Staple2

Breakfast Bruschetta one slice sourdoughone free range egg, poached twenty grams feta, crumbledtwenty grams sundried tomates, thinly slicedfour hot pancetta slicestwo handfuls loose spinach leavesone tbs extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper, to season  one/ heat olive oil in pan. fry pancetta until crispytwo/ poach eggthree/ wilt spinach in shallow panfour/ toast bread and assemble spinach followed by pancetta and poached eggfive/ crumble feta and sun dried tomatoes over the top serves one
Jun 4

Breakfast Bruschetta


one slice sourdough
one free range egg, poached 
twenty grams feta, crumbled
twenty grams sundried tomates, thinly sliced
four hot pancetta slices
two handfuls loose spinach leaves
one tbs extra virgin olive oil 
salt and pepper, to season

 

one/ heat olive oil in pan. fry pancetta until crispy
two/ poach egg
three/ wilt spinach in shallow pan
four/ toast bread and assemble spinach followed by pancetta and poached egg
five/ crumble feta and sun dried tomatoes over the top

serves one

Portuguese Tarts three quarter cup caster sugarthree quarter cup waterone lemon, peelone vanilla bean or teaspoon of vanilla bean pastequarter cup cornflourone and a half cup milkthree egg yolksthree hundred and seventy five gram sheet all butter puff pastry FILLING one/ preheat over to two hundred degrees two/ combine sugar, water, lemon peel and vanilla in a saucepan on low heat until sugar dissolves. Then increase to high and boil for a few minutes until thickened slightly. Pour mixture through sieve to remove lemon peel and vanilla bean. three/ in a separate bowl mix cornflour and half a cup of milk until smooth. Add egg yolks and whisk until combined. Add the remaining milk and sugar syrup and continue to whisk to combine. four/ pour egg mixture into a medium saucepan and bring to boil, continually whisking for six minutes until mixture in thickened. Set aside to completely cool. PASTRY one/ cut the square pastry sheet in half and layer on top of each other.two/ beginning at the short end of the pastry roll into a log three/ trim the ends and then cut into one centimetre rounds four/ lay pastry rounds down flat on a floured surface and using a rolling pin roll rounds into ten centimetre rounds five/ carefully press pastry rounds into a lightly greased or baking paper lined muffin tins. six/ divide custard evenly between the pastry cases. Bake for about twenty five minutes or until the custard golden and begins to blister. Allow to cool slightly in tins then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. makes approx twelve  
Jun 4

Portuguese Tarts


three quarter cup caster sugar
three quarter cup water
one lemon, peel
one vanilla bean or teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
quarter cup cornflour
one and a half cup milk
three egg yolks
three hundred and seventy five gram sheet all butter puff pastry


FILLING

one/ preheat over to two hundred degrees

two/ combine sugar, water, lemon peel and vanilla in a saucepan on low heat until sugar dissolves. Then increase to high and boil for a few minutes until thickened slightly. Pour mixture through sieve to remove lemon peel and vanilla bean.

three/ in a separate bowl mix cornflour and half a cup of milk until smooth. Add egg yolks and whisk until combined. Add the remaining milk and sugar syrup and continue to whisk to combine.

four/ pour egg mixture into a medium saucepan and bring to boil, continually whisking for six minutes until mixture in thickened. Set aside to completely cool.


PASTRY

one/ cut the square pastry sheet in half and layer on top of each other.
two/ beginning at the short end of the pastry roll into a log

three/ trim the ends and then cut into one centimetre rounds

four/ lay pastry rounds down flat on a floured surface and using a rolling pin roll rounds into ten centimetre rounds

five/ carefully press pastry rounds into a lightly greased or baking paper lined muffin tins.

