| Breakfast Ideas from Trevor Hopkins (email) | |||
| Kippers | Smoked Haddock | Smoothies | Scrambled Eggs |
| Poached Eggs | Huevos Rancheros | Porridge Oats | . |
| Recipe Alphabetical Index | Recipe Contents Page | ||
Breakfast - the most important meal of the day. Or so I hear it said. All too often, though, I don't have the time to make an effort - always rushing off to work.
Still, on a few occasions, especially at the weekend when I've often got a bit more time, it's really rather good to produce something special, particularly if one has guests staying overnight. So, some thoughts for your breakfast menu.
Kippers
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Kippers (properly, kippered herring) are whole fish which have been split apart, soaked in brine and then smoked to preserve them. There's all sorts of ways of preparing these, but this is a really simple and modern approach to cooking kippers which works very well. This technique also has the advantage that it does not make the entire kitchen smell for the rest of the day! Use good-quality whole kippers - don't bother with the ready-filleted kind! I particularly like the ones you can get from the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar. Wash each fish, and place (skin side down) on a plate large enough so that it doesn't hang over the edge. (You can carefully cut off the tail fin, or even the whole head, with strong kitchen scissors if necessary.) |
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In the central depression of each fish, add a splash of olive oil. Then, cut a lemon in half and, from each half, cut a single thick round. Squeese the juice from the remaining half-lemons onto each fish, and then place the lemon round on the centre depressions. Grind some black pepper over the top - but no salt. (Kippers are naturally very salty.)
Cover each plate of fish with microwave-safe clingfilm, and pierce in a couple of places. Stick in the microwave at full power for about two-and-a-half minutes (for a 800 watt oven). Remove the film carefully - it will be hot! - and serve immediately with toast, or even freshly-sliced brown bread.
Smoked Haddock [ top ]
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Traditionally, smoked haddock is served with poached eggs and, on this occasion, I'm very happy to go along with tradition! This is a particular favourite of Tracey, my wife. For preference, get undyed smoked haddock fillets. This is a pale cream colour. The yellow colour of traditional smoked haddock is these days just added food colouring. Wash the fish and cut into portions. (A single fillet usually makes a generous portion for two people.) Place in a large shallow frying pan (a wok works well, too!), and cover with cold water and a little milk (about one-quarter of the liquid should be milk). Add a little freshly-ground black pepper, but no salt. Slowly bring the liquid to the boil, and simmer for about six minutes. Then, turn off the heat and leave for a couple of minutes. While the fish is cooking, poach some eggs - one or two per person. (You don't need me to tell you how to do this, do you? You do? See here.) |
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Drain the fish and place on warmed plates with the poached eggs. Garnish with some finely-chopped chives, or perhaps a little parsley, and serve with fresh brown toast.
Smoothies [ top ]
A great way of eating - or at least consuming - more fruit. Another area where a little experimentation is often fun - and another way of using up fruit leftovers.
Of course you will need a blender or food processor of some kind. Ideally, a tall blender with a tightly-fitting lid is the best - you certainly don't want liquified fruit all over the kitchen walls!
The thickening ingredient in smoothies is usually banana, but this can be very sweet, so I find that adding the juice of a lemon adds a pleasant amount of sharpness. Of course, if your other fruit is quite tangy, or if you prefer a sweeter drink, then adding a little honey can work well.
So, add to your belnder in order a peeled banana, the lemon juice and the honey (if used). Then, any other fruit you fancy. Raspberries, blackberries and strawberries work well, as do cranberries and loganberries.
Whizz up in the blender. It will probably be far too thick at this stage, so add a little chilled water from the fridge, or perhaps some apple juice - if the latter, then you may well not want to include the honey, otherwise it will be too sweet.
Pour into a tall glass, or perhaps two to share, and serve immediately.
Scrambled Eggs [ top ]
Scrambled eggs are one of those deceptive dishes - apparently simple, but with a huge difference between getting it right, and not! The trick with cooking eggs, generally, it that they should not get too hot - so that the white cooks through, while the yolk is barely done. Making sure that plenty of air gets beaten in, too.
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The quality of the eggs makes a big difference. Try and get the best, free-range, organic eggs you can find. I like to use a lightweight saucepan - thin metal - so that the eggs stop cooking as soon as the pan is removed from the heat. Also, I use a wooden fork (rather than a spoon or spatula) for beating the eggs. Put a splash of milk in a saucepan, with a little salt and plenty of finely-ground black pepper. Crack three eggs into the pan, and add a couple of ounces of grated cheese. Stir gently. If you prefer your eggs without cheese, then a ounce of butter should be used instead. Since you've probably just taken eggs, cheese and milk out of the fridge, they're likely to be a bit too cold. Leave the pan for ten of fifteen minutes to approach room temperature |
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Put the pan on the stove, at the lowest possible heat. Stir vigorously, breaking the egg yolks, until the cheese has melted and the whole lot has become homogeneous. (Good word, huh?) Then, increase the heat, continuing to stir all the time, until the eggs start setting. Make sure the sides of the pan are scraped regularly as you stir.
