OK, so new series as I have been meaning to start blogging about food for ages, just the other stuff seemed more important first. There is much I could write about food, and it’s all been said before. In fact one of my pet hates is how the BBC for example simply takes a new star and gets them to make a food program - you know the kind of thing, they travel to India or Thailand and the amazingly good cameramen and editors make it all look fantastic - but basically this could all be imparted by any number of absolutely amazing chefs that have a gigantic track record and can actually teach you something you don’t already know. Anyway - this isn’t a rant about how the BBC get things wrong.
So, generally breakfast is overlooked by the writers - occasionally Ive seen Nigel Slater do something, as it’s seen as a side attraction. But for me it definitely is the most important part of the day on the weekend. Its emblematic of your aspirations for quality non work time. Some of the breakfast dishes might seem very simple but they are so easy to get wrong. In my alternate reality fantasy I open a breakfast bar that serves all these dishes. In reality - being a restaurateur is incredible hard and this type of concept would only work in London. Once I lived in the city - now I live in the country. My only option is for me to cook it myself.
Briefly - the drinks are a key element but I will come back to those in another post. I haven’t glossed over them. I think in general, drinks are rarely mentioned - wine obviously gets a good look in. I have come to a grown up realisation that I don’t like wine ( especially not for breakfast ). OJ is king of my world. Followed by Coke and cream coffee. A Bloody Mary - anything but wine.
So, Eggs Florentine. Why? as obviously statistically if you want to pick a pretentious breakfast, egg Benedict would be the choice - you can find it in really choice eateries the world over. I will cover that - but for now, humble Florentine. It isn’t my favourite - by a long chalk, but I still love it. Its a great dish.
Basically - a bit of bread with a layer of spinach and poached egg, with a mornay sauce on the top. Traditionally a muffin - but personally I like sour dough. Muffin do tend to keep their shape better but if you don’t remove the water content from the spinach it will be very soggy, and you’ve already got a sauce in there.
NB : The kitchen repertoire says Bechemel with Gruyere and Parmigiano added. I vary mine - I don’t add clove and use instead a soft herb infusion when making the bechemel.
Ingredients :
Bread - usually a muffin, but I use a slice of sourdough toasted to preference.
Spinach
An egg
Sauce :
Butter
Flour
Chopped onion
Milk
Mixed soft herbs ( my choice not traditional ) - or a garni if you prefer the correct term I guess
Parmigiano
Gruyere - optional I think, its there more for prestige I feel. Parmigiano needs no help.
Method :
Make the sauce
A basic roux - personally Id fry the onions and then add flour to make a blonde roux and then add milk. Purists would laboriously stud and onion with clove and make a trad bechemel. I think clove has no place in a cheese sauce. Like nutmeg - no, stop doing it. Add cheese - again Gruyere - meh. The French make great cheese , and Gruyere isn’t one of them - I mean its OK, but its not Parmigiano - the king of cheeses.! Sauce consistency - should be thin but not runny. Nothing worse than snotty sauce. Coating consistency.
Main dish
Then its all down to the main ingredients. Spinach - is best very fresh as its being wilted and you don’t want that turning salad flavour. Im a big believer in the Italian philosophy of the very best ingredients, not covering up ingredients with something sophisticated - like a sauce, heh hem. Wilt it in a nob of butter. When done - express the water content because it ruins the toast. Toast the bread - my preference is for really good sourdough as everything tastes better with that. Muffins if you must - or better you are making your own, but thats another story. Poached egg - everyone has their favourite method - personally I add vinegar to the water, a smallish pan and swirl the water around to cook the thing in a cloud right away. If it touches the bottom and sticks you’re in a world of pain.
Ideal drink :
The sauce is quite fatty with the cheese so Id go OJ, but then when don’t I. Maybe with grapefruit added.
