Tag: eggs

Recipe: Baked Eggs with Spinach, Cream and Parmesan

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An easy supper we come back to time and time again is these baked eggs with spinach, cream and parmesan. We tend to have all the ingredients at home most of the time, and as far as satisfying supper go, this is a great one.

It doesn’t take long to prepare, is easier than a shakshuka and super yummy! Perfect weeknight fodder, but it feels a little elevated with the cream and parmesan. Also great for brunch or lunch! Similar to oeufs en cocotte, but a little easier to throw together (no hot water!) and in a bigger dish so a bit more substantial.

Baked eggs with spinach, cream and parmesan, serves 2

2 large handfuls baby spinach, washed

1 tbsp butter

2-4 eggs

100 ml cream

grated parmesan

sea salt and black pepper

Add a little butter to a small non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Add the washed spinach and push it around until it has been wilted. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan squeeze the spinach to remove the excess water.

Butter two round gratin dishes with the remaining butter. Divide the spinach between the two dishes. Crack one or two eggs in each. Spoon cream into the dishes, some on top of the eggs. Grate a generous amount of parmesan into the dishes. Finish with a little salt and pepper.

Place in a 180C oven until the whites are almost set (cook for longer if you want them cooked through), approx 5 minutes. Serve with crusty bread.

Recipe: Huevos Rancheros

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Deep-frying corn tortillas until cripsy has been a revelation. I suppose it’s the same as the hard shells you can buy at the supermarket, but it tastes so much better!

That fried corn tortilla is the base for huevos rancheros, a dish I wasn’t sure I would like, but I absolutely adore it. I do cheat with store-bought refried beans, because the M&S ones are really good and comes in a small tin perfect for two portions of huevos rancheros. The other toppings are of course optional but I think there should be avocado, soured cream, some kind of salsa or tomatoes, a fried egg obviously, grated cheese and plenty of coriander and lime.

I could never eat this for breakfast (it is a breakfast dish!); it’s much too filling, but it would be great for brunch or for supper, which is how we’ve eaten it.

Huevos rancheros, serves 2

Inspiration from Matrepubliken.

2 corn tortillas

200 ml vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 small tin refried beans (I buy from M&S) or homemade

Toppings:

1 avocado, sliced

soured cream

salsa

grated cheese

2 lime wedges

coriander

Heat up the oil in a deep frying pan until 170C. Place one tortilla at the time in the oil and fry until crispy and golden, approx 30 seconds. Turn it around so it’s golden on both sides. Drain on kitchen towel.

In a separate frying pan fry the eggs on high heat. Heat up the beans. Place the crispy tortillas on plates. Add a fried egg to each, divide the beans and follow with the toppings, salt and pepper. Eat while it’s warm.

Our Go-To Weekend Breakfast!

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Approximately 90% of weekends (and other days with a lie-in) we have the same breakfast (you might have seen it on Instagram). And although not groundbreaking in any way, it’s a really good one: toast with poached eggs and pancetta.

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And there are two reasons I would like to share it with you. Firstly, because I get the impression that poached eggs are something mainly had in restaurants; not at home, and since it is (in my opinion) the best way to eat eggs, I find that a bit sad. Secondly, I think everyone should try pancetta instead of bacon for breakfast. It’s so so good!

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But why IS this the ultimate breakfast for me? Since I have chronic stomach pain eating in the morning is always tricky for me (I only really have breakfast on the weekends) and sometimes fried eggs are just a bit harsher on the tummy and scrambled eggs, although delicious can feel a bit heavy. Whereas poached eggs are just soothing and delicious. It’s just the egg, with nothing added, cooked in the most gentle way.

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And I assure you that poaching eggs isn’t difficult at all. Whoever gave you that impression wasn’t telling the truth. And with my tips below I hope to prove that to you!

Egg poaching check-list:

1. Use the freshest eggs you can find. Why? Because the white is firmer and keeps the egg together more than in older eggs. Also buy good quality eggs – they taste so much better! Organic free range is the ticket. Personally I love Clarence Court’s Burford Browns the best.

