange the smoked salmon on top, followed by the watercress or spinach. Finish with the egg-in-the-heart slice on top.
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