Smoked Trout and Scrambled Eggs- Fish, Feed our Future

Do you like to have a special breakfast or brunch at the weekend?  On Sundays we usually have bacon on a roll with our sauce of choice, it's not very exciting but a change from the Bircher Muesli we eat the rest of the time.

We recently had to be out of our house for the weekend and stayed with a friend, so I thought that I would make Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Trout as a special treat for us all.   If you know how to make scrambled eggs you won't need a recipe for this dish, just add in the finely chopped Smoked Trout when the eggs start to clump and once cooked serve on toast.

However, if you would prefer to follow a recipe then just follow the Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Eggs recipe on the Fish is the Dish website.


Farmed Smoked Salmon and Smoked Trout are no longer the luxury items they used to be and if you look for the special offers they can be really reasonable.  I bought this pack of Smoked Trout and the pack of Gravadlax I used in the Gravadlax Potato Salad for £8.00.

Health experts recommend, that to  reduce the risks of heart attacks and strokes, we should eat two portions of fish every week, one of which should be an oil-rich fish such as sardines, mackerel, herring, fresh tuna, trout or salmon.

Labels: eggs, fish, Fish is the Dish, Scrambled Eggs, smoked salmon, smoked trout

posted by Janice @ 16:07 2 Comments

Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree - Fish, Feed our Future

I do love smoked mackerel.  It's such versatile fish, you can eat it cold with salad, whizz it up with creme fraiche to make a Mackerel Pate  or serve on toast in a Mackerel Sun Dried Tomato and Cheese Toast or add it to all sorts of different dishes.

I also have a soft spot for kedgeree, my mum used to make it with leftover rice and cooked smoked haddock. The whole lot was re-fried in butter and was so luscious and fun with the added sweetness of peas and topped with hard boiled eggs.

My recipe does include a little curry flavouring it takes about 20 minutes to make and was a perfect Friday night supper.

Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree
Serves 2-3

1 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup/195g basmati rice
2 tsp of korma paste
2 cups of stock or water
2 small smoked mackerel approx 200g (I used peppered mackerel as we love pepper)
50g frozen peas
small bunch of parsley
2 hard boiled eggs
salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the garlic and onion and cook until soft.
2. Add the rice and stir around till covered in oil, add the korma paste and cook for a minute.
3. Add the stock or water and simmer until the rice is soft and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes, add the peas.
4. Flake the smoked mackerel and add to the cooked rice, season to taste.
5. Finish by adding the chopped parsley and quartered hard boiled eggs.


I'm entering this for Credit Crunch Munch, the thrifty blog challenge run by Helen at Fuss Free Flavours and Camilla at Fab Food 4 All, this month the challenge is being hosted at A New Addition.   I feel that this dish qualifies because smoked mackerel is really good value as well as being really good for you,  read about the health benefits of oily fish at Fish is the Dish.

Labels: Credit Crunch Munch, eggs, fish, Fish is the Dish, Kedgeree, Omega 3, rice, smoked mackerel, supper

posted by Janice @ 20:47 2 Comments

Moroccan Vegetarian Haggis Scotch Eggs

Macsween, the award winning haggis and black pudding producer, have just launched three new Special Editions: a Wild Boar Haggis, Moroccan Spiced Vegetarian Haggis and Chocolate and Chilli Black Pudding. The haggis can be microwaved for 3 minutes on medium, simmered for 20 minutes in boiling water, or simply sliced and fried, however I decided to do something a little different with the Moroccan Spiced Vegetarian Haggis and made these delicious baked Scotch Eggs. 
Apologies for my 'Moroccan' accessories, the plate came from Spain and the cloth from Indonesia!

I received samples of the special edition haggis from Macsween, I was not paid and all opinions are my own. 

Labels: eggs, haggis, Macsween Haggis, moroccan, Scotch Egg, spiced, vegetarian

posted by Janice @ 21:24 20 Comments

Mexican 'Tortilla' Bake

It's surprising how many eggs seem to accumulate when you are not baking, so as soon as the oven was back in service I had to find a way to use them.  I'm sure you are probably wondering why I didn't just stop buying them,  but they are hand delivered to my husband by the woman who keeps them and works alongside him, so it would be rude not to buy them each week, don't you think?



So what to do with them, hmm let's have a look in the fridge and see what is there... oh yes, some mini peppers and a courgette, dice and slice them and add a tablespoon of oil then roast in the oven at 180C for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables have started to soften and blacken round the edges.

Now what else can I add...some leftover lamb chopped into pieces and a packet of ready cooked rice, you don't need to add the rice but it does make it more substantial.

