Warm grapefruit and orange with toasted coconut
An invigorating, caramelised, citrus fusion, mellowed with sweet, toasted coconut – a great start to your day.
Serves 2–3
2 large pink grapefruit
3 oranges
1 tbsp brown sugar
15g unsalted butter, cubed
75g desiccated coconut
1 Preheat the grill to high.
2 Using a sharp knife, cut the peel from the grapefruit and oranges, then slice the flesh into 1cm-thick rings.
3 Arrange in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and dot with the butter.
4 Grill until the fruit is lightly browned. Sprinkle with the coconut and return to the grill until just toasted. Serve immediately.
The full Italian
Not the lightest of breakfasts – more of a hefty brunch to fuel a long walk or some other mildly strenuous exertion. Get the best‑quality sausages and eggs you can find, and give the onions plenty of time to soften and sweeten while you lose yourself in the newspaper and sip your coffee.
Serves 8
2 red onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 heaped tsp caster sugar
A knob of butter
2 x 500g rings Tuscan or Cumberland sausage
Olive oil
2 eggs
A splash of milk
A pinch of fresh rosemary, chopped
8 slices of day-old bread
Salt and black pepper
1 Put the onions in a small saucepan with the vinegar, sugar and butter. Cover and leave to sweat over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2 At the same time, fry the sausages over a medium heat, turning occasionally, for about 12 minutes. Alternatively, roast them in the oven at 200C/400F/gas mark 6, with a small glug of olive oil, for about 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through.
3 Whisk the eggs, milk, rosemary and seasoning together in a shallow bowl. Submerge each slice of bread in the egg mixture until well soaked and stack the slices up in the bowl, ready for the pan.
4 When the onions have about 5 minutes left to cook, add a small glug of olive oil to a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and tip in the eggy bread (along with any excess egg from the bowl). Fry on both sides until browned and crisp.
5 Divide the sausages and serve with the onions scattered over the eggy bread.
Almond croissants
A great way to use up croissants just past their best. You can make the syrup and the almond cream up to a day in advance and refrigerate. The filled croissants will last for a day.
Makes 6-8
6-8 croissants, around a day old
2 tbsp flaked almonds
Icing sugar, for dusting
For the syrup
250ml water
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp light rum (optional)
For the filling
100g sugar
100g whole blanched almonds, or ground almonds
A pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter, diced
2 egg yolks
1 egg white
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2 First, prepare the syrup. Combine the water, sugar and rum (if using) in a saucepan. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, and simmer for a minute, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, transfer into a shallow bowl and leave to cool completely.
3 Next, prepare the almond filling. Whizz the sugar, almonds and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and mix again until well blended. Add the egg yolks and egg white one by one, and process until creamy.
4 Dip each croissant individually into the syrup, coating both sides and the ends well – the croissant should be quite moist.
5 Slice each croissant in half horizontally and place on the baking tray. Spread the inside with about 2 tbsp of the almond filling and place the top back on. Spread another 1 tbsp of the filling on the top and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Repeat with the remaining croissants.
6 Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the almond mixture has set and turned golden. Transfer to a cooling rack, dust with icing sugar and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Omelette Arnold Bennett
It's not clear how Arnold Bennett managed to produce such a prodigious amount of work while subsisting on the dish named after him. Try writing a series of critically acclaimed bestsellers set in Stoke-on-Trent after eating this omelette. Impossible, isn't it? Mr Bennett was clearly a man apart.
Serves 2
200ml whole milk
1 bay leaf
1 tsp black peppercorns
A pinch of grated fresh nutmeg
250g smoked haddock (undyed)
3 tbsp hollandaise
5 large eggs
Black pepper
For the bechamel sauce
30g unsalted butter
2 tbsp plain flour
100g gruyère cheese
50ml single cream
1 Put the milk, bay leaf, peppercorns, nutmeg and haddock in a saucepan. Gently bring to the boil, then take off the heat and leave for 5 minutes.