Now, the tricky bit! Just as the eggs are beginning to cook, remove the pan from the heat. Keep stiring! This should just finish off cooking the eggs. (If you leave the pan on the heat until the eggs are cooked, then the stored heat in the pan overcooks them.)
Serve on toast, immediately. You can accompany the eggs with crispy bacon, cooked on the griddle, or for special occasions, a little smoked salmon garnished with caviare.
Poached Eggs [ top ]
This may be another one of those occasions to use a gadget! There are special pans for poaching eggs, which work well - they have a lower compartment for boiling water, and separate holders of individual eggs. The only advice I'd give is that the holders should be greased. Once upon a time, I would have used a little butter, but I find that olive oil (a cheap grade is fine) wiped over the inner surface gives a good result.
If you don't have an egg poacher, then the old-fashioned approach is to use a pan of water, to which a little salt and a splash of white wine vinegar (don't use chip-shop malt vinegar, as the eggs will taste really funny!) has been added.
Boil the water, then turn the heat right down until it is just bubbling. Swirl the water around, crack the egg and tip the contents into the central vortex. (Sounds like something out of Doctor Who!) Keep the water just bubbling, and skim off any scum that forms.
After a couple of minutes, the egg white should be cooked firm, while leaving the yolk still runny. Scoop out, drain and serve immediately (perhaps with Smoked Haddock?).
Huevos Rancheros [ top ]
Apparently, this translates as Ranch-style Eggs in Spanish, although I make no specific claim as to the authenticity of this particular recipe (or translation!). But it is a favourite of Tracey's, whose Spanish is much better than mine!
As a word of warning, chillies and garlic may not suit everyone first thing in the morning, but this is a spicy dish for the late breakfast or brunch at the weekend. And for a full meal - lunch, for example - then try serving this with ham, gammon or even bacon, and with Dirty Rice on the side.
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Crumble a handful of tortilla chips to cover the base of a medium-sized ceramic oven-proof dish. The chips should be around a quarter of an inch on a side - no finer than that. A good way of using up the tortilla crumbs that tend to collect in the bottom of the packet. Finely chop one large medium-strength red chilli and gently cook in a frying pan with a large splash of olive oil for a few minutes. Meanwhile, put half a red onion, a peeled clove of garlic and a little dried oregano in a blender or food processor. I'm currently using oregano I grew in the garden and dried myself. I like to add a couple of sliced of pickled jalapeno chillies from a jar - this should be regarded as optional, but definitely adds to the flavour! Also, add a large handful of tomatoes, roughly chopped. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as necessary. Add the contents of the blender to the frying pan, and continue to cook gently for ten minutes or more. The mixture will be a pale pinky-red colour to start with, but will deepen in colour as the sauce cooks. Alternatively, you could just use four tablespoons of Chilli and Tomato Salso bought from the supermarket. (You may still want to add the jalapeno chillies!) Spoon the sauce evenly over the crushed tortillas. Sprinkle a little grated cheese over the sauce. Put the dish in the oven for five minutes or so, until the cheese is melted. In another, larger frying pan, partially fry four eggs in a little vegetable oil. The objective here is not to cook the eggs completely, but to ensure that the whites are firm enough to move without breaking. |
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Take the dish from the oven and carefully slide the eggs over the top of the cheese and sauce. Add a little freshly-ground black pepper. Put back into the oven for another three or four minutes, so that the eggs are completely cooked, but the yolks are still nice and soft. Serve immediately.
Porridge Oats [ top ]
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This is an old-fashioned winter warmer - cheap and filling - now repositioned as cholesterol-friendly healthy food! Tasty, though. I prefer to make my porridge quite runny, and use both milk and (a little) salt. Pour two cups of porridge oats (I prefer Quaker Oats) into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add two cups of milk (semi-skimmed is fine) and three cups of cold water. (There should always be two-and-a-half times more liquid than oats, by volume.) Add a pinch of salt. |
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Heat the porridge to boiling-point, stiring all the time. Then, turn down the heat and allow it to simmer for about ten minutes, stiring occasionally.
To serve, pour into two shallow bowls. Toppings are up to you - a little cold milk and perhaps a sprinkle of brown sugar, or even a tablespoon of Golden Syrup. Some scottish friends of mine like to add a tiny splash of Scotch whiskey - even for breakfast - but this may not be to everyone's taste...
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