Full English Salad / Ensalada de Desayuno Inglés

serves 2

2 Free-range eggs

2 drops of vinegar

4 rashers of Oscar Mayer Bacon

6 slices of Morcilla de Burgos

5 cherry tomatoes

2 handfuls of mixed leaves

50ml olive oil

6 slices of bread

Freshly ground black pepper

Maldon sea salt

for the dressing

1 ripe tomato; finely grated, skins discarded

3 drops of Worcester Sauce

1 tbsp Jerez vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Maldon sea salt

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pan, heat the olive oil. Once hot, place the bread slices in: they will absorb some of the oil and crisp up. Turn the fried bread over; adding more oil if necessary. Set aside and keep warm.

2.  In the same pan, fry the bacon and morcilla until nicely browned.  Set aside and keep warm.

now the dressing...

3. Put all the ingredients into a clean jar; put the lid on a shake. Adjust seasoning to taste. Chill in the fridge.

now...

4. Arrange the leaves on the plates and add the tomato halves; season to taste... this way you will have less plating up to do when the eggs are ready.

5. Bring a medium sized saucepan of water to the boil. 

6. Take the eggs out of the fridge and break one into a cup or small jug; add a drop of vinegar.

N.B. The vinegar will help the egg white stay together in the water.

7. Using a whisk, carefully stir the water to create a vortex; then gently tip in the egg: as near the centre as possible. Leave to cook for 3 minutes. Get the second egg ready.

8. Once the 3 minutes are up, remove the egg with a slotted spoon and set aside while you poach the other egg.

9. Finish the plating up and after shaking up the dressing; drizzle around the outside of the dish.

Revuelto de Ajos Tiernos / Scrambled Eggs with Spring Garlic

serves 2

4 free-range eggs

Bunch of ajos tiernos

~35g butter

Maldon sea salt

2 tsp Créme Fraîche

1. Skin and chop the tender part of the ajos tiernos.

2. Heat the butter in a thick-bottomed pan and add the ajos tiernos.

N.B. Be careful not to burn the butter... if you like you can add a little oil, which will stop it from burning.

3. Cook until they start to soften up. Turn down the heat.

4. Add the eggs and stir, with a wooden spoon, to break up the yolks and mix them.

5. Now the trick is not to stir too often; you want soft folds and not purée.

6. When the scramble is almost set, remove from the heat.

7. Stir in the créme fraîche and serve... with toast and a sprinkle of chopped chives.

Ensalada de Verano / Spanish Summer Salad

serves 2-4

You can find this salad in most tapas bars at this time of year. With the addition of some waxy new potatoes and cachos of red and green pepper, you can turn the Murcian Salad into the Summer Salad. This salad is even better the following day; giving the tomatoes more time to release more liquid.

7 ripe tomatoes

25 Manzanilla olives

1 red onion

2 x 80g tins of tuna

3 free-range eggs

3 tbsp olive oil

200g new potatoes

½ red pepper

½ green pepper

Maldon sea salt

1. Cut the onion into quarters and place in a bowl of salted water: this will reduce its strength. 

2. Cut the potatoes so you end up with similar sized pieces. Put them into a pan with cold water and bring to the boil. Carefully add the eggs; and boil for ten minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into uneven pieces ( see Ensalada Murciana*).

4. Add the olives.

5. Drain and add the tuna.

6. Drain the onion; and cut into uneven pieces.

7. Drain the eggs and potatoes; then, immediately cool under cold running water: this will stop the cooking process and, more importantly, stop a green film forming around the egg yolk.

8. When the eggs are completely cool; carefully shell and cut into uneven pieces. Add to the salad along with roughly the chopped peppers.

9. Season well and drizzle over the oil.

10. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

11. Serve with fresh bread to mop up the juices.

Ensalada Murciana / Murcian Salad

serves 2

7 ripe tomatoes

25 Manzanilla olives

1 red onion

2 x 80g tins of tuna

3 free-range eggs

3 tbsp olive oil

Maldon sea salt

1. Cut the onion into quarters and place in a bowl of salted water: this will reduce its strength. 

2. Put a pan of water on to boil. Carefully add the eggs; and boil for ten minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into uneven pieces ( this is the traditional way to cut vegetables*).

4. Add the olives.

5. Drain and add the tuna.

6. Drain the onion; and cut into uneven pieces.

7. Drain the eggs and immediatly cool under cold running water: this will stop the cooking process and, more importantly, stop a green film forming over the egg yolk.

8. When the eggs are completely cool; carefully shell and cut into uneven pieces.

9. Season well and drizzle over the oil.

10. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

11. Serve with fresh bread to mop up the juices.

* To cut the uneven slices (cachos): hold the item in one hand and the knife in the other as if paring, but cutting off small pieces.

Tortilla de Coliflor / Cauliflower Tortilla

serves 4

~200g small cauliflower florets

2 tbsp lemon juice

a knob of butter ~15g

2 tbsp olive oil

5 free-range eggs

Maldon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Soak the cauliflower florets in a bowl with water and the lemon juice for about 20 minutes; this will thoroughly clean the cauliflower. 

