Given people’s increasingly hectic lives, brunch is becoming a very popular meal, especially at weekends. After that stolen lie-in, a heavy duty shopping expedition or a morning ferrying children left, right and centre, what could be better than a mouth-watering mid-morning treat?
The word ‘brunch’ first appeared in print in an 1895 Hunter’s Weekly article. In ‘Brunch: A Plea’, British author Guy Beringer suggested an alternative to the heavy, post-church Sunday meals in favour of lighter fare served late in the morning. ‘’Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting,’’ Beringer says. ‘’It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.’’
Latin Eggs
Ingredients:
2 eggs
Half an avocado
2 English muffins
Hollandaise
Chimmichurri
Chimmichurri:
1 clove of garlic
A handful of parsley
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
¼ spanish onion
½ red bell pepper
4 tbsp vegetable oil
Pinch of salt
1 tsp Aji Mojido (or other chilli powder)
Hollandaise:
3 egg yolks
Drop of vinegar
30g unsalted butter
Method:
• Poach 2 eggs in boiling water with a dash of white wine vinegar
• Gently toast the muffins and avocado until slightly coloured
• Arrange the muffins on a plate, top with the avocado, followed by the eggs.
• Cover with hollandaise
• Drizzle with chimmichurri
Making the hollandaise:
• Whisk egg yolks and vinegar together quickly in a bowl over a pan of boiling water (ideally with a hand whisk)
• In a separate pan melt the butter
• Once the eggs are beginning to stiffen slowly incorporate the melted butter into the egg mixture until desired consistency.
• Season to taste.
Making the chimmichuri:
• Finely chop all ingredients and mix together.
Sweet Potato and Chorizo Hash
Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
75g chorizo
1 red pepper
1 red onion
1 red chilli
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 egg
Serves 3/4
Method:
• Put the whole sweet potato (pricked with a fork) in foil with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Cook for 45-60 mins at 180c
• Allow to cool (can be done in advance)
• Cut the chorizo and whole red pepper (remove seeds) into chunks (approx 2cm)
• Finely chop the red onion and red (de-seeded) chilli
• Use a cast iron dish, and sauté together the red onions and chilli in olive oil
• Take skin off the sweet potato and cut into chunks
• Add the chorizo, red pepper and sweet potato and cook until sizzling!
• Add the sherry vinegar, mix well and make a well in the middle to crack the egg in.
• Put in the oven for 4-6 mins depending on how runny you like the yolk!
Portobello Mushrooms on Toast
Ingredients:
5 sliced portabello mushrooms
1 shallot
½ clove garlic
Knob of butter
Double cream
1 tbsp crème fraîche
1 sprig thyme
Handful of parsley
Sourdough bread
Serves 2/3
Method:
• Peel the mushrooms (we recommend Portobello mushrooms for the great flavour)
• Chop them into slices (approx 1cm wide)
• Thinly slice the shallot and the garlic
• Melt a knob of butter on a medium heat in a non-stick pan and gently fry the shallots and garlic
• Add the mushrooms and toss together until they have a lovely golden brown colour.
• Don’t over cook the mushrooms – add a glug of double cream until it bubbles and then take off the heat and stir in a tablespoon of crème fraiche.
• Finely chop the thyme leaves and parsley and add to the mushrooms.
• Serve the mushrooms on toasted sourdough – done!
