Plum / Fruit Clafoutis

When I saw this recipe I had to try it. It's a lovely dessert. It is very simple but looks very stylish so would be great for entertaining. It was delicious warm topped with a scoop of melting ice cream our favourite flavour is caramel but any will do.

Serves 4

4 eggs
150g (5oz) caster sugar
150ml (1/4 pint) double cream
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp ground almonds
Grated zest of 1 lime
225g (8oz) fruit ( plums, strawberries, apples, blueberries)

1. Preheat the oven to 190oC (fan oven 170oC) gas mark 5. Using an electric mixer beat the eggs with the sugar until really thick and voluminous.

2. Lightly whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold the cream into the egg mixture together with the flour, ground almonds and lime zest.

3. Divide the scrutiny among 4 heatproof bowls or one large one. Spoon over the batter and bake for 12 mins until golden. Serve warm topped with a scoop of ice cream.

Enjoy x x x

Saucy Citrus Pudding

I saw this recipe in the BBC Good Food magazine Jan 2013. I marked it to make as it looked welcoming and comforting. Perfect. It was super tasty and so quick to make.

Serves 4 : Prep 20 mins : Cook 40 mins

50g / 2 oz butter, softened plus extra for greasing
200g / 7 oz caster sugar
Zest 2 lemons / limes or grapefruit juice or mixture
3 large eggs, separated
50g / 2 oz plain flour

250ml / 9 fl oz milk

Icing sugar for dusting

1. Heat oven to 180oC / 160oC fan / gas 4.

Grease medium - sized oval baking dish (approx 22 x 18cm) with butter. Combine the butter, caster sugar and zest in a food processor and whiz until the mixture is pale. Add the citrus juice, egg yolks, flour and milk, and whizz until well mixed - it may look a little curdled. Scrape into a bowl. Boil the kettle.

2. In a large, clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until firm but not stiff, then gently fold into the zesty mixture. Scrape into making dish and put in a roast tin half filled with hot water from the kettle. Bake for 35 - 40 mins until the top is lightly browned and set, but the pudding is still soft underneath. Serve dusted with icing sugar, if you like.

Baked Eggs with Sausage and Mushroom

Great Breakfast alternative / addition to brunch. Amazingly good. I didnt have fennel sausages so I used some of the Tesco's finest range. Your local butcher probably have their own gourmet sausages. Pork goes well with fennel so even plain pork sausages would do.

Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 pound fennel sausage, casings removed
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• Kosher salt
• 4 sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 8 eggs
• 6 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

Directions

Special equipment: 8 (6-ounce) ramekins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the garlic cloves and the crushed red pepper and bring to a medium heat. When the garlic has become golden brown and very aromatic, remove it and discard, it has fulfilled its garlic destiny. Add the sausage and brown.

Once, nicely browned, add the mushrooms and season with kosher salt. When the mushrooms have softened, add in the sage and white wine. Cook until the wine has almost been absorbed. Turn off the heat and reserve.

Brush 8 individual ramekins with olive oil. Divide the sausage mixture equally among the ramekins and press gently into the bottom. Top each with an egg. Sprinkle each egg with a couple drops of olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Sprinkle each egg lightly with Gruyere cheese and bake until the cheese is brown and bubbly and the egg whites are cooked and the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes

Serve with grilled bread rubbed with garlic, if desired.

Now thats an egg!

Courgette, Mushroom and Leek Fritata

Another quick and easy different breakfast / brunch idea.

You need:

6 eggs
1 courgette halved and sliced
5 mushroom thinly sliced
1 leek halved and sliced
20mls cream or milk
grated cheese (I used onion and chive chedder)
chopped parsley or other herbs
salt and pepper to taste
oil and butter to sautee

Heat oil on high heat add mushrooms and reduce heat to medium heat. Once browned add courgettes and once these are soft add the leeks. Whisk eggs and cream together with cheese and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Add the sauteed vegetables to the egg mixture. Put pan back on heat with a small knob of butter. Add egg mix and leave to cook on medium to low heat. Can grate extra cheese on top. Can finish off top under grill or in the oven. Cook till set and serve. Enjoy.

Huevos Rancheros

Along the themes of different breakfast ideas.

Decided to make a Huevos Rancheros for breakfast.

2 Tortillas
4 eggs
1 Onion (Red or White)
1 Clove Garlic, crushed
1 Red Pepper / Capsicum, Chopped
1 Red Chilli, chopped / Chilli flakes (optional)
5 cm Chorizo Sausage chopped up
1 can chopped plum tomatoes
1 tblsp red wine vinegar
oil

Heat oil in a frying pan. Sautee onions and garlic till soft add chorizo sausage, and red pepper and continue to cook till almost soft. Add tomatoes and red wine vinegar and continue to cook. Make 4 hollows in the tomato mixture and break eggs into the hollows. Cover pan with lid and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes till the eggs are just set.

Warm tortillas, then spread with tomato sauce and top with eggs. Enjoy