2. Drain, and add the florets to boiling water: return to the boil and continue for 3-4 minutes until tender. Drain.

3. In an 18cm non-stick tortilla pan; melt the butter with the oil. Add the florets and sauté until lightly browned.

4. Season the florets. 

5. Whisk the eggs and season; pour into florets and stir on a medium heat for 30 seconds. Then using a silicon spatula; separate the setting mixture from the pan. Shake the pan from time to time. Continue to cook until the underside starts to colour.

6. Place a plate over the pan; flip it over and slide the tortilla back into the pan (uncooked-side down).

7. Return to the heat and cook until the underside is lightly browned and the tortilla is set.

Shakshouka

serves 2

1kg fresh, mixed tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

5 garlic cloves

3 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

1 tsp Maldon sea salt

1 tsp brown sugar

2 level tsp Pimenton de la Vera-sweet

2 organic free-range eggs

a handful of coriander leaves

1. Roughly chop the tomatoes: finely chop or crush the garlic.

2. Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan and simmer all the ingredients (except the eggs and coriander) for 15 minutes.

3. Break the eggs into the mixture and cover and continue to simmer until the eggs are just set.

4. Remove from the heat and sprinkle over the coriander.

5. Serve with crisp, fresh bread (e.g. fougasse).

Salmorejo Cordobés

serves 2

5 ripe plum tomatoes

~75ml good olive oil

1/2 clove of garlic

1 egg

5 thin slices of jamón serrano

Malden sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1. Blanche the tomatoes and refresh in iced water. This will make the skin removal easier.

2. De-seed the tomatoes and roughly chop the remaining flesh.

3. In a small bowl, Blend the tomatoes; then add the garlic, season and continue to blend.

4. Drizzle in the oil and blend as if you where making mayonaise.

5. Once you have created your emulsion, place the bowl in fridge to chill for a couple of hours.

6. Boil the egg for 7 minutes and refresh in cold water.

7. Transfer the emulsion to a serving bowl and decorate with the sliced egg and jamón; drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil.

Scottish salmon Scotch eggs with pickled beetroot

Serves 2


for the scotch egg
2 free-range eggs
100g salmon fillet, finely chopped
75g smoked salmon, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1/2 lemon, juice only
Maldon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
100g plain flour
1 free-range egg, beaten
100g homemade breadcrumbs
vegetable oil for frying

for the pickled beetroot
1 or 2 fresh purple beetroot
50ml white wine vinegar
20ml water
50g caster sugar


For the pickle, Place the beetroot/sin a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes; or until tender. Leave to cool before peeling and dicing. transfer to a bowl.

Heat the vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 5 minutes before pouring over your little cubes of beetroot. Leave to cool; then. place in the fridge to chill.

Boil 2 eggs for 4 minute; drain and refresh in cold water. Refresh again and carefully peel the eggs: set aside.

Mix the mix together in a bowl with the lemon juice. Add the dill and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Take a handful of the mixture and flatten it out (if you wet your hands it won't stick so much). place the boiled egg in the centre and bring the rest around the egg to cover; adding extra if needed. Press firmly to seal. Dust with flour; then dip in the beaten egg and roll in the breadcrumbs.

Half-fill a deep pan with vegetable oil and heat to 180ºC. Carefully drop the Scotch eggs into the oil and cook for 2-3 minutes; or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a piece of kitchen paper.

Plate up. I served these on a bed of wilted spinach and Hollandaise sauce.

Creamy courgette souflé

Serves 2

olive oil
1 clove of garlic
2 small home-grown courgettes, grated.
25g butter
25g plain flour
126ml heated milk
2 large eggs
35g cheddar cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently fry the garlic and courgette, without browning for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In another pan, melt the butter and add the flour; then cook for about a minute. Add the heated milk slowly, stirring continuously to avoid lumps to create your bechamel. Cook for 1 minute and remove from the heat.

Add the bechamel to the courgette mixture along with the cheese; then season with black pepper. Beat the mixture together.

Beat the egg white until stiff; then gently fold into the mixture before dividing between the ramekins.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until they have risen and have a golden top.

Eat tout suite.

oeufs en cocotte

serves 2

200g crème fraîche

salt and freshly ground black pepper

pinch nutmeg

handful of chopped dill

2 free-range eggs

trout or salmon roe
small sprigs of dill


1.Preheat the oven to 180C.
2.Place a big tablespoon of crème fraîche in the bottom of a ramekin or teacup.Season with salt, freshly ground pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and a little dill.

3.Crack an egg on top, add a second tablespoon of crème fraîche and sprinkle with a pinch each of salt, pepper and nutmeg.

4.Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour enough lukewarm water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

5.Bake for 15 minutes or until the eggs are the way you like them. Finish with a teaspoon of trout roe and a spig or 2 of dill.Serve with warm crispy bread.