Baked Egg in Avocado

I've been absent from the blog these past couple of months; much has been happening and I have no excuse. I've just started a new job, and between learning the ropes and the daily commute to and from work, I'm left with little time to tinker in the kitchen. One thing I've learnt about maintaining a recipe blog while also holding a full time corporate job is the importance of self discipline. I try to cook or bake at least once a week, but in these past few months, it's just been easier to go back to the tried and tested.

But I had a little time this weekend, as it's the first time in three years I'm missing the annual ski trip to Switzerland (crying inside as my siblings send me pictures and updates). Also, I had a craving for avocado and guacamole. This morning, I whipped up a simple baked egg dish (ever since trying out Shakshuka, I can't get enough of baked eggs in my breakfast) for my breakfast, following a rather heavy Valentines Day food fest (dim sum, food trucks, briyani rice, AND McDonalds, oh my). So without further ado, let me share this easy and yummy recipe for two.

Baked Egg in Avocado with fresh Guacamole
Serves 2

• 1 avocado, halved
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1/2 tomato, chopped 
• 2 tbsp diced white onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 lime 
• Few leaves of coriander, to garnish
• Salt and pepper to season

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C/fan-forced
2. Halve your avocado and scoop out enough of the flesh to create wells large enough for your eggs, then hold the avocado halves in place on crumpled foil on a baking tray
3. Crack an egg into each half, don't freak out if some spills over, and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the avocado flesh, chopped tomato, diced onion, coriander, and juice of 1 lime. Sprinkle with sea salt to season
5. Serve the avocado halves with a generous topping or side of guacamole, Greek yoghurt and a piece of toast 

Domesticated Day In

On a typical day after a massive rave party, one would drag oneself out of bed around 2 in the afternoon, cursing the daylight and shouting for a nonexistent manservant to fetch one's cup of coffee and a handful of Advil. Last Saturday, however, after an amazing night at the Guetta gig (I never know what to call these things, concerts? Shows? Performances?) Alena and I woke up to watch Disney's Sleeping Beauty while Hodor (lol) tried his hand at the most amazing focaccia bread. 

A lot of Disney-esque (I'd say -esque as I doubt we actually managed any semblance of real singing) trilling and a properly risen dough later, Al and I started preparing the ingredients for our brunch. Despite the fact that it was well into the afternoon at that point, we had yet to change out of our sleepwear and thus still counted it as brunch.

You may recall me mentioning that on a recent trip to Singapore, we tried a Tunisian breakfast dish at a very popular breakfast joint called Wild Honey, and having seen various renditions of the recipe online over the past couple of weeks, we decided to give it a proper go. The recipe is easy enough to whip up in less than 20 minutes, and it's such a full meal that I guarantee it will keep you stuffed until dinner time (though it may have something to do with the fact that we had our "brunch" at 3 in the evening).

World's Most Attractive Siblings

With no further ado, let me share this recipe with you:

Shakshuka (North African skillet breakfast dish) 

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed/chopped finely
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• Salt
• Cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp paprika/cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1/2 cup diced sausage/chorizo (optional)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (no added salt), drained of the water
• 1/3 cup white wine/water
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Fresh basil/parsley

1. First of all, preheat the oven to 200C, and heat your cast iron skillet (or if you don't own one, just use a basic pan and switch to an oven safe casserole dish later) on a medium fire. Pour in the olive oil, and cook the onion until soft and aromatic.
2. Toss in the peppers and garlic and cook until softened, for about 5 minutes
3. Add the spices and sausages and cook for a bit more
4. Pour in the tomatoes and wine/water and lower the heat to a small flame. Allow the mixture to simmer for around 20 minutes (this is where you take your shower), until all that delicious flavour has soaked through
5. Take the skillet off the heat, crack the eggs over the top, sprinkling each egg with salt and pepper then crumble the feta over. Pop the skillet into the oven until the eggs are baked. I prefer my eggs NOT runny, so I leave mine in for around 8 minutes, however if you're looking for the runny egg yolk, leave it for no more than 7 minutes
6. Serve with your bread of choice (seriously, try that focaccia recipe) and a garnish of fresh torn basil leaves or parsley

Enjoy!
Lots of love, The Breakfast Club

Kedgeree with Smoked Salmon and Golf

If you've been listening to the Ryder Cup going on in the background for the past few days as I have, you would have sometimes found yourself mimicking the Scottish accent of the commentator. Despite your wild protestations that you don't engage in such behaviour, I know you did... even if you did it under your breath. 

Last night, while watching yet another bout of Team Europe wiping the green with Team USA (I really couldn't care less about golf), and going on about Scottish weather and Scottish food (this was my version of golf commentary in a Scottish accent), I had the sudden urge to make kedgeree! 

I know there are disputes in the origin of kedgeree; is it Indian brought to Scotland, or is it Scottish brought to India? It doesn't matter to me, as I am part Indian and Scottish! Woohoo! It makes me wonder then, why I've never made kedgeree before... maybe because the ingredients list is slightly longer than what I usually like (I'm fine with 5 ingredients, tqvm), but then I had a good look at it again, it really is quite simple! 

So here we go, quick weeknight kedgeree that can be made ahead for your breakfast (oh baby, trust me, this stuff only gets better after refrigeration) or lunch, or brunch the next day: 

Kedgeree with smoked salmon flakes

• 1 tray of quail eggs (about 10 eggs if you don't pop two in your mouth first), boiled
• 4 cups cooked long grain white rice
• 250g smoked fish (you can use salmon if you can't find smoked haddock) 
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger (be careful, I grated half my knuckle off before I got to the ginger)
• 1 yellow onion, diced finely
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 fresh chili, sliced finely
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 sprigs spring onion, chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• A handful of chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to season
• Natural yoghurt, to serve

1. Heat your pan, pop the butter in and let it just melt and heat before adding the ginger, onion, and garlic
2. Allow this to soften until just yellow, don't burn, and then add the curry powder, mustard seeds and chili. Let this cook until the curry smell rises and you see the oil rise to the top of the curry mix (this is when you know the curry powder has cooked, otherwise the flavour will be flat)
3. Then toss in the tomatoes, spring onion, and pour in the lemon juice. Heat the mixture through, make sure the flavours get all mixed up
4. Add the cooked rice and smoked fish, gently folding it all in so the fish flakes as you go, then once it's all mixed, stir in the parsley (or cilantro is better if you can find some)
5. Season to taste, you can choose to add more lemon juice to your liking
6. Garnish with chopped parsley and boiled eggs, and serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt on the side