Recipe: Baked Egg in a Tomato Bowl

 

I love vegetables but I'm not a salad person.

I can eat steamed vegetables, hot chunky soups and stir fry all day err day but I'm not one to munch on lettuce and raw peppers. I also love eggs so I'm constantly looking for eggcellent ways to incorporate it into every meal that I eat. I spotted a picture of this dish on Instagram and set to explore this cracking idea further. I'm obsessed so I thought I'd share it with you too! : )

This is incredibly easy to make (so easy that I feel a bit silly writing a recipe on it) and would be great for any time of the day: breakfast, lunch, pre/post workout snack or even as a side to go with your dinner! Enjoy!

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YOU WILL NEED:

A beef tomato (bigger tomatoes works best)

A medium-large free range egg

Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Coriander (optional)

Shall we start?

 

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Using a sharp knife, slice the top of the tomato off. This will act as the 'lid' to your bowl.

 

2. Hollow out the inside of the tomato but leave a thick border as we wouldn't want our egg whites to leak out from any accidental holes! 

(You won't need the tomato bits for this recipe so you can either discard it or store it in a little bowl to munch on later on!)

 

3. It should look like this. Make sure you've gotten rid of the excess water inside too.

 

 

4. Crack the egg inside and ensure that everything is contained inside your tomato bowl and not spilling over the edges. 

5. Place your tomato bowl in the oven for 20-30 minutes depending on how well you'd like your eggs to be cooked. If you're a cheese person, take the egg out after 10 minutes, sprinkle on some parmesan or low fat mozzarella and put it back in for a further 10 minutes.

 

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I sprinkled on some coriander leaves for added flavour but feel free to top it with some spring onion, basil or even some steamed spinach or mushrooms! Bacon lovers could place a slice or two over the top too.

7. Enjoy!

That's all, yolks!

To pack this dish with even more nutrients, you could place some kale, mushrooms or spinach leaves at the base of the tomato before covering it with the egg. This would also taste great served alongside avocado or smoked salmon - eggs-periment with what you've got! ; )

Ok, I'm done with the egg puns. I'm egghausted!

If you end up making this, let me know how you got on with it - I'd love to know : )

Have a great rest of the day!

The Steyning Tea Rooms

A few weekends ago, we decided to take a break from city life for some afternoon tea and cake. The Steyning Tea Rooms is nestled in the heart of a quaint little town of Steyning and it sits between independent shops bursting with antique furniture and boutiques filled with vintage gems.

It's deliciously British and the exterior alone is inviting enough to escape from our technology-filled lives for an hour or two, right? Spot the colourful bunting and flower baskets in front of the pastel painted door. Shall we go inside?

As soon as you step in, you're welcomed with the sweet smell of freshly baked cakes and a warm smile from the waitresses. It was completely full but we perched on a side table and waited for an available seat whilst drinking in the shabby chic inspired interior.

Shelves were adorned with hand painted ornaments and different shaped teapots. The wooden chairs didn't match and were gathered around tables decorated with flower pots and bowls of sugar.

I felt like a character from a fairy tale: Little Red Riding Hood at her granny's humble abode for a slice of cake or two. It was magical.

We were presented with a laminated menu of sweet and savoury choices ranging from a hearty fry up, hot bowls of homemade soup to a medley of baked goods. It would be a crime to not indulge in a slice of cake before washing it down with some tea served in a delicate teacup and saucer, eh?

I opted for a teapot of lapsang souchong and Jordan had his caffeine fix with a cappuccino. We shared a generous slab of Victoria sponge and were told upon ordering that it was a customer favourite. The sponge was light, the filling had the right amount of sweetness and it tasted home baked in the best possible way. I wanted to curl up in a quilted blanket and read my favourite book stopping only for a bite of this. One slice was plenty and left us room for the giant fruit scone that arrived with its accompanying pots of clotted cream and strawberry jam.

The picture above doesn't do this sultana filled scone any justice. It was huge and even sharing half of one initially seemed difficult to finish (until we slathered it with the spreads and realised that we'd make room in our stomachs for this). It was still beautifully warm from the oven and no crumbs were spared. It wasn't dotted with delicate sugar roses or piped with a ring of rich buttercream icing but it didn't need the fancy frills and decorations. It's a classic staple of British afternoon tea in its own right, it tasted decadent yet was still comforting.

Whilst I wouldn't complain of sampling fruit tarts and an assortment of macarons at a posh hotel, I have a feeling that it'd have a hard time beating the overall experience of a quick stop off at a tea room like this.

You won't be greeted with glasses of champagne or a cake stand filled with the very best fondant fancies and carefully decorated fruit tarts but you will feel like you're surrounded with the loveliest home comforts with rickety furniture and a roaring fireplace all served with a china teapot and a mismatched teacup and saucer.

Who needs 5* hotels when you can feel right at home?

Spit & Roast - Street Feast @ Hawker House

I really love fried chicken.

And chilli anything.

I love burgers too.

So what do you get when you combine them all under a sesame topped bun with slaw and a river of Korean hot sauce?

Perfection that is Spit & Roast's Buttermilk Fried Chicken Bap, that's what. 

