Showing posts with label egg recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label egg recipe. Show all posts

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Back to basics... 3 egg omelette

I like to over complicate.
But only when it comes to flavours and cooking. If the recipe calls for one clove of garlic, I tend to add two. If the suggestion is a pinch of pepper or salt- it's easy for me to add a whole handful.
My cakes are full of chunky, lumpy, delicious extras and my soups become stews because there simply isn't enough room in the pot.
They taste fantastic, but they're sometimes what you might call... heavy handed.
So I'm getting back to basics.
I mean I know what I like and which flavours work well together, but I just have to remind myself that sometimes simple is best- and that often it's about what you can still add at leisure, not having everything all packed on in advance.
I started on Friday night with a simple omelette. And I mean really simple.

Ingredients?
  • 3 eggs- lightly whisked together
  • knob of butter (1 tblspn)
That's it.
No milk, no onion, no tomato and no cheese- all the extras that I usually like to add.
Not on Friday.
On Friday it was just eggs, lightly whisked and a knob of butter in the pan.

Method: It's simple; whisk the eggs together (3 for Patience's omelette, 2 for mine). Melt the butter on high heat in a non stick pan and just before it browns, tip the eggs in and shake the pan vigorously. Continue shaking the pan until the the omelette folds over itself and is just set. It really only takes about 30sec... anymore and the potentially beautiful simplicity of the omelette becomes bland rubber.
Tip the omelette onto a warmed plate and serve with optional salt, pepper and parsley.
That's it.
Dinner in less than a minute... for real.
I told you it was back to basics.
And I'd forgotten how wonderful and comforting a simple omelette can be.
No wet patches. No burnt bits. No puddles of oiled out cheese.
Just simple, soft, feather light omelette.
It's something I should do more often.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Surprising last minute dessert- Honey Baked Egg Custard

I am guilty of over thinking dinners- for friends, for family, for friday night. I like to cook, so I often plan in advance and put a lot of effort into menus, themes and trying new dishes. Mostly the love and extra work pays off. Mostly.
But tonight I was lazy.
When my other half turned big brown eyes towards me and hopefully said 'dessert?', I simply could not disappoint him and I felt myself madly wracking my brains for a simple, yet worthy response. I settled for the comfort dessert that my mother would make when I was sick as a child- it has a special place in my heart, and I'd forgotten just how good it is.

Honey baked egg custard:
Ingredients:
* 3 eggs
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 cup thickened cream
* 2 tablespoons honey (warmed for ease of mixing)
* extra honey
Method:
Preheat oven to 200degC. In a bowl whisk together all the ingredients (except the extra honey) until well combined. Divide the extra honey between three 1 cup oven proof ramekins (or any size you have)- about 1 tsp of honey in the base of each. Pour the egg mixture into the ramekins, dividing evenly. Place ramekins into an ovenproof dish and fill the dish with boiling water until it comes halfway up the sides. Bake for 30mins, or until firm and lightly browned on top.
Serve it up hot- straight from the oven.
In this case with extra satisfaction and a small glass of tawny port.

I have been put in my place. Sometimes 'old faithful' recipes are the best- and could even proudly hold their own at any overwrought, overthought, lovingly prepared meal for friends.
Tonight it was a sneaky and unexpected surprise- made sweeter when I spooned to the bottom and found my puddle of melted honey. Never let it be said that desserts are too hard.