by Amber Rose
Once the eggs are cooked and drained, transfer them to your waiting toast or salad and serve immediately to ensure they are lovely and hot when you eat them.
If you are making lots of poached eggs, use two pans of barely simmering water. Make the first pan your whirlpool pan then transfer the eggs to the second pan to finish their cooking. You can cook several eggs more quickly this way.
If you only have one pan, don’t use the whirlpool method; just place the eggs around the edge of the pan in a circle. You may not get such tidy results but the eggs will still be delicious – you can always trim the whites with scissors if necessary after they have finished cooking to create tidy shapes.
The perfectly luscious green cheesy omelette.
SERVES 1
Simple, cheap, nutritious and delicious, an omelette can be ready in under a minute, which will demand from the cook quick wits and a keen eye. You can add endless things: crispy bacon, fried mushrooms, smoked salmon and red onion are all wonderful options. There are different kinds of omelettes, too. The easiest to create at home is the English half moon. Be patient and over time you will become an omelette master.
2 free-range eggs
A small handful of very finely chopped parsley leaves
A generous knob of butter
A small handful of grated Cheddar cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add the parsley and, using a metal whisk or fork, give the eggs a quick whisk, until just mixed, then season lightly.
Warm a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the butter, let it foam, then swirl to coat the base of the pan. When the foam dies down a little, carefully pour in the eggs. They should gently sizzle.
Give the pan a gentle shake to distribute the eggs evenly. Using a wooden spoon or fork, pull in the sides and tilt the pan to fill in the gaps. You can do this for about the first 20 seconds, then you need to leave it to cook. After 30 seconds, add a sprinkle of cheese. When the edges have turned opaque but the middle is still slightly runny, carefully flip half the omelette onto the other side, creating a half moon. Slide the omelette onto a waiting plate.
Add another sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper if you like, or an extra few parsley leaves sprinkled over the top. Eat piping hot, just as it is or with my charred cherry tomato and chilli salsa and magical golden kraut for a nutrient-dense breakfast or evening meal.
Shakshuka eggs.
SERVES 4 GENEROUSLY
These delightfully soft-centred eggs braised in rich tomato sauce are the perfect treat for a special Sunday morning, or a quick weeknight dinner. They are comforting, easy to prepare and a real crowd-pleaser. I love them served with sourdough toast and fresh guacamole or cauliflower toasts.
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
150ml ghee or olive oil
2 large onions, halved and sliced into thin half moons
2 red peppers, cut into strips
4 teaspoons coconut sugar or maple syrup
2 bay leaves
A few thyme sprigs, leaves only
A small handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1x 400g can chopped tomatoes
A pinch of saffron threads
A pinch of cayenne pepper
5–6 free-range eggs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh coriander, to serve
Place a large frying pan over quite a high heat and dry fry the cumin seeds for 1–2 minutes. Add the ghee and onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the red peppers, coconut sugar and herbs. Continue cooking for 5–10 minutes, or until the onions are nicely coloured. Add the tomatoes, saffron and cayenne pepper. Add a little salt and black pepper to tease out the flavours. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes. As it cooks, keep adding a little water so that the mix is pasta-sauce consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. It should be flavoursome and heady.
Remove the bay leaves, then use the back of a spoon to make 5 or 6 holes in the tomato mix. Crack an egg into each hole, sprinkle with salt and cover the pan. Cook very gently for 6–7 minutes, or until the eggs are just set but the yolks are still runny. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with coriander and black pepper and serve.
Flavoured Yogurts.
Flavoured yogurts.
MAKES 250G (SERVES 4–6)
Flavoured yogurts are delicious in combination with dishes that have my toolbox Spice Mixes as their flavour foundation – especially those with more Middle-Eastern and North African flavour combinations. Serving spiced roasted vegetables or meat with a generous spoonful of one of these yogurts greatly softens earthy pungent spices.
Thick Greek-style yogurt is the best sort to use. It has a perfect consistency that provides a certain unctuous quality. It also holds additional flavours much more effectively than thinner, lighter styles. You can thicken natural yogurt by hanging it in a muslin cloth over a bowl for an hour or so, allowing the whey to slowly drip out. Over time, the yogurt left in the muslin will be closer to Greek yogurt in texture. There’s no need to throw out the whey; add it to soups or dahl for a protein boost.
250g thick greek-style yogurt
1 teaspoon Tabasco or my chilli sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
10 mint leaves, finely chopped
A good pinch of sea salt and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely grated (optional)
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, beating well to bring the flavours together. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary, adding more salt or black pepper if it needs it, or more lime juice to balance the flavours.
