Quiche me!

I haven't updated in ages! I don't even know where the time has gone since my last post, what was it... a month ago! Yonks! I don't know why I'm shouting everything in my head, nor do I know why I started saying "yonks" today. It's like one of those things you do ironically, then it just becomes a bloody embarrassing habit you can't kick.

Totes. That's another one that stuck on me.

Quiche is the other thing. I never used to eat quiche, but lately it seems like the only thing I order when I go out to eat! There we go, there's another exclamation point. But, seriously, how did I not love quiche until recently?

I've been saving this recipe in my bank for a while now, mostly as I've been far too caught up with being a functional and social human being that I haven't had time to just sit at my desk and type this post up. LIES! I've been scrolling down my T dash for days on end and can't seem to tear myself away. That, my friends, is the ugly truth.



Let's quit with the crazy (as if) and get to the recipe:

Roasted Peppers, Eggplant, and Fennel Quiche

• Ready-to-roll puff pastry (*gasp* ready to roll? Whatever, ain't nobody got time for dat)
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• 2 medium sized eggplants, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• Salt & pepper
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced
• Butter
• 3 large eggs
• 150ml milk
• 4 tbsp double cream
• 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

1. Follow the instructions for the pastry, and roll into a prepared pie dish
2. Brush with melted butter, then cover the base with shredded cheese (you can use any cheese, I just happened to have Parm on hand that day though I prefer stronger cheeses)
3. Preheat the oven to 180C, toss the sliced peppers, eggplants, and garlic into a baking tray and coat with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for roughly 15 minutes in the oven, or until the aroma fills your belly with rumbling hunger
4. While waiting for the other vegetables to cook, cook the sliced fennel in a knob of butter and olive oil until soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste as you cook. 
5. When all the vegetables are ready, just mix them up together and layer into the waiting crust over the cheese, and add tomatoes
6. Then in a medium sized bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and double cream to create the custard. Pour this mixture over the vegetables, and cover with more cheese
7. Pop into the oven and bake for 180C/fan for 30 minutes or until the custard has set. Cool on a wire rack and serve with fresh lettuce and a balsamic glaze dressing

Much love, and I'll try to be more disciplined with the posts! 

xx Nabs

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