2 Take the fish out, remove its skin and gently flake the flesh. Strain the milk and set aside.
3 Now for the bechamel sauce base. Melt half the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and mix well to form a roux. When it starts to smell biscuity, add a little of the warm, strained milk and mix thoroughly to avoid lumps. Gradually add all the milk. When it is all integrated, add half the cheese. Cook the mixture for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cream.
4 Now it all comes together. Turn the grill on to its highest setting. Mix the haddock, cheesy bechamel and the hollandaise together. Whisk up the eggs.
5 Melt the remaining butter in a medium-sized, heavy-based frying pan. When it is bubbling, add the eggs so that they coat the inside of the pan, stirring the mixture gently to keep it light. When it is set around the edges and base but still runny on top, add the fish mixture and a little pepper.
6 Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, then put the pan under the grill until it colours and bubbles. The inside should be delightfully gooey. Cut in half and then serve.
Gluten-free almond butter pancakes
These pancakes are the perfect alternative to the traditional variety, without sacrificing taste or texture. Made with eggs, almond butter and apple sauce, they are deceptively authentic. The advantage of baking them is that you don't need to use extra oil for frying, and you can cook all the pancakes at once without flipping them.
Serves 2-4
115g almond butter
115g stewed apples (or apple compote)
2 whole eggs
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and line two baking trays with parchment.
2 In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix to a smooth batter.
3 Scoop the batter, about 60ml at a time, on to the lined baking tray to form 7-8 pancakes.
4 Bake for 10-12 minutes until the pancakes are fluffy and golden. Alternatively, you could fry the batter in a greased pan over a medium-high heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, flipping when the edges are firm and golden.
5 Serve piping hot with fresh fruit and/or maple syrup.
Raspberry oatmeal breakfast cake
If you need an excuse to eat cake at breakfast, here it is.
Serves 10
150g plain flour
50g wholemeal flour
75g porridge oats
75g caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
170ml skimmed milk
50ml low-fat yoghurt
1 large egg
2 tbsp cornflour
175g fresh or partially thawed raspberries
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
2 In a medium bowl, combine the two flours, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3 In a separate smaller bowl, beat together the milk, yoghurt, egg and cornflour.
4 Add the combined wet ingredients to the combined dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Fold in the raspberries.
5 Spoon the batter into a buttered and floured, nonstick 20cm-square baking tin. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into squares.
Breakfast pina colada
Coconut water has taken over the baton from pomegranate juice as being The Best Thing Out There that's swiggable. It's super-hydrating, potassium-rich and damn tasty too. We all know how important the first thing you put into your body of a morning is, and every day's a winner with a start like this (particularly if you add a splash of rum at the weekend).
Makes 1
2 handfuls of pineapple chunks (no skin or core)
6-8 leaves Thai basil
Coconut milk
Coconut water
1 tsp shredded coconut
1 Put the pineapple and basil in the blender and top up with half coconut milk and half coconut water. Blend to form a liquid.
2 Taste and adjust the flavours if necessary.
3 Pour into a glass with plenty of ice, and garnish with fresh shredded coconut and a wedge of pineapple on the side.
Recipe supplied by Allegra McEvedy
Javanese nasi goreng
Fried rice, or nasi goreng, is the favourite breakfast of Indonesia. There are as many versions as there are cooks, but the most common – and the most delicious – are simple, usually consisting of little more than leftover rice stir-fried with a zingy paste. This is the classic Javanese version. The seasonings (chilli, palm sugar and shrimp paste) gently accentuate the rice without overpowering it. Topped with a fried egg and eaten with prawn crackers and sliced cucumber, it's earthy and satisfying. Make sure you only use chilled cooked rice, and heat it through thoroughly before serving.
Serves 4
4 tbsp peanut oil
4 eggs
700g chilled, cooked jasmine rice, made from about 400g uncooked rice
Salt
For the paste
1 tsp dried shrimp paste
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1-2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp palm sugar, thinly sliced (or 1 tbsp dark brown sugar)
To serve
1 ½ tbsp Indonesian sweet soy sauce
8 prawn crackers, fried (optional)
Cucumber, thickly sliced on the diagonal
1 Place the shrimp paste in the centre of a square of aluminium foil. Fold the foil to create a small parcel and use the heel of your hand to flatten the paste into a 5mm-thick disc. Using tongs, place the parcel directly on to a medium-low gas ring. Toast for about 90 seconds, until the paste begins to smoke and release a burning, shrimpy smell. Turn the parcel over and toast for another 90 seconds, then turn the burner off. Let the parcel cool for a minute before unwrapping. The edges of the disc should be toasty and the centre should be golden with some black-brown patches. Scrape the paste into a bowl and let it cool for 30 seconds.