Cover and place the bowl in the fridge until you are ready to use it. It is greatly improved if it’s given an hour or so to let the flavours come together before using. Kept sealed, it will last several days in the fridge.
Serve on top of roasted veg or meat, or in a bowl alongside a summer barbecue spread. I think it tastes best when lightly chilled.
For a chilli kick: Add 1–2 fresh medium chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped. For a gingery note: Add 1 teaspoon of finely grated fresh ginger root, plus the juice. For a full flavour bomb: Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped coriander, 1 finely minced garlic clove, and 1 fresh medium chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped.
Mayonnaise.
My classic mayonnaise base.
MAKES 600ML
Mayonnaise bases work by rounding out and completing a dish, adding a certain complexity to the final flavour. A variety of ingredients can be added to the base, making it compatible with what you are cooking, including saffron, garlic, roasted nuts, green herbs, anchovies, lemon zest, kimchi and sriracha. These mayonnaise bases work particularly well with Mediterranean flavours, except for the kimchi and sriracha variations, which, unsurprisingly, work well with Asian-inspired flavours.
I tend to use extra virgin olive oil as the only oil in my mayonnaise but some people find that too intense. If you prefer, use half olive oil and half cold-pressed sunflower oil. If you are using solely olive oil, try to use one that is sweet and fruity rather than green and grassy. This will give the finished mayo a much smoother flavour with no hint of bitterness.
The classic mayonnaise, with only the addition of lemon juice and zest works beautifully with crab, white fish, shellfish and all of the glorious summer vegetables such as asparagus, peas and broad beans. After years cooking in a kitchen with no food processor I still prefer to make my mayonnaise by hand; old habits die hard. However, you can just as easily use a food processor and follow the same steps. Since mayonnaise contains raw eggs, you should only make what you need for immediate use. If you want to make less than the amount here, halve the other ingredients and just use one large egg yolk.
3 organic free-range egg yolks
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
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br /> 500ml mild and fruity olive oil, or 50:50 cold-pressed olive and sunflower oils
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the egg yolks in a heavy mixing bowl (so that it won’t move about while you whisk). Add the lemon juice, mustard, a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk briefly to combine.
As you whisk, very slowly start to drizzle in the olive oil, adding just a few drops to start with. Whisk to incorporate the oil, then slowly start pouring again, whisking constantly. As you incorporate more of the oil you can add more at a time.
Continue to whisk and pour until all the oil has been thoroughly incorporated and the mayonnaise is fully emulsified. If your bowl moves around too much as you whisk, place a damp cloth underneath it to reduce movement.
Taste and add extra lemon juice, salt or black pepper to your liking. Keep in the fridge until needed.
Tip: If the mayonnaise starts to split, you can usually bring it back together by adding 1 tablespoon of warm water, then continue adding the rest of the oil.
Saffron mayonnaise.
The saffron flavour works well with fish, chicken, beans and lamb.
Infuse 15–20 strands of saffron in 1–2 tablespoons of hot water for 10 minutes, then add the saffron and infused liquid to the base mayonnaise ingredients at the very beginning.
Green herb mayonnaise.
The green notes work well with fish, chicken, greens, beans and asparagus.
At the very beginning, mix in 2 tablespoons of finely chopped basil and parsley with the mustard and lemon juice.
Aioli.
Garlicky aioli works well with bread, chicken, lamb, fish and beans.
Add 2 finely chopped or mashed garlic cloves at the very beginning with the mustard and lemon juice.
Anchovy mayonnaise.
The kick of anchovy goes well with fish, winter greens, chicken and lamb.
Add 3 finely chopped or mashed anchovy fillets at the very beginning with the mustard and lemon juice.
Nutty mayonnaise.
Nutty notes go beautifully with winter veg, chicken, fish and lamb.
Add a small handful of roasted and finely ground nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pecans or brazil nuts at the very beginning with the mustard and lemon juice.
Spicy rose harissa mayonnaise.
This combo is stunning with lamb, chicken and winter squash.
Add 3 teaspoons of rose harissa at the very beginning with the mustard and lemon juice.
Zingy kimchi mayonnaise.
This mayo goes amazingly well with fried fish.
Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped kimchi at the very end and mix through.
Sriracha flavour bomb.
This mayo goes well with chicken, hearty winter veg and pork.
Use 1 lime in place of the lemon and add 1 tablespoon of Sriracha at the very end and fold through.
Fermented mayo.
Use this in place of normal mayo in any dish that you fancy. It will give you a probiotic boost and the flavour has extra zing.
Make the classic mayo mix, add 1 tablespoon of kefir whey or yogurt whey and mix thoroughly into the mayo. Transfer to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, leave on the worktop to ferment for 7–8 hours, then refrigerate. Eat within a few days.