six/ divide custard evenly between the pastry cases. Bake for about twenty five minutes or until the custard golden and begins to blister. Allow to cool slightly in tins then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

makes approx twelve
 


Smashed pea, goat`s cheese and egg bruschetta two and a half cups frozen peas one quarter cup chopped mint leaves one teaspoon finely grated lemon rind one tablespoon lemon juice  one tablespoon olive oil  sea salt and cracked black pepper eight slices of crusty bread two hundred and fifty grams soft goat`s cheese eight eggs, poached mint leaves, extra to serve  one/ Place the peas in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for one minute, drain and refresh under cold water. Return the peas to the bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Add the mint, lemon rind and juice, oil, salt and pepper.  two/ Toast the bread in a toaster or brush the bread with olive oil and char-grill until golden.  three/ Spread the bread with the goat`s cheese and spoon the mixture over the cheese.  four/ Top with the poached eggs and extra mint. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil, to serve.  Serves four
Jun 10

Smashed pea, goat`s cheese and egg bruschetta


two and a half cups frozen peas

one quarter cup chopped mint leaves

one teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

one tablespoon lemon juice 

one tablespoon olive oil 

sea salt and cracked black pepper

eight slices of crusty bread

two hundred and fifty grams soft goat`s cheese

eight eggs, poached

mint leaves, extra to serve
 

one/ Place the peas in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for one minute, drain and refresh under cold water. Return the peas to the bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Add the mint, lemon rind and juice, oil, salt and pepper. 

two/ Toast the bread in a toaster or brush the bread with olive oil and char-grill until golden. 

three/ Spread the bread with the goat`s cheese and spoon the mixture over the cheese. 

four/ Top with the poached eggs and extra mint. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil, to serve. 

Serves four

The Perfect Poach Want to be able to recreate that perfect poached egg? The one that you have every Sunday at your local breakfast joint and can never seem to work out how they manage to keep the yolk runny and the white intact. Well after many tried attempts and plenty of fails, here is a guide to what we have found works time and time again. What you need…. small saucepaneggsone tablespoon and a half white vinegarlarge serving spoon or soup ladlelarge slotted spoonpaper towelbowl of cold water one/ Using a small saucepan, fill with water to a depth of five to seven centimetres two/ Add a tablespoon and a half of white vinegar and bring to the boil, then lower to a rapid simmerthree/ Crack egg in a separate bowl, ensuring not to break the yolk. Then gently transfer the egg into a large serving spoon or soup ladlefour/ With the water simmering rapidly, gently lower the egg in the spoon into the water towards the edge of the saucepan. Limiting movement apart from the simmering water. The yolk will gather together naturally, no need for stirringfive/ Simmer for two to three minutes for a runny yolk and longer for those that like a hard yolk. Prepare a bowl of cold water and paper towel on a plate in the meantime.six/ Using a slotted spoon, scoop egg out of saucepan allowing excess water to drain through. Quickly and gently dunk the egg in the cold water to stop the cooking process and to rinse excess vinegar. Place egg on paper towel to soak excess water. Serve poached eggs with any of your favourites. A nice large piece of sourdough, a grilled tomato, wilted spinach, avocado, sautéed mushrooms or smoked salmon. Any of these will make for a delicious breakfast. Poached eggs at home are now easier, let alone cheaper, than you ever imagined. 
Jun 11

The Perfect Poach


Want to be able to recreate that perfect poached egg? The one that you have every Sunday at your local breakfast joint and can never seem to work out how they manage to keep the yolk runny and the white intact. Well after many tried attempts and plenty of fails, here is a guide to what we have found works time and time again.


What you need….

small saucepan
eggs
one tablespoon and a half white vinegar
large serving spoon or soup ladle
large slotted spoon
paper towel
bowl of cold water

one/ Using a small saucepan, fill with water to a depth of five to seven centimetres

two/ Add a tablespoon and a half of white vinegar and bring to the boil, then lower to a rapid simmer
three/ Crack egg in a separate bowl, ensuring not to break the yolk. Then gently transfer the egg into a large serving spoon or soup ladle
four/ With the water simmering rapidly, gently lower the egg in the spoon into the water towards the edge of the saucepan. Limiting movement apart from the simmering water. The yolk will gather together naturally, no need for stirring
five/ Simmer for two to three minutes for a runny yolk and longer for those that like a hard yolk. Prepare a bowl of cold water and paper towel on a plate in the meantime.
six/ Using a slotted spoon, scoop egg out of saucepan allowing excess water to drain through. Quickly and gently dunk the egg in the cold water to stop the cooking process and to rinse excess vinegar. Place egg on paper towel to soak excess water.