2 Add the paste, shallots, garlic, chillies and palm sugar (or dark brown sugar if using) to a food processor. Pulse until you have a smooth paste (you can add up to 2 tbsp of water if necessary). Set aside.
3 Heat the peanut oil in a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, crack an egg into it and season with salt. When the white begins to turn brown and crispy around the edges, turn the egg over and saute until the yolk is set (about 1 minute). Transfer to a plate and set aside. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Leave the oil in the pan.
4 Turn the heat down a little, add the paste to the pan and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
5 Using your fingers, add the cooked rice to the pan, breaking up any large clumps. Turn the heat to high and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until every grain of rice is hot and coated in the oil and paste. Take care not to let the rice brown or scorch.
6 Add the sweet soy sauce and stir well for 30 seconds. Add salt to taste.
7 Serve the rice in neat mounds topped with a fried egg, placing the prawn crackers (if using) and cucumbers alongside.
Adapted from Cradle of Flavour by James Oseland (Norton)
Rye porridge and blackberry compote
Danish øllebrød is traditionally made from rye bread soaked in beer and sugar, then boiled into a semi-thick porridge, but you can make it in a lot of different ways and with other ingredients. The recipe below leaves out the beer and is a really nutritious – and totally addictive – breakfast.
Serves 2
2 thick slices of rye bread, torn into pieces
2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp rye kernels, cracked
½ vanilla pod, seeds scraped
½ tsp cinnamon
Milk or cream
Coconut flakes, toasted
For the compote
125g blackberries
3 tbsp maple syrup
½ vanilla pod, seeds scraped
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
1 In a saucepan, combine the rye bread and chia seeds, if using. Add just enough water to cover the bread and let it soak for at least a couple of hours, or overnight.
2 To make the compote, rinse your blackberries and combine them in a bowl with the maple syrup, vanilla seeds and lemon zest, if using. Mash the berries, but make sure to leave some of them whole, so your compote has a good texture. Transfer to a jar and place in the fridge overnight.
3 Add the remaining ingredients to your rye porridge. If the bread has soaked up all the water, add a little extra, so some fluid remains in the bottom of the pan. Bring the pan to a gentle simmer, stirring until it reaches the desired thickness. Add water if necessary.
4 Serve with the blackberry compote, milk and coconut flakes.
Baked eggs with tomato and feta
This is a Greek-style baked egg dish, known as avga feta domata. The trick is using the freshest eggs you can find as well as ripe tomatoes for the sauce. The result is a healthy, filling and impressive brunch. Serve with toasted crusty bread for extra dipping.
Serves 4
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
¼ tsp dried oregano
250g tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
2 slices country bread, cut into 1cm-dice
8 eggs
115g feta, diced
For the tomato sauce
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp dried basil
x2 400g tins chopped tomatoes
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tbsp sugar
Salt and black pepper
1 First make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a medium-size pan. Add the garlic and fry until light golden. Add the oregano and the basil, then stir to combine.
2 Season, then add the chopped tomatoes. Add a splash of water to the pan. Stir to combine, adjust the seasoning and add the sugar. Stir to combine, cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes before using.
3 To make the eggs, place a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil, followed by the garlic and fry for one minute.
4 Add the oregano and cook for 1 minute, stirring to combine. Add the chopped tomato and cook for one minute.
5 Add the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the diced bread, spreading it evenly throughout the pan.
6 Gently crack the eggs into the pan and top with the feta. Simmer on low heat for approximately 2 minutes until the egg whites start to solidify and turn slightly opaque.
7 Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Put the pan inside for 5–10 minutes depending on how firm you want the eggs. Serve right away.
Recipe supplied by Jim Botsacos,
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