2. Add a little vinegar (approx a tbsp for a whole saucepan) to the water. It also helps holding the egg together.

3. The water should simmer – not boil. Small bubbles.

4. Crack the eggs one at a time in a mug and lower it into the water to pour out the egg. Gently does it.

5. If using medium or large eggs put the timer for 3 minutes. Remove the eggs in the order you added them to the pan.

6. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon. I find a plastic one best but a metal one works too.

7. Have a bowl of cold water ready to put the eggs in when removing them from the pan. Why? To stop the cooking.

8. Lift the eggs one by one from the bowl of water using the slotted spoon. Pay dry with kitchen towel before plating.

9. Add salt and pepper (and maybe tabasco) to the eggs. It elevates them a lot!

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And pancetta vs bacon? It’s just a lot lighter, in every way. It’s cured instead of smoked so a much gentler taste which complements the eggs rather than over powering them. Also the slices are thinner so they crisp up nicely but feels airier and lighter and doesn’t leave you feeling heavy full. I hope you try it!

Recipe: Shakshuka with yoghurt and feta

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At the brunch in December I introduced my friends to shakshuka, which they all loved. It’s such a great brunch dish if there is several of you as you can make the tomato sauce ahead and then cooked the eggs in the oven. If I make a smaller portion for lunch or dinner I cook it in a frying pan on the hob and cover the pan with a lid, as it’s quicker than heating up the oven.

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My version of shakshuka has the usual base of peppers, onions and tomatoes as well as tinned tomatoes to make it saucy. After baking the eggs in the oven I add the toppings; Greek yoghurt, crumbled feta and chilli flakes. If I made this just for myself I would have added some Tabasco as well, but here I left it on the side so everyone could help themselves if they wanted more of a kick.

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Bacon isn’t really necessary with this egg dish, but it works so well at brunch (and with the mushroom omelette) I thought it was a nice addition.

Scandelight’s shakshuka, serves 4-6

1 shallots, chopped

1 small garlic clove, chopped

2 bell peppers (of any colour), chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 large tin (400 g) tinned chopped tomatoes

30 ml water

salt, black pepper

a pinch of sugar

6 medium eggs

200 ml full-fat Greek yoghurt

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 lemon

chilli flakes

1/2 packet feta 

Pour a little oil in a large frying pan or saucepan. Fry the garlic and onions until golden (not brown). Remove from the pan. Fry the peppers until soft and add the fresh tomatoes. Add the garlic and onions and stir on medium heat until nice and soft. Add the tinned tomatoes and water and stir occasionally. Season to taste with plenty of salt, black pepper and sugar if needed. Let the mixture thicken. 

If using a frying pan, make six “holes” in the mixture and crack an egg in each. Cover with a lid and cook until the whites are set.

If using an oven, transfer the tomato mixture to an oven-proof dish and pre-heat the oven to 180C. Make “holes” in the tomato mixture and crack an egg in each hole. Bake until the whites are set. 

In the meantime, mix yoghurt with salt, pepper, lemon juice to taste and olive oil. 

When the eggs are cooked, remove from the hob or oven and add dollops of yoghurt to the pan/dish. Sprinkle with crumbled feta and chilli flakes. Serve with some nice bread. 

Recipe: chocolate cake with white chocolate truffle

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The last couple of years I’ve had a standing brunch around Christmas time for some of my Swedish friends and their families. As their brood is getting bigger brunch seemed like the ideal concept; there is something for everyone and you don’t have to sit down to eat at the same time.

Sadly, this brunch in December will probably have to be the last one as there’s now too many of us and apart from cooking for a large amount of people there is quite a lot of furniture carrying required to make it happen. But we’ll see, maybe I can work out a way to make it easier… Any ideas welcome!

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The concept has been more or less the same every year; people arrive at midday, and I provide both savoury (always eggs, bacon, different types of bread with toppings such as cheeses, jams, paté, ham etc. – we love our open-faced sandwiches in Sweden as you know) and sweet (usually two types of cake) dishes, and we eat and chat and eat and chat and play with the children.

This year I substituted the usual brunch eggs with my take on shakshuka (recipe to follow) and mum made an large omelette with creamed mushrooms on top as well.

