So for Easter I would hope of course that you will indulge in a chocolate Easter egg but other than that how do you like to eat yours? Aren’t they just the greatest food to have on standby, I mean who could say no to an omelette especially if it’s crammed full of crispy bacon, juicy onions maybe even some chilli flakes and for ultimate comfort some oozingly melting cheese?!
Here’s 3 new and interesting ways to serve your eggs – just look for the Bord Bía Quality Assurance Mark when you’re buying them. Images and recipes below are all from Bord Bía.
Poached Eggs & Home Fries
Poached Eggs & Home Fries
Serves 4
1 tablesp. olive oil
4 bacon rashers, trimmed and chopped
1 small onion, diced
4-6 cooked potatoes, diced
2-3 scallions, chopped
1 tablesp. grain mustard
Dash of wine vinegar
A little salt and black pepper
4 Bord Bia Quality Assured eggs
Lightly oil a large pan. Sauté the bacon and onion for 1-2 minutes. Then add the potatoes and scallions and continue to cook for a few minutes until the potatoes are warmed through and are beginning to brown. Stir in the mustard and vinegar and season to taste – keep warm.
To Poach the Eggs: Bring a large pan of water to simmer. Season the water with salt and a dash of vinegar. Break the eggs, one at a time, onto a saucer then slide gently into the water. Cover the pan and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
Divide the potato mixture onto four plates. Lift the eggs with a slotted spoon from the water and drain well. Place the poached eggs on top of the potato mixture. Sprinkle with black pepper. Serve with mixed leaves or a vegetable of your choice.
Smokey Paprika Chicken with Rice and Eggs
Smokey Paprika Chicken with Rice and Egg
Serves 4
2-3 Bord Bia Quality Assured chicken breasts (approx. 300g)
1 heaped teasp. of smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablesp. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
500ml water
200g basmati rice, rinsed in cold water and drained
4 Bord Bia Quality Assured eggs
100g frozen peas
40g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 heaped tablesp. medium curry powder
3 tablesp. cream
3 tablesp. chopped fresh parsley
Marinade: Place the chicken in a dish with the paprika, garlic, ginger, half the lemon juice and a tablespoon of oil. Toss to coat, cover and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.
To cook the chicken: Remove the chicken from the fridge and place in a large frying pan with a lid. Pour over 500ml water, add the bay leaves and a little salt. Bring the water to a gentle simmer, cover and cook the chicken for 15 minutes until it is done. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Discard the bay leaves but reserve the cooking liquor to cook the rice.
To cook the rice: Stir the rice into the reserved cooking liquor in the frying pan. Cover with the lid and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the rice very gently for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for 3-5 minutes. By this time it should have absorbed all the cooking liquor.
To cook the eggs: Put the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 3-6 minutes depending on how you want your eggs cooked – soft boiled or hard boiled. Remove from the saucepan and put into a bowl of cold water, then when cold enough to handle peel and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the butter with the remaining oil in a small pan and cook the onion over a low heat for five minutes until well softened, stirring occasionally. Then add the curry powder and cook for another three minutes, stirring constantly. Add this mixture to the cooked rice and stir to combine. Then stir through the peas, cream, parsley and a few twists of ground black pepper.
Tear the chicken into chunky pieces and add these to the pan along with the reserved lemon juice. Stir gently to combine. Return to pan to a medium heat and cook for 1-2 minutes. Taste for seasoning then cut the eggs into halves and place them on the rice. Cover the pan with a lid and heat through for 2-3 minutes or until the eggs and chicken are warm, then serve.
Baked Frittata with Roasted Vegetables
Baked Frittata with Roasted Vegetables
Serves: 4-6
1 medium red pepper, cut into 3cm pieces
1 medium yellow pepper, cut into 3cm pieces
1 small aubergine, cut into 3cm pieces
1 medium onion, cut into wedges, roughly 6/8 from each onion
1 courgette, cut into 3cm pieces
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 Bord Bia Quality Assured eggs
100mls milk
50g good quality hard cheese, grated
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
To serve: Green salad and crusty bread
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 6, 200°C (400˚F).
Place the prepared peppers, aubergine, onion, courgette, potato and garlic in a bowl and mix with a tablespoon oil. Season with a little salt and black pepper and then spread in a single layer in a roasting tray and roast for 15-20 minutes.
Line an oven proof baking dish (6cm deep, 20cm x 20cm), with baking parchment.
Transfer the vegetables to the prepared dish. Reduce oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C (350˚F). Whisk the eggs and milk together in a jug. Add ⅔ of the cheese and the parsley. Season with a little salt and black pepper then pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Shake the dish gently to allow the egg to spread to the base, sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
Bake the frittata for 20 minutes or until top is golden and the centre is set. Let it rest for a couple of minutes before cutting into squares and serving with some salad and crusty bread.
Happy Easter!
‘Til next time, Sheila