Serve poached eggs with any of your favourites. A nice large piece of sourdough, a grilled tomato, wilted spinach, avocado, sautéed mushrooms or smoked salmon. Any of these will make for a delicious breakfast.

Poached eggs at home are now easier, let alone cheaper, than you ever imagined. 

Soft Poached Eggs with Sweet Potato Hash Browns three hundred grams sweet potato, peeled and grated six eggs sea salt and cracked black pepper vegetable oil one tablespoon white wine vinagar eight spears asparagus, trimmed and blanched Creamy Hollandaise sauce one tablespoon finely grated horseradish one quarter of a cup sour cream two teaspoons lemon juice sea salt and cracked pepper one// To make horseradish sauce, combine sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Set aside. two//Place the sweet potato, two eggs and salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Heat one centimetre of oil in a non stick frying pan over medium heat and cook quarter cups of sweet potato mixture for two to three minutes or until golden and crispy. Drain on absorbent paper and keep warm. three// To poach eggs, follow directions in previous Staple2 post. four// Arrange stack by topping sweet potato hash browns with asparagus followed by the poached eggs and horseradish sauce.  Serves four.
Jul 11

Soft Poached Eggs with Sweet Potato Hash Browns


three hundred grams sweet potato, peeled and grated

six eggs

sea salt and cracked black pepper

vegetable oil

one tablespoon white wine vinagar

eight spears asparagus, trimmed and blanched

Creamy Hollandaise sauce



one tablespoon finely grated horseradish

one quarter of a cup sour cream

two teaspoons lemon juice

sea salt and cracked pepper

one// To make horseradish sauce, combine sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Set aside.

two//Place the sweet potato, two eggs and salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Heat one centimetre of oil in a non stick frying pan over medium heat and cook quarter cups of sweet potato mixture for two to three minutes or until golden and crispy. Drain on absorbent paper and keep warm.

three// To poach eggs, follow directions in previous Staple2 post.

four// Arrange stack by topping sweet potato hash browns with asparagus followed by the poached eggs and horseradish sauce. 

Serves four.

Classic browniefour hundred grams dark chocolate, chopped two hundred and eighty grams unsalted butter two cups brown sugar  six eggs  one cup plain flourone// Preheat oven to hundred and eighty degrees. Place half the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly. two// PLace the sugar, eggs and flour in a bowl with the chocolate mixture and mix to combine. Stir through the remaining chocolate pieces and pour the mixture into a lightly greased twenty x thirty centimeter tin lined with non-stick baking paper. three// Bake for thirty-thirty five minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in tin and cut into squares. ( TIP: Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream)  Serves eight.  
Aug 1

Classic brownie

four hundred grams dark chocolate, chopped

two hundred and eighty grams unsalted butter

two cups brown sugar 

six eggs 

one cup plain flour

one// Preheat oven to hundred and eighty degrees. Place half the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly.

two// PLace the sugar, eggs and flour in a bowl with the chocolate mixture and mix to combine. Stir through the remaining chocolate pieces and pour the mixture into a lightly greased twenty x thirty centimeter tin lined with non-stick baking paper.

three// Bake for thirty-thirty five minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in tin and cut into squares. ( TIP: Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream) 

Serves eight.  

Eggs benedictfour eggs two English muffins (store-bought), cut in half and toasted four slices leg ham (or twelve asparagus for a vegetarian version)Hollandaise saucethree egg yolks one and a half tablespoons lemon juice hundred and seventy-five grams unsalted butter, melted and kept warmone// Make the hollandaise sauce first. Put the egg yolks, lemon juice and one tablespoon water in a food processor and blitz until smooth. With the motor running slowly add the warm butter and keep mixing until the sauce is thick and glossy. Season to taste with sea salt and white  pepper.  two// Meanwhile, poach the four eggs. (check our earlier posted tutorial on the Staple2 blog on how to make the perfect poach)  three// Place the toasted muffin halves on each plate, top with slice of ham or asparagus spears, and then a poached egg. Spoon hollandaise sauce over the egg and serve immediately. Serves four.  
Sep 19

