Magic mushrooms

An unknown man commented to me in the street today "You're dressed for the weather"... It didn't sound entirely complimentary. In other news, my housekeeping skills have been especially poor these past few days and I've really been scraping the barrel/bottom of the fridge. But I found a pack of mushrooms - best before a couple of days ago - and squeezed two tasty meals out of them. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Fun guys in the woods

Bacon and mushroom spaghetti for one

Put half a pack of sliced mushrooms, half a pack of lardons and a half a thinly sliced onion in a frying pan with a small knob of butter and cook until everything is soft. Meanwhile cook a handful of spaghetti. Beat an egg, add a splash of double cream and plenty of pepper and set aside for a moment. Drain the pasta and tip it into the frying pan with all the lovely stuff. Pour in the egg and cream mixture and stir well over a low heat for a couple of minutes before serving with grated Parmesan.

Cheese and mushroom quesadilla for one

Cook half a thinly sliced onion and half a pack of sliced mushrooms together in a pan with a small knob of butter. Meanwhile heat the oven to about 200/gas 6 and grate a handful of cheese. Place a flour tortilla on a baking sheet then cover it with the cheese and mushroom/onion mix. Top with another tortilla and bake for about 5-10 minutes until lightly browned on top. Eat hot with leftover salsa and guacamole.

Egging you on...

Did you know it's British Egg Week? I've lost track of whether they're good for you (Omega 3), bad for you (cholesterol), or indeed whether they came before or after the chicken. If in doubt, stick to Creme Eggs. They are, however, amazingly versatile in sweet and savoury dishes, from gooey chocolate mousse to crisp meringues and fluffy soufflés. Here's a couple of easy eggy ideas for today:

Don't put them all in one basket

Frittata (basic model)

One or two onions
Bacon or lardons
New potatoes
Eggs (5-8)
Cheese - any kind, from grated Cheddar to sliced goat's cheese

Also consider adding: shelled broad beans, peas, herbs (especially basil), chorizo...

Cook the onions slowly in a frying pan until they are transparent and sweet, adding the bacon about halfway through. Meanwhile, cook a handful of new potatoes and whisk together the eggs. Grate or slice your cheese. Cut the cooked potatoes into chunks and add them to the bacon and onion, stirring to help them absorb the flavours. Pre-heat the grill. Then pour the eggs into the pan and cook on a low-medium heat until nearly set underneath but still runny on top. Put the cheese on top and stick the pan under the grill until the cheese is melted and just beginning to brown (any longer and you risk over-cooking, resulting in a tasty-but-rubbery end product).

I think this gets better as it cools, so leave it for a few minutes or a few hours at room temperature before slicing into wedges and serving with: baked beans (for undiscerning palates), a green salad, tomatoes, salsa...

Bread and Butter Pudding

8 medium slices bread
butter
2 eggs
425ml whole milk
nutmeg - optional
50g sultanas/any dried fruit optional

Butter the bread and cut into triangles. Grease a dish (with butter) and add a layer of bread triangles.  Sprinkle with some of the sugar and dried fruit, repeating until everything is used up. Whisk the eggs and a generous pinch of nutmeg into the milk and pour into the dish, pressing the bread down gently to absorb the liquid. Bake at 180 degrees/gas 4 for about 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the mixture is set.

Eat with cream, custard, ice cream, fruit compote, chocolate sauce, sliced bananas, anything. My best ever bread-and-butter pudding features croissants, chocolate and brandy. But that's for another day.

Yesterday's fajitas