Eggs are not only for breakfast, they are actually ideal for every meal during the day.
Because they are packed with protein, they make the meal.
I find that eggs are my best standby ingredient to always have on hand.
Combined with a few other ingredients, you can always conjure up a nutritious dish to serve the family in no time at all. The dish I probably make the most with eggs is a frittata. It’s one of those dishes where you can raid the fridge and use all sorts of leftovers, bits of cheese and stray vegetables to bring together a tasty dish.
The good thing about a frittata is that it is also great served cold, making it ideal to pack any leftovers into lunch boxes the next day.
My newest discovery is serving the frittata with a herbed yoghurt sauce. It really lifts the flavour, so give it a try.
Use this versatile standby for all your meals, says Angela Day
HERB AND BEETROOT FRITTATA
Serves 8
30ml olive oil
2 red onions, sliced in wedges
5ml chopped garlic
3ml ground coriander
3ml ground cinnamon
3ml turmeric
4-5 boiled beetroot, diced
6 eggs
250ml cream
5ml baking powder
80g fresh coriander, chopped
20g fresh parsley, chopped
20g fresh dill, chopped
20g fresh mint, chopped
250ml Greek yoghurt
3 spring onions, finely sliced
60ml pomegranate rubies
5ml dried mint
30ml lemon juice
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the spices and fry for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and arrange the beetroot.
In a jug whisk together the eggs, cream and baking powder well. Stir in the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper.
Pour over the onion beetroot mixture in the pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until just set. Remove and cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate.
Combine the yoghurt, spring onion, pomegranate, dried mint and lemon juice in a bowl and mix well.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the frittata.
EGG AND BACON TART
Makes 2
500g roll of puff pastry
125ml bought pasta sauce
250g bacon bits, fried until crispy
500ml grated mozzarella cheese
8 eggs
125g cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper
45ml chopped chives
Unroll the pastry and cut it into two equal squares.
Score a 1cm border on the inside of each square. Prick the inside of the square with a fork.
Divide the pasta sauce between the two tarts and spread over the inner base.
Divide the bacon between the two tarts. Sprinkle each with cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and break 4 eggs over each tart. Add tomatoes and season well.
Return to the oven and cook until the eggs are done to your liking, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped chives before serving.
SAUCY KORMA EGGS
Serves 6
30ml oil
1 red onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
15ml chopped ginger
15-20ml korma paste
3 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
45ml ground almonds
250ml vegetable stock
15ml apricot jam
salt and pepper
45ml chopped coriander
10-12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
basmati rice for serving
Heat the oil in a pot and fry the onion, garlic and ginger over a medium heat until soft.
Add the korma paste and cook for a minute.
Add the tomatoes and ground almonds and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock, apricot jam and seasoning and simmer until the tomatoes are soft.
If desired, you can make the sauce smooth by pureeing with a stick blender.
Gently stir in the coriander and eggs and serve on rice.
EGGS WITH HASH AND CHORIZO
Serves 4-6
2 large potatoes, peeled and grated
1 onion, peeled and grated
250ml grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
olive oil for frying
1 chorizo sausage, sliced and cooked
4 eggs
micro herbs for decorating
Put the grated potato into a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Place the potato in a bowl and add the onion, cheese and seasoning. Mix well.
Heat a little oil in an ovenproof frying pan or shallow casserole dish.
Press the potato mixture into the pan and cook over a medium heat until the base is browned.
Place the casserole in a preheated oven of 180°C for 15 minutes until the top is golden.
Remove from the oven. Arrange the chorizo over the top. Break 4 eggs over the mixture.
Cover with a lid or tin foil and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the eggs are done to your liking.
Remove and serve sprinkled with micro-herbs.
SON-IN-LAW EGGS
Serves 6
500ml water
5ml salt
250ml jasmine rice
1 bunch of spring onions, sliced
60ml brown sugar
60ml tamarind puree
60ml water
30ml lime juice
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
6 eggs
oil, for deep frying
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 red chilli, sliced
Bring the water to a boil, add the salt and stir in the rice.
Simmer over a low heat until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked.
Remove and stir in half the spring onions.
In a small pot, stir together the sugar, tamarind and water over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
Stir in the lime juice.
Fry the onions until crisp. Set aside until needed.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water and salt to a gentle boil, add the eggs very carefully and boil for 5 minutes.
Drain under cold water, peel and dry on some paper towel.
Half fill a medium-sized pot with oil and heat. Deep fry the eggs, one at a time, until golden. Drain on paper towel.
Allow to cool slightly, slice in half and transfer to a serving plate.
Pour over the sugar tamarind sauce.
Scatter over the crispy onions, diced red pepper and chilli slices and serve with the rice.