Welcome In Easter With Our ‘Egg-cellent’ Dishes

Pay homage to and welcome in the season of spring and Easter celebrations with our delicious egg-based dishes

Breakfast Muffins

MAKES 6

You’ll need:

• 230g of crispy cooked smoked bacon rashers

• 60g butter, softened

• 1 tablespoon caster sugar

• 6 small eggs, plus one large egg

• 45g gluten-free self- raising flour

• Baking powder and xanthan gum (optional)

• 15g ground almonds

• 15g fine cornmeal

• 1 tablespoon crème fraîche or sour cream

• 6 cherry vine tomatoes, halved

• Sea salt and ground black pepper

• A six-hole large muffin pan lined with six high-sided muffin cases

Directions:

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Reserve 6 small strips of bacon to decorate the muffins and blitz the remaining bacon to fine crumbs in a food processor.

2 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, large egg and the bacon crumbs. Add the flour (plus baking powder and xanthan gum, if using), almonds, cornmeal and crème fraîche and whisk well so that everything is incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

3 Place a large spoonful of the batter into each of the muffin cases and top with two tomato halves, then cover the tomatoes with another spoonful of batter. Carefully crack one of the small eggs into a bowl, then pour it onto the top of one of the muffins, taking care that it doesn’t spill over the edge of the case (hold back a little of the egg white if the case is close to overflowing). Repeat with the remaining five small eggs and muffins. Sprinkle a little black pepper over each egg and lay one of the reserved bacon strips on top of each muffin. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes and serve straight away.

DID YOU KNOW?

Eggs are representative of a fresh start in your life, and if they appear in dreams, they’re seen as a positive omen

 

Kedgeree

SERVES 4

You’ll need:

•  450g undyed smoked haddock fillets

•  2 bay leaves

•  120g basmati rice

•  3 tablespoons olive oil

•  5 spring onions,  finely chopped

•  1-2 garlic cloves,  finely chopped

•  1-1½ tablespoons  curry powder

•  Freshly squeezed juice  of 1 lemon

•  2 hard-boiled eggs

•  2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

•  Black pepper,  to season

•  Lemon wedges, to serve (optional)

Directions: 1

1 Put the smoked haddock, bay leaves and 100ml of water in a frying pan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, drain and, when cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the fish and flake the flesh with a fork. Set aside.

2 Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the rice and return to the boil. Stir, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked but still has a slight bite to it. Drain and reserve.

3 Heat a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the oil, spring onions and garlic and fry gently until softened and slightly coloured, for about six minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for two minutes. Add the lemon juice, reserved haddock and rice. Cut one egg into wedges and reserve. Chop the other one into small pieces and add to the pan. Sprinkle with the coriander and season to taste with pepper. Continue to heat, stirring gently, until piping hot.

4 Transfer the kedgeree to a warm serving dish. Top with the reserved egg and lemon wedges (if using) and serve immediately.

DID YOU KNOW?

Eggs in many cultures represent the potential of life, the universe and creation

READ MORE

These recipes and more can be found in 100 Ways with Eggs: Boiled, baked, fried, scrambled and more! written by Ryland Peters & Small (£14.99, Ryland Peters & Small), out now.

READER OFFER

100 Ways with Eggs will be available to Soul & Spirit readers for the special price of £10.99 including postage & packaging (RRP: £14.99), by telephoning Macmillan Direct on 01256 302 699 and quoting the reference HS9)