  

Specialising in rotisserie meat and known for their buttermilk fried chicken, Spit & Roast were another food trader that I was keen to try out at Hawker House (click here for more information about Street Feast and my post on Yum Bun). 

With my appetite now in full swing, we joined the queue and waited excitedly for our turn to get our hands on their baps (couldn't resist). The slow rotisserie pork belly sounded pretty dandy with their Memphis BBQ sauce but my eyes were fixed on the chicken.

It's marinated overnight in buttermilk before it's soaked in a secret pillow of spice and deep-fried until it's at the delicious shade of golden goodness. The Korean hot sauce appears to be a concoction of Sriracha sauce (instant win), peanut butter (double win), rice wine and light soy sauce.

SRIRACHA AND PEANUT BUTTER TOGETHER?!
Just give me a second.

   

This is Jordan after his first bite of the bap. That smug face of his says it all.

Too bad that shortly after this, I snatched the second half to spend some much-needed quality time with it. Note, at this point, I wasn't concerned with being particularly lady-like and devoured the burger in a matter of seconds (stopping occasionally to utter a 'oh my GOODNESS' to a sulking Jordan. He had his turn.)

 

The chicken was beautifully crisp with the perfect amount of spice. It was lightly battered and wasn't soaked in grease. Chicken has a danger of being marinated well on the outside but be extremely dry and bland as soon as you bite into it but there were no dangers of this happening with Spit & Roast's offering. We were wiping away the juices dribbling down our chins and licking away at the tell-tale signs of chilli sauce on our lips.

Speaking of the Korean hot sauce, it was the perfect marriage with the buttermilk chicken. Everything is always made better with spice and this was no exception. My tummy is already rumbling at the thought of this.

I'm never a fan of sesame-topped buns but would happily overlook it when considering the quality and taste of everything else. 10/10. Perfection. Beautiful.

GIVE ME MORE.

We were getting full at this point so couldn't stomach the food from the other vendors but Fundi's Pizzas, Breddos Tacos and Bleecker Burger were rustling up dishes that smelt and looked incredible too. Don't worry, we'll be back for you.

Unfortunately, Spit & Roast aren't currently trading at Hawker House but you can find them at KERB Kings Cross and Brockley Market. Follow them on Twitter to be updated with their latest news and for the love of fried chicken, give their buttermilk baps a try.

Yum Bun, Street Feast @ Hawker House

Street Feast @ Hawker House:

Address: 38-50 Pritchards Road, London, E2 9AP

Nearest Tube: Bethnal Green

Nearest Train: Cambridge Heath

 

Has this gotten your attention?

Good. It's about to get better. 

Forget roses, chocolate covered strawberries and teddy bears for Valentine's this year - the key to the heart (well, to mine at least) is good food and I've got just the ticket if you're scrambling for a last-minute date idea or fancy a foodie weekend.

Behold: Hawker House.

Every Friday and Saturday from 5pm-midnight until 21st/22nd March, London's finest street food magicians are here to feed you with the best grub that they have to offer. Think of an old factory filled with a giant disco ball, twinkling fairylights, mulled wine, hot cider and the greatest (but positively filthy) food stalls you can imagine. Now, I don't know about you but that's my perfect night ever right there.

Forget romantic candlelit dinners, I want my hands on the filthiest burger, fried chicken baps and steamed buns that these people have to offer... and go back for thirds.

 

I know, I couldn't believe something as amazing as this exists either.

Time for a drink to let this magical land sink in:



The view from the bar - isn't she a beauty? We turned up at 6PM (I had been saving my tummy all day for this and couldn't wait any longer. Going earlier means you're one of the first in the queue whereas going later means you can be merry, have a dance and eat your burger too. It's entirely up to you!)



El Diablo: Tequila, creme de cassis, lime, ginger and soda. Summer in a festival-sized cup.



After slurping that down (and predicting my tipsiness in 3...2...1...), I ran towards the first food stall I was keen to check off my list: Yum Bun. I've stalked them on Twitter for the longest time and have waited for the day that I could try their famous steamed buns. They used to have a pop-up shop but have since left. No fear though, they'll be returning in April this year with a bigger shop (with apparently more variety of buns) - look out for me - I'll be the first one in the line. In the meantime, keep up to date with their trading days on their Twitter page.



If you know me, you'll know my love for dim sum and my penchant for steamed buns. Inspired by Asian cuisine, these pockets of heaven didn't escape my eyes (or tum) and I think I scared the staff when I excitedly squealed upon ordering. Patience, young grasshopper.

 We opted for 2 buns to share (as much as I wish that we could've had 2 each, I had to prepare my body for the many other food stalls I had on my list, why don't I have 4 stomachs like a cow?! why?)

The first was the chicken bun:
Japanese fried chicken, tartare mayo, lettuce and chilli dressing.



An Asian twist of a traditional chicken burger. It won't excite your taste buds with extraordinary and mind-blowing flavours but it will offer you the comfort of a well-loved classic (with a winning steamed bun in replacement of the standard sesame topped bun).  

It wasn't greasy in the slightest and the lightly battered chicken had the perfect amount of crispiness. The cloud-shaped buns were fluffy and light yet had no problem with providing enough structure to the over bursