Food Fab: 8 for Breakfast

love it. love it. love it.

1. Thinking Eggs

* Egg Benedict

4 slices Canadian bacon
1 teaspoon white vinegar
4 eggs
1 cup butter
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 dash ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 English muffins, split and toasted

In a skillet over medium-high heat, fry the Canadian bacon on each side until evenly browned.

Fill a large saucepan with about 3 inches water, and bring to a simmer. Pour in the vinegar. Carefully break the 4 eggs into the water, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until whites are set but yolks are still soft. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, melt the butter until bubbly in a small pan or in the microwave. Remove from heat before butter browns.

In a blender or large food processor, blend the egg yolks, heavy cream, cayenne pepper, and salt until smooth. Add half of the hot butter in a thin steady stream, slow enough so that it blends in at least as fast as you are pouring it in. Blend in the lemon juice using the same method, then the remaining butter.

Place open English muffins onto serving plates. Top with 1 slice Canadian bacon and 1 poached egg. Drizzle with the cream sauce, and serve at once.

2. Crispy Bacon

3. Pancake

* Banana Pancakes

3 large free-range or organic eggs
115g plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
140ml milk
salt
2 knobs of butter
3 tablespoons caster sugar
4 bananas
crème fraîche

Separate the eggs, putting the whites into one bowl and the yolks into another.

Combine the plain flour, baking powder and milk with the egg yolks and mix until it forms a smooth, thick batter. Whisk the whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks. Fold the whites carefully into the batter – it is now ready to use.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat. Pour some of your batter into the pan and fry for a couple of minutes until it starts to look golden and firm. Loosen with a spatula and turn or flip the pancake over. Continue frying until golden.

Melt the butter and sugar in a separate pan over a very low heat until it forms a caramel sauce – this should take about 3 minutes.

Peel the bananas and cut them lengthways. Add them to the pan and cook gently until they are golden, turning them after a few minutes. Serve the bananas on the pancakes, topped with a good spoonful of crème fraîche.

4. Anything Potato

5. Peanut butter and Sweet Jam

6. Hot Hot Chocolate

* Triple Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 dash hot chili powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 cup cold milk

Combine the chocolate chips and milk in a glass or plastic dish, and microwave on high, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Mix in the coffee, cinnamon, and hot chili powder until the instant coffee has dissolved. Stir in the cold milk. Strain into 2 mugs. Thin with additional milk, if desired.