Oh, I know I should feel bad, over 5 months since my last post. If you make this dish though, I feel sure you'll forgive me. It is inexcusably bad for you but what the hell!
I first made this, gosh, around 10 years ago when I was given Nanny Ogg's Cookbook, which just goes to show that life, sometimes, imitates art. As always, I play it by ear now when I make it, but my favourite Discworld witch (Nanny is a hedonethicist too I think!) was definitely the inspiration for this filling brunch.
Ok, so the first thing you need is a big ole fillet of smoked fish. Tartrazine yellow is not a colour I associate with a tasty fish dinner, so I tend to buy the undyed variety. I understand that some fishmongers sell naturally yellowed fish (undyed but turned yellow from smoking in a certain way), if you find that then buy it for some colourful fun! Vegetarian? Try chickpeas or lentils instead, they work very nicely with the same accompaniments.
Cook a cup of rice, either the old fashioned way or using a ricebot, at the same time boil up a couple of eggs until hard boiled. When the rice is almost ready, put the fish into a deep frying pan with a half and half mix of water and milk; the liquid should come to halfway up the side of the fish.
Poach the fish, skin side down, until almost cooked through, then flip over and cook for a further couple of minutes to finish it off. The fish should be opaque, but still tender. Drain the fish and place it to one side - don't leave unattended in the presence of greedy cats.
Chop up an onion, I like purple in this because they are sweet but any will do, and a good handful of mushrooms if you have any. Aubergine or any leafy greens work with this too. Heat an obscene amount of butter, as much as you dare, in the frying pan (wiped clean) and gently fry the vegetables.
When cooked, sprinkled over a good tablespoon or more, to taste, of curry powder, plus seasoning and give it 30 seconds to heat up before adding all the rice and coating well in the aromatic buttery sauce. Finally, flake in the fish, taking care to remove any bones, and top with chopped egg.
I had three egg whites left over from making ricotta gnocci last night, so this morning a frittata for breakfast seemed like a great way to use them up.
For two people, three egg whites plus two full eggs is about right.
Chop a small bell pepper and slice a purple onion, then throw them in a frying pan with a little oil and get them cooking until nicely softened and sweet.
Meanwhile beat your eggs with salt, pepper, grated parmesan * and torn, fresh basil
leaves. When the pepper and onion mix is ready, pour over the egg mix.
Cook until pretty firm and then sling under the grill to finish off - this is not for flipping like a pancake, or at least not first thing in the morning whilst still bleary eyed. Serve hot, in quarter slices with a tomato salad.
* - If you're vegetarian you can buy a cheese very similar to traditional parmesan but which is made without animal rennet. "Twineham Grange" is one brand but I'm sure there are others out there.
This is the perfect breakfast to scoff while watching Saturday Kitchen on the sofa with a cup of coffee.
The BLT you already know: bacon, lettuce and tomato - usually served with mayonnaise and ketchup. The EM is egg and mushroom, which elevates this breakfast into a brunch that will keep you going until dinnertime.
I prefer unsmoked bacon for this, because the smoked stuff would completely overpower all the rest of it. Smoked is great for cooking with lentils or in casseroles. My bacon originally comes from Ensors, who work with a co-operative of organic farmers in Herefordshire.
First of all, get the frying pan so hot that the oil is pretty much smoking, then lay the bacon down with the mushrooms tucked around it. Try not to move it about, it takes on that lovely sticky coating if you just leave it be until fully cooked on one side. Repeat for the other and then put on some kitchen roll to absorb the grease.
Put the eggs in the pan to cook alongside the mushrooms and get your bread on to toast.
Once the toast is done, lay the slices side by side and top one with butter or ketchup, and the other with mayonnaise. Add the lettuce and sliced tomato to the butter/ketchup half and the bacon to the mayo side.
When the egg and mushrooms are ready, pop the egg on top of the bacon and the mushrooms on top of the salad. Mmm, wonderful. Demolish in the messiest way possible (see below).