Although people always love the savoury element I seem to have gathered a group of friends with very sweet teeth so I always try my best to come up with something super yummy on the sweet side.

This year I was quite pleased with my efforts of serving madeleines (best recipe ever!) straight from the oven and just lightly dusted with icing sugar. And although people liked them, this chocolate cake was the star of the show: chocolate cake with pieces of white chocolate dispersed like little surprises, covered with a white chocolate truffle and colourful smarties (although you can of course decorate it however you like). The texture is quite dense and chewy (in a good way – just don’t expect a fluffy cake) and rather filling, so one cake could probably feed 10-12 people, but as my friends love sweets I thought it safer to count 8-10 people per cake.

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It’s (sadly) not my own concoction at all, but I know I can always trust fabulous Annika and her reliable recipes.

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Chocolate cake with white chocolate truffle, serves 8-10

Translated from and adapted after Annika’s recipe.

The cake itself (without the truffle) freezes well and can be made ahead of time. Defrost slowly and add the truffle and decorations a few hours before serving so it has time to set.

2 eggs

240 g golden caster sugar 

2 tbsp vanilla sugar or 4 tsp vanilla 

1/2 tsp salt

100 g melted butter

4 tbsp cocoa

90 g plain flour

100 g white chocolate, broken into 1 cm large pieces

Truffle:

150 g white chocolate

50 ml double cream

Pre-heat the oven to 175 C. Line the bottom of a springform with parchment paper. Grease the paper and the edges of the tin. 

Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt until pale and fluffy. Stir in the melted butter. Sieve cocoa and flour and fold into the batter. Pour the butter into the tin and press down the chocolate pieces.

Bake in a low oven for 35 minutes. Leave to cool and cover the tin and let it set overnight. 

Truffle:

Heat up the cream in a saucepan. Break the chocolate into pieces and add to the warm cream. Mix slowly until smooth. Leave to set, then spread it onto the cake. Keep in the fridge until just before serving. Decorate with smarties or other sweets, sprinkles, chopped nuts etc. Serve with lightly whipped cream. 

Recipe: asparagus with chopped egg, browned butter and lemon

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Easter was all about about asparagus (and wild garlic) for me. The first asparagus of the season had arrived in the UK before I left for Sweden so I brought two nice bunches home with me. And then we found some lovely Italian asparagus in the supermarket so obviously had to buy that too!

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The first time we kept it simple and ate them with homemade hollandaise sauce. The second and third lots were served with wild garlic mayonnaise (it’s SO good!) and on Holy Saturday we made this dish with chopped egg, browned butter and lemon.

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Asparagus with chopped egg, browned butter and lemon, serves 4

12 asparagus 

2 almost hard boiled eggs, chopped 

50 g butter

1/2 lemon

2 tbsp chopped chives 

4 radishes, thinly sliced

salt, black pepper

Place the butter in a saucepan on medium-high heat. Let the butter melt but leave it until it’s foamy. Remove from heat when it’s a nice medium brown underneath the foam and it smells nutty (and divine!). 

Cook the asparagus in boiling water until al dente (approx 3 mins). Drain and place the asparagus on a plate. Season. Add the chopped egg and spoon over the browned butter. Add plenty of lemon juice. Season again and top with chopped chives and sliced radishes. 

Post-holiday Cobb salad with ranch dressing

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Hello dear readers, are you still there?

Sorry about my unplanned break; before the summer I just didn’t have time to update the blog, and then I was away for three weeks and have now been back in London for two weeks. I feel more rested and obviously have lots to tell you about, but I will start easy and share a yummy salad recipe and the best dressing recipe ever with you.

After having seen Cobb salads on almost every single  menu when I was in America, but never felt like it would satisfy my hunger after walking around all day, I couldn’t wait to make it when I got back to Blighty.  It’s a perfect salad to go for if you want something substantial; not just a few lettuce leaves. Make sure you enjoy it while the Indian summer is still here.