Sauces.
Sriracha.
MAKES ABOUT 2 450G JARS
Rather like kimchi, this hot chilli sauce is one of those magic ingredients that, once tasted, you’ll add to everything. Try it with fish or roast veg, add it to a small bowl of mayo which is delicious with oven-roasted sweet potato chips or serve with eggs, burgers, Asian stir-fries, bowls of pho… the list is endless. Traditionally, sriracha is fermented; this is my quick version.
EQUIPMENT
sterilised glass jars or bottles
150g garlic cloves, peeled
500g red or green jalapeño chillies, destemmed, deseeded and ribbed, sliced into thin rings
500ml apple cider vinegar
115g clear honey
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon arrowroot (optional)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Begin by blanching the garlic cloves: place the cloves in a small pan, cover with boiling water and set over a high heat for 30 seconds, then drain and rinse under cold water. Repeat the process.
Roughly chop the garlic and combine with the jalapeños and vinegar in a large pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the honey and salt. Stir, then set aside for a couple of hours to allow the flavours to develop.
Using a stick blender, blitz everything until completely smooth. Add the tomato paste and place back over a high heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes.
For a thicker sauce, dissolve the arrowroot with 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water, whisk into the simmering sauce and cook for a further 2 minutes. By now the sauce should have thickened nicely.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before adding the fish sauce. Transfer into the jars or bottles. It keeps in the fridge for at least six months – if you can resist it for that long.
Cucumber raita.
SERVES 6
This cooling and creamy raita is great with any kind of dahl or curry or even alongside delicious roast meats that have a spicy base seasoning. It’s an ideal accompaniment to hot dishes as the cucumber and yogurt act as coolants against the spicy heat.
1 small cucumber, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped or coarsely grated
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
200ml natural full-fat yogurt (greek yogurt also works well)
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander, plus a few leaves for serving
1 teaspoon lightly toasted, crushed cumin seeds
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put everything in a bowl and combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if it needs it, either by adding a little more lemon or salt and black pepper. Transfer to the fridge until ready to use. This will keep well for a couple of days but is best eaten fresh.
Try this served with my celeriac Mung Dahl.
Finding fresh red jalapeños can be a bit tricky. Using green jalapeños is fine, but the result will be a slightly different colour than the more common red sriracha. Otherwise, if you can find them, the jalapeño chillies sold in Asian supermarkets work really well – just be sure to soak them first to plump them up.
Plum ketchup.
MAKES 5 LITRES
This is the sauce I grew up on – my mum’s famous plum ketchup. I LOVE it! If I had to choose five favourite tastes from my childhood, this would be one of them. We had it on everything from fish and chips through to shepherd’s pie, or with our delicious homemade sausages. My mum always had the shelves stocked with this sauce, which we had instead of tomato ketchup. It still gives that tangy ketchup hit, but with a plum twist. This recipe makes quite a lot, which is great if you have a glut of plums, but if you don’t have a plentiful supply, just halve the recipe. My mum always made large batches of this sauce to last us all the way to the next plum season.
EQUIPMENT
sterilised glass bottles with sealing lids or tops
3.5kg dark red tart plums, halved and pitted
750g rapadura or coconut sugar
650g light clear honey
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon allspice berries
1 teaspoon whole cloves
55g grated ginger
2 litres cider vinegar
Put everything in a large heavy-based pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 hours. Set aside to cool slightly. When the sauce has cooled a little but is still hot, pour it into the bottles. Properly sealed, this ketchup will keep well for months.
Sterilising glass jars
To sterilise glass jars, either put them (and their lids) through the dishwasher or boil them in a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes.
B
arbecue sauce.
MAKES 2–3 450G JARS
Where there is bacon there must be barbecue sauce, right? Right! This sauce is also a great marinade for meat that will be barbecued, roasted or grilled. It goes particularly well with pork, lamb and beef.
EQUIPMENT
sterilised glass jars with airtight lids
1kg vine-ripened tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
2 red onions, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
2½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
3 teaspoons thyme leaves
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
100ml maple syrup
2 teaspoons tamari (traditionally brewed Japanese soy sauce)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Cut a cross in the base of each tomato. Put the tomatoes in a large bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover them. Allow the tomatoes to sit fully submerged in the water for about 1 minute. Drain and rinse well under cold water. Carefully peel away the skins, cut into quarters and discard the skins and seeds. Roughly chop the flesh and set aside.
Heat the oil or ghee in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, spices and thyme and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10–12 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for a further 15 minutes, or until lovely and thick.