Beat five eggs with 1/2 teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika and mix through the other ingredients.

Grated cheese on top is optional, but a nice finish.  Put back into the oven to bake for about 30 minutes or until set in the middle.  Serve with salad.

I'm entering my Mexican Tortilla for The Spice Trail run by Vanesther at Bangers and Mash as the challenge is celebrating Mexican food this month.

I'm also adding this to the No Waste Food Challenge as I used up some extra eggs, random veg from the fridge and leftover roast lamb. It is run by Elizabeth at Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary and hosted this month at JibberJabberUK

Labels: eggs, mexican, smoked paprika, the spice trail, tortilla

posted by Janice @ 20:58 26 Comments

Tortilla Bake

 
We love to eat fajitas. I buy the tortillas and the fajita spice mix and sometimes also the box of Nachos with their sachets of topping.  Sometimes I buy the salsa, sometimes  I make it, but I always make my own guacamole and have little bowls of sour cream, roasted peppers, cheese, salad and kidney beans.

When my sons were still at home it was their favourite meal and there were never any leftovers.  But now there are fewer of us, so last night there were three tortillas left, enough chicken for one and a few bits and pieces in each of the other bowls.  Just about enough for one person's lunch but not really enough for a meal.

As I am not really baking just now, all the bakeware having been packed away for the kitchen work, I have a bit of an overload of eggs.  We get our eggs from a colleague of my husband's and half a dozen beautiful free range eggs arrive every Monday.  Usually I've used them all before the next delivery but they are starting to stack up.  So eggs seemed like a good way to go with my recipe development!



Tortilla Bake (serves 2-3)

2-3 Tortillas
1-2 tbsp kidney beans
1 tbsp soured cream
1 -2 tbsp tomato salsa
1-2 tbsp roasted sweet peppers
1-2 tbsp  chicken cooked in fajita spice mix
1-2 tbsp guacamole
150g hard cheese (cheddar)
4 eggs
100ml semi skimmed milk
salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Grease a round pie dish with butter or oil.  Lay one torilla in the base, add the cooked chicken, place another tortilla on top and cover with the beans, cream, salsa, chicken and guacamole.  Place the final tortilla over this. (If you only have two just make a big sandwich).
2. Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl, season and pour over the tortilla layers.
3. Cover with foil and leave to rest in the fridge for 2-3 hours to let the egg mix soak in.
4. Heat the oven to 180C
5. Grate the the cheese over the top of the tortillas.
6. Replace the foil and bake for 20 minutes until the egg is almost set.
7. Increase the oven temperature to 220C
8. Remove the foil and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until the cheese is browned and melted.
9. Serve cut into wedges with salad or vegetables.






Tea Time Treats is a blog challenge run by my friend Karen at Lavender and Lovage, this month it is being hosted by Jane at Hedgecombers and the Tea Time theme is 'EGGS'.


This is a new challenge for me, I found it in the list on the Food Blog Diary.  Cheese is integral to the success of the Tortilla Bake and the theme for Cheese Please, this month, is Comfort Food and Winter Warmers, so I think this cheesy supper dish definitely fits the bill!

Labels: brunch, cheese, Cheese Please, Chicken, eggs, fajitas, leftovers, lunch, No Waste Food Challenge, supper, Tea Time Treats, tortilla

posted by Janice @ 07:30 12 Comments

Kale, Pumpkin and Smoked Cheese Tart

The new spreadable product is the latest, exciting new product from Applewood to join the existing range. This versatile new spreadable is an ideal cheese for today’s modern lifestyle – you can spread some over bread, stir into a variety of recipes and share with friends by dunking into various snacks.



Kale and Pumpkin Tart with Applewood Spreadable

1 28cm/11in shortcrust pastry flan case, baked blind
1 small pumpkin, seeds and peel removed
3 tbsp oil
2 small onions, sliced
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

30g butter
1 tbsp oil
150ml double cream
4 eggs
100g Applewood Spreadable
100g grated cheese (I used cheddar but if you have Applewood Smoked, that would be even better!)


1. Make the flan case according to the instructions on the Frequently Used Recipes page.


2. Cut the pumpkin into even sized chunks add, mix with 3 tbsp oil and roast for about 30-40 minutes until tinged with brown and tender, leave to cool.

3. Heat 1 tbsp oil and 30g butter, gently fry the onions and garlic until soft and translucent, add the kale and stir for 3-4 minutes until it starts to soften, set aside to cool.




5. Mix together the Applewood Spreadable with a little cream to slacken it off, then add the rest of the cream.  Add the the eggs and beat into the cream mixture, season to taste and pour over the kale and pumpkin.  Top with the grated cheese.