 

Cobb salad, serves 2

2 little gem, sliced

10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 avocado, cut into pieces

2 tbsp blue cheese of your choice (jag chose my favourite – Saint Agur)

2 chicken thigh fillets

4 slices streaky bacon

2 eggs

Trim the chicken thigh fillets, brown in butter in a frying pan, add salt and pepper and cook in the oven (15-20 minutes). Fry the bacon until crisp and drain on kitchen towel. Cook the eggs how you like them. Hardboiled are best for salads but I personally prefer a looser yolk (6-7 minutes). 

Slice the chicken, bacon and cube the (cool) eggs. 

Divide the salad between two plates or bowls. Add the toppings (it doesn’t have to be in neat rows but I quite like that). Serve with the dressing of your choice. Maybe ranch dressing? Recipe below. 

Ranch dressing, serves 6

Adapted from The Huffington Post recipe.

120 – 180 ml (1/2 – 3/4 cup) buttermilk

2-3 tbsp sour cream

1-2 tbsp mayonnaise (Hellman’s)

1 tsp finely chopped herbs (tarragon, dill, parsley and chives)

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

a few dashes Tabasco

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Or add all the ingredients to a jar and shake until smooth. 

Breakfast at The Wolseley

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Despite having lived in London for 8 years now (yep, time flies) I haven’t had the pleasure to eat breakfast at The Wolseley until this year. Bad planning on my part, obviously. But at least I’ve been there for several lunches, dinners and afternoon tea. But there is something special about breakfast in this fabulous art deco space with perfect eggs and perfect service. If you fancy reading up on the subject (and get the recipes), I highly recommend A.A. Gill’s book Breakfast at The Wolseley, it’s very good.

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For me, this is the ultimate breakfast experience because it’s so different from having breakfast in your own kitchen. There are lots of waiters and they’re there to pour water, take your order, serve the food and fetch you whatever you want. Their attentive and efficient and together with the perfectly executed food it makes it such a special experience.

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I had breakfast here with two of my best friends from Sweden when they were visiting. We needed some morning luxury and thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast here with Eggs Florentine (spinach, poached egg and hollandaise sauce on a toasted English muffin) and an excellent bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon.

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We also enjoyed cappuccinos and freshly squeezed orange juice, and to finish this lovely basket of pastries. My favourite was the plain croissant, wonderfully buttery and flaky. If you also need this breakfast experience in your live (you do), I urge you to book a table well in advance as it’s a very popular weekend treat.

The Wolseley, 160 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EB

‘Lertallrikasill’ (eggs, anchovies and dill on toast)

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This mixture of boiled eggs, anchovies, red onion, dill and butter is a classic Swedish dish called lertallrikasill (herring on clay plates). It’s quite similar to gubbröra but instead of sourcream or creme fraiche binding everything together this dish is held together with butter (eve better, right?!).  Delicious!

Lertallrikasill, serves 3 as a starter

3 small slices of white bread, toasted (granary or German rye bread works well too) 

3 semi-hardboiled eggs 

1 tin anchovies fillets

1 red onion

dill 

50 g salted butter

Chope eggs, anchovies, red onion and dill and place in a bowl. Melt the butter and let it cool a little. Mix into the eggs. Season to taste with white pepper (salt is not needed). Divide between the bread slices and serve. 

Brunch style baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms

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One of the best – and certainly the easiest – ways to cook eggs for a large number of people is undeniably baking them in a large ovenproof dish.

These eggs with wilted spinach and fried mushrooms are really delicious and so very easy to make. I served them at a brunch with crispy bacon (and a smorgasbord of other brunchy things).

Baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms, serves 8

12 eggs

300 g fresh spinach

150 g mushrooms (I used chestnut mushrooms)

butter for frying

oil for the dish

Rinse and slice the mushrooms. Fry in butter, add salt and pepper. Remove from the saucepan and wilt the spinach in a little butter in the same saucepan. Remove any excess liquid. Grease an ovenproof dish and add the spinach and mushrooms and mix the two. Divide evenly across the dish and make twelve hollows for the eggs. Crack the eggs into the hollows and place the tray in a 200C oven for 10-15 minutes, until the eggs are just set. Add salt and pepper before serving.