Cheesy Mushroom Omelettes

Sometimes I just like to cook a simple supper for Todd and myself. Nothing too fancy, or involved . . . using simple ingredients and cooking methods . . .

Omelettes are the perfect simple supper and very economical in these credit crunch days.



They also very adaptable as you can fill them with pretty much whatever you have to hand . . .

chopped fresh herbs, peppers and spring onions . . .

chopped tomatoes and little bits of leftover ham and bacon . . .



broccoli and cheese . . .

you name it, pretty much anything goes . . .



Today it was some lovely sliced chestnut mushrooms, chopped chives and a good farmhouse cheddar cheese . . .



with a delicious side salad and some buttered toast it went down a real treat. Sometimes I think the simplest meals are the best and tastiest of all, don't you?



*Cheesy Mushroom Omelettes*
Serves 1
Printable Recipe

I have given the proportions here for one omelette. I find it much easier to cook one at a time and keep them warm on plates in a low oven until I am done them all. Mind you . . . with there only being two of us, I only ever make two. These make a delicious, economical and surprisingly filling supper!

1 1/2 TBS butter
a generous handful of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
25g good quality strong cheddar cheese, grated
(I used a good farmhouse cheddar)
1 TBS freshly chopped chives
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large free range eggs



Melt 1/2 TBS of the butter in a small nonstick frying pan. Once it is sizzling add the mushrooms. Allow them to sit without stirring them, for several minutes until they begin to brown. Cook, like this, shaking them occasionally, until they are nicely browned. Too much stirring brings out too much liquid and it is best to agitate them as least as possible. Scoop them out onto a plate while you proceed.

Beat the eggs together with a fork, until the white and yolk are totally amalgamated.

Melt the other 1 TBS of butter in the same frying pan. When it begins to sizzle, tip in the eggs and swirl them around the pan to cover the bottom. Cook until almost completely set. Season with some salt and pepper and sprinkle the chives over top. Scatter the grated cheddar over one half and then then sprinkle on the cooked mushrooms. Fold the other half over top of the mushrooms and cheese and slice the omelet out of the pan onto a warm plate.

We like to have this with some buttered toast and a salad.

Coddled Eggs, with Toasty Cheese and Onion Fingers.

Ever since I read about Coddled eggs on Dorie Greenspans page, back in April of this past year, I have been wanting to experience and taste what looked like a rich and lucious concoction. She made it sound so easy and delicious.



The first thing I needed to do was to procure myself some egg coddlers. An egg coddler is a small porcelain or pottery cup with a lid, that is used to prepare and cook coddled eggs, which are very similar to poached eggs, from what I could see. It took several months and a lot of searching and I was finally able to procure some that fell within my affordability range. Sure, I think I could just have used plain ramekins, but I really wanted to experience that whole coddled egg experience, and to me . . . that meant with a real coddler.

I always use free range eggs. I have never actually tested the taste difference between free range and ordinary eggs myself, so I can't say with any truth that one tastes any better than the other, but I have a conscience, and having had hens myself in the past, I much prefer to pay a bit more and have an egg from a happy hen.



Dorie had suggested the inclusion of little tempting taste additions such as some cream and cheese. Once I had buttered the coddlers and added the eggs, it became clear that adding anything much in addition to the eggs was going to be very difficult indeed, and so I simply spooned a bit of cream on the tops, added some sea salt and cracked black pepper and popped on the lids.



Into the pot they went, all lidded and propped up on some paper kitchen toweling, just to make sure these lovely little coddlers wouldn't crack under the pressure and heat of the stove, and then I poured in some freshly boiled water, just to come about halfway up the sides of the cups. Dorie suggested a steaming time of 5 to 6 minutes.



Now is where the taste additions came in. I wanted to add cheese and spring onions, but lacking any space for this in the actual coddling cup I decided to add them by putting them on the toast fingers that I imagined Todd and myself romantically dipping into the golden silken egg yolk . . .



I'm afraid I took so much time putting those together that our eggs, were a bit more than softly done, and so dipping would not be possible today . . .



but all was not lost though . . . my . . . oh . . . my . . .



What a delightful breakfast we had this morning.

Two lovely free range eggs, accompanied with little buttery toasted fingers of bread, topped with some strong cheddar cheese, a bit of chopped spring onion and popped under the grill until meltingly golden and toasty.



I have not had such a tasty breakfast in a long, long time . . .

In my mind, we were Cathy and Heathcliff sitting at our kitchen table, looking out over the Yorkshire moores . . . he in his nightcap and gown . . . myself, glowing and dewy eyed, and wrapped in a gossamer gown, all soft and cottony and sprigged with delicate pink roses . . .



the reality may have been far, far more different . . .

but these eggs were delicious all the same.



There is no recipe. Just butter yourself some ramekins, drop in some eggs and cream, and any other tasty bits you care to indulge yourselves with . . . and then steam them for several minutes in a covered pot. Add some cheese toasted fingers . . . and voila . . . you have reached heaven!

Pan Roasted Eggs and Tomatoes

Since I arrived in the UK, some 9 years ago now, I have never seen anything but a brown egg. Back home we always paid more for brown eggs, but here they are pretty standard fare. You can get eggs with blue and greenish tinted shells, but they are from a particular kind of hen. (Who's name escapes me at this particular moment!)



I have long been a proponent of buying only free range organic eggs. In fact that is the only type that my local shop sells. (Waitrose) I like to think that I am buying happy eggs, laid by happy chickens. It makes me feel better about what I am eating. They do cost more though, a lot more, but I guess that is the price you pay for hen freedom . . .