Eggs benedict

four eggs

two English muffins (store-bought), cut in half and toasted

four slices leg ham (or twelve asparagus for a vegetarian version)

Hollandaise sauce

three egg yolks

one and a half tablespoons lemon juice

hundred and seventy-five grams unsalted butter, melted and kept warm

one// Make the hollandaise sauce first. Put the egg yolks, lemon juice and one tablespoon water in a food processor and blitz until smooth. With the motor running slowly add the warm butter and keep mixing until the sauce is thick and glossy. Season to taste with sea salt and white  pepper. 

two// Meanwhile, poach the four eggs. (check our earlier posted tutorial on the Staple2 blog on how to make the perfect poach) 

three// Place the toasted muffin halves on each plate, top with slice of ham or asparagus spears, and then a poached egg. Spoon hollandaise sauce over the egg and serve immediately. 

Serves four.  

Spinach and prosciutto baked eggs eight slices prosciutto  hundred grams baby spinach leaves, blanched sea salt and cracked black pepper four eggs thirty grams grated Parmesanone// Preheat oven to hundred and eighty degrees Celsius. Lightly grease four x hundred and fifty millilitre ovenproof dishes. Line the sides of each dish with two slices of prosciutto, add the spinach, salt and pepper and crack an egg into each. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for nine minutes or until the egg is starting to set. Remove the foil and top each egg with parmesan. Bake for a further two minutes or until the cheese is melted and the prosciutto is crisp. Serves four. 
Oct 3

Spinach and prosciutto baked eggs 

eight slices prosciutto 

hundred grams baby spinach leaves, blanched

sea salt and cracked black pepper

four eggs

thirty grams grated Parmesan


one// Preheat oven to hundred and eighty degrees Celsius. Lightly grease four x hundred and fifty millilitre ovenproof dishes. Line the sides of each dish with two slices of prosciutto, add the spinach, salt and pepper and crack an egg into each. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for nine minutes or until the egg is starting to set. Remove the foil and top each egg with parmesan. Bake for a further two minutes or until the cheese is melted and the prosciutto is crisp.

Serves four. 

Spanish Eggs hundred fifty grams tomato paste one chorizo, sliced two handfuls baby spinach leaves one teaspoon crusted chili flakes (optional) sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season two free-range eggs half a cup of water one tablespoon flaked almonds thirty grams feta cheese two small oven proof bowls one tablespoon olive oil   one// Preheat oven to two hundred degrees celsius.  Preheat a non stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush the chorizo with the olive oil and cook for two minutes on each side or until crisp. Add the tomato paste and the water. Stir and let it simmer for a minute. Add the crusted chili flakes and the baby spinach leaves. Cook for two minutes. two// Split the chorizo mix between the two bowls. Crack an egg into each bowl. Bake the eggs in the oven for about eight minutes or until the egg white has set and the yolk is still soft. Crumble the feta on top and sprinkle with the almond flakes.  Makes two. 
Oct 13

Spanish Eggs 

hundred fifty grams tomato paste

one chorizo, sliced

two handfuls baby spinach leaves

one teaspoon crusted chili flakes (optional)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

two free-range eggs

half a cup of water

one tablespoon flaked almonds

thirty grams feta cheese

two small oven proof bowls

one tablespoon olive oil 

 

one// Preheat oven to two hundred degrees celsius.  Preheat a non stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush the chorizo with the olive oil and cook for two minutes on each side or until crisp. Add the tomato paste and the water. Stir and let it simmer for a minute. Add the crusted chili flakes and the baby spinach leaves. Cook for two minutes.

two// Split the chorizo mix between the two bowls. Crack an egg into each bowl. Bake the eggs in the oven for about eight minutes or until the egg white has set and the yolk is still soft. Crumble the feta on top and sprinkle with the almond flakes. 

Makes two.