6. Bake at 160C for 40 minutes until the egg is set and the cheese is golden and crispy.
Serve with leeks and peas cooked gently in butter and a little stock.

The soft sweet pumpkin went well with the texture of the kale and the smoky cheese flavour of the the Applewood Spreadable was the perfect compliment to both of them.  Although most of the ingredients in this tart are vegetarian, the Applewood Spreadable is NOT, so I would suggest that if you don't eat animal products, you choose to use Applewood Smoked Cheddar to get the smoky flavour in the tart.

I received samples of Applewood Spreadable Cheese and a hamper of food products to use in the competition, I have not been paid for this post and all opinions are my own.

Labels: Applewood Smoked Spreadable, cream, eggs, flan, Kale, Leeks, peas, pumpkin, tart

posted by Janice @ 20:43 5 Comments

Credit Crunch Munch Omelette

Here's another Credit Crunch Munch recipe.  It's a simple 'Spanish Omelette' or Frittata.


Slice three shallots or 1 small onion, add to the pan with the potatoes and saute until soft.  Beat four eggs, add about a tablespoon of water and mix it in, season with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Heat the grill and once the omelette has started to set, add a few sliced cherry tomatoes, pop it under the grill until the cheese has melted and starting to bubble.
This served two for lunch.  We also had half a toasted bagel each, I'd taken the bagel to work for lunch the day before and then decided to have something else instead, so it needed to be eaten too!

Credit Crunch Munch is a monthly blog event run by Fuss Free Flavours and Fab Food 4 All 
Details of how to join in HERE
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Labels: cheese, cherry tomatoes, Credit Crunch Munch, eggs, Fritatta, omelette, potatoes

posted by Janice @ 09:00 2 Comments

A Valentine Salad and Eggspress Giveaway

Valentine's gifts tend to focus on chocolate treats so it's nice to have something a little different for Valentine's Day.  This bacon and heart-shaped egg salad fills you up and also provides the freshness and crunch that I feel is so important to enjoy in the winter months and would be the prefect for a Valentine's day brunch or lunch.

I was sent this little gadget, called an Eggspress, from Just Mustard which moulds hard-boiled eggs into heart shapes, so when you cut them in half you have a pretty little heart.  Just Mustard is a gift company with lots of fun novelty gifts.

The back of the packet tells you how to create your heart shaped eggs and are easy to follow.

Although it is easy to make, mine didn't turn out quite so perfect as the ones in the illustration.  The yolk does not always sit right in the middle.  The heart shape does form, but it's not very pronounced and I think you need to use them fairly quickly as I found that the egg started to lose the point at the bottom after about half an hour.

Bacon and Egg Salad (serves 2)

8 slices of smoked streaky bacon
4 medium eggs, hard boiled and cooled
1/2 bag of mixed lettuce leaves
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 apple, cored and chopped
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
juice of half a lime
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper
1 tsp honey

1. Grill the bacon until crisp, drain on kitchen paper and cool
2. Press the eggs as per instructions and cut in half.  If you don't have an Eggspress then simply cut the eggs in half.
3. Place the celery, apple and 4 slices of crispy bacon (crumbled) into a bowl.
4. Make the dressing with juice of half a lime, oil, seasoning and honey, whisk or shake in a jar then pour over the celery, apple and bacon mixture
5. Spread the salad leaves on the plates,  divide the celery, apple and bacon mixture between them.
6. Top each plate with two bacon rashers crossed.  Place 4 egg halves evenly around the plate and place the tomato halves between them and serve with crusty bread.

It was fun to serve the heart shaped eggs with this salad and if you would like to try it yourself, I have two Eggspress egg moulds to giveaway.  UK residents only please.  Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter Widget.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Labels: bacon, eggs, Eggspress, gifts, giveaway, Just Mustard, salad, Valentines, win

posted by Janice @ 08:00 12 Comments

Omelette Arnold Bennet for Best of British - London

The Best of British Challenge  has moved on, it started in Cornwall at the Chocolate Log Blog, then I took over here on Farmersgirl Kitchen with the Scottish challenge, last month Yorkshire was the county of choice over at Lavender and Lovage.  I didn't have any trouble thinking of recipes for the last three, but when Fiona at London Unattached announced that she was hosting for 'London' I was really stumped as to what to make.

I toyed with 'London Particular' a yellow split pea soup which is supposed to resemble the fog known as a London Pea Souper.  Then I thought I might make bagels after learning about the long tradition of bagel-making in the east end of London. In the end, I stumbled across a recipe for Omelette Arnold Bennet and I knew I had found my London entry to the Best of British Challenge.