I used to work in a hen house grading eggs when I was a young bride many moons ago. They were battery hens. Todd also worked on a battery hen farm, many years ago. We both had to quit as our consciences were really bothered by what we saw. Our hearts just could not take it. they say that the heart can't grieve what the heart can't see . . . but our hearts saw plenty.



When I was a child I could not eat fried eggs at all, or any kind of egg with a runny yolk. My mother had the stomach flu one time and so my dad had to cook for us for a few days. All he could cook was fried eggs. I ended up with the stomach flu myself after a few days and so . . . let's just say, runny eggs were a no go for me for a very long time.

I am actually eating them now and rather enjoying them! Especially with toast fingers, or soldiers as they call them over here . . .

This is my version of egg and chips, kicked up a notch.



*Pan Roasted Eggs and Tomatoes*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

Simple, economical and full of delicious flavours, this recipe is proof positive that tasty doesn't have to be complicated. You can multiply this to make more servings, but I don't recommend cooking any more than two eggs in the pan at any one time. You could also do individual servings in small skillets and serve them right in the skillet at the table for a unique presentation.

2 TBS good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 (400g) tin of diced plum tomatoes with juice
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 leaves of fresh basil, torn, or 1/2 tsp basil
2 large free range eggs



Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat until hot. Add the olive oil and heat just until it begins to shimmer. Add the garlic and saute it until it becomes fragrant. Pour in the tinned tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and throw in the basil. Turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for a few minutes until the flavours are well melded and the tomatoes have thickened a bit. Break the eggs into the pan, leaving some space between them. Cook until the whites just start to set, then pop a cover over top and continue to cook until the eggs are set and done to your taste. (We like them with the yolks a bit runny) Season the yolks with a bit of salt and pepper and serve with toasted bread fingers for dipping.

Big and Fluffy Almond Meringues

I'm not sure who it was that first recognized that if you beat egg whites together with a bit of sugar and then baked it that you could come up with a heavenly concotion as light as a cloud and quite blissfully as tasty . . .

I only know that I am glad that they did.



Simple ingredients, simple techniques . . . marry together in a wonderful union of un-parralled success . . . eat them plain, or whip up some heavy cream and sandwhich them together. You could break them up and fold them into some gently whipped cream along with some crushed berries, or like me . . . you could just sit there and bit into it, relishing every glorious, meltingly sweet pillow like bite . . . the choice is yours.

A few things to remember . . .

Always start with eggs that are more than a few days old. Very fresh eggs will not create as voluminous mixture.

Make sure your whisk and bowl are scrupulously clean. Any hint of fat at all will prevent your whites from reaching their full potential.

Avoid making meringues on a humid day. The extra moisture in the air will be absorbed by the meringues, making them soften and get quite sticky . . . not a good thing in a meringue . . . you want crisp and light.




*Big and Fluffy Almond Meringues*
Makes about 6 large or 12 small
Printable Recipe

These lovely meringues are light and crisp. You don't have to add the toasted almonds, but I think they add a nice touch. These are delicious served with fresh berries and softly whipped cream, or make smaller ones and sandwich them together with some whipped cream in the middle.

4 large free range organic egg whites, at room temperature
115g caster sugar
115g sifted icing sugar
1 small package of flaked almonds (optional)



Pre-heat the oven to 110*C/ 225*F. Line a large baking sheet with some parchment paper. Set aside.

Place the egg whites in a large glass mixing bowl. Whip with an electric whisk until they resemble fluffy clouds and hold their shape when you life the beaters out of the bowl. Gradually start beating in the caster sugar, one tablespoonful at a time until the mixture is thick and glossy. (Try hard not to overbeat it) Fold in the icing sugar a third at a time, being careful, once again, not to overmix. You want it to be fluffy and cloudlike.

Spoon large dollops of the mixture onto the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches or so between each one. If you are making smaller ones, spoon tablespoonful's onto the baking sheet. Scatter the flakes almonds over all, if using. Bake for 1 1/4 hours, or until they are very crisp on the bottom and sound hollow when tapped on the bottoms. They should be very lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

You may now use them as you wish.

Eggy Bread with Crispy Pancetta

Sometimes you are short on time and are just looking for something quick to make for your tea. Sometimes you are short on money and you are looking for something economical to make for your tea.

Sometimes you just happen to have a loaf of brioche that needs using up, not to mention eggs and some pancetta that is about to go out of date. Sometimes you just want comfort . . .



*Eggy Bread with Crispy Pancetta*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Brioche makes the perfect bread for making Eggy Bread and, when you accompany it with some crisp pancetta, you have a marriage made in heaven. Todd likes his plain, but the North American in me cannot resist eating this with a good dousing of Maple Syrup!

3 TBS double cream
3 large free range organic eggs
3 TBS caster sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
8 thick slices of brioche, cut in half diagonally
butter
1 TBS olive oil
12 slices pancetta

Place the cream, eggs, sugar and cinnamon into a wide, shallow bowl. Wisk together well. Soak the bread slices in the egg mixture, one at a time, allowing any excess to drain off.

Melt some butter in a large non-stick skillet. Once it begins to foam and sizzle, add 3 to 4 pieces of bread in a single layer. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a heated plate and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest, adding butter as needed.

Once you have all the bread cooked, and in a separate skillet, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the Pancetta and fry until crisp. Remove and drain on paper kitchen toweling.

Divide the eggy bread between four plates and top each with 3 slices of crispy pancetta. Serve immediately with or without lashings of Maple Syrup!