The Omelette Arnold Bennet was created by the chefs at the Savoy Hotel in London for the writer Arnold Bennett, he loved it so much he insisted on it being made for him wherever he travelled. It's still on the menu  at the Savoy to this day.

Omelette Arnold Bennet (Serves 2)

This is a lower fat recipe using a cornflour based sauce rather than the traditional bechamel

Ingredients
200g smoked haddock (I could only get dyed smoked haddock but, for preference I would choose undyed)
200ml semi-skimmed milk
15g cornflour
25g parmesan cheese, grated
5 eggs (separate white and yolk from one egg)
10g butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the fish in the milk and cook gently for about 10-15 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Remove the fish to another dish.

2. Mix the cornflour with a little cold milk  and pour the warm milk from the pan into the bowl.  Mix well and return to the pan, cooking through until thickened, add half the grated parmesan, season and stir in the yolk from the separated egg. Leave to cool.

3. Beat the white from the separated egg in a large bowl until it forms stiff peaks and set aside.
4. In another bowl, beat the 4 whole eggs.
5. Break the haddock into large flakes.


It's not the most photogenic of dishes, but we enjoyed the different textures of the layers and the salty, tangy flavours of the smoked fish and parmesan cheese pefectly offset by the eggs.  We raised a glass to Arnold Bennet and the chefs of the Savoy Hotel, for introducing us to this exceptional omelette.

The challenge ends on 23rd September, so there is still time to enter, find out more about the challenge and the prizes visiting London Unattached - Best of British

Labels: Best of British, eggs, fish, London, Omelette Arnold Bennet, parmesan, smoked haddock

posted by Janice @ 21:23 9 Comments

Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree for Best of British

The 'Best of British Challenge' is currently being hosted at Choclette's Chocolate Log Blog. The idea is that each month for six months, a county or region around the UK will be selected and bloggers will post their interpretation of a recipe or dish from that region.   This month the challenge is to showcase something that embodies Cornish food. I have chosen to feature 'Smoked Mackerel'.  Mackerel is a fish I associate strongly with Cornwall and I although I am not so keen on  fresh mackerel (although my husband loves it), I do like smoked mackerel and love that it is very versatile.

 I couldn't actually get Cornish smoked mackerel, the mackerel available locally is sourced off the west coast of Scotland and out into the north west atlantic, however, I'm sure that same shoal might have passed the Lizard and been caught off the Cornish Coast - we will never know!



There are prizes up for grabs with this challenge. This challenge is being sponsored by New World Appliances, one of only a few British manufactures of kitchen appliances. Each month an entrant will be picked at random and will win a £50 Amazon voucher. At the end of 6 months all entries will be judged and the best will be awarded a £300 Amazon voucher, if you'd like to take part in the Cornish part of this challenge get over to the Chocolate Log Blog for full details, you have until 15th June and then you need to come back to me for the Scottish leg of the challenge!  It's just like the Olympic Torch relay - errr, well maybe not quite!

So to my recipes for the challenge:

Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree (serves 4-6)

1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp curry paste (I used Patak's Garam Masala paste)
300g long grain rice
handful of coriander stalks, finely chopped
handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 pint dry cider or white wine
1 pint vegetable stock
cup of frozen peas
4 small smoked mackerel fillets, skinned and flaked
3 eggs, hard boiled
2 spring onions, finely chopped
3 tbsp caramelised onion chutney
3 tbsp Greek yogurt/soured cream/half fat creme fraiche (whichever you prefer)
3 hard-boiled eggs shelled and quartered.


1. Put a tbsp of olive oil in a large saute pan or large pot (I used my Le Creuset casserole), add the onion and cook until softened.  Add the curry paste and stir to coat the onions.
 2. Add the rice and coriander stems and stir until coated in oil and curry paste.
3. Add the wine or cider, then gradually add the stock stirring until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is just soft but still holding it's shape.



4. Add the mackerel and peas, put the heat off, stir and put on a lid.  Leave for 10 mintues or so.
5. Serve the kedgeree, sprinkled with the spring onions, add a spoonful of yogurt or cream and a spoonful of sweet chutney, top with the quartered hard-boiled eggs and sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves.

I made this quantity for three people and there is enough left over to have cold with salad for lunch tomorrow.  It's a simple and tasty dish which I would thoroughly recommend.

Labels: Amazon Voucher, Best of British, challenge, Chocolate Log Blog, Cornish, Cornwall, curry paste, eggs, Kedgeree, New World Appliances, rice, smoked mackerel, win

posted by Janice @ 20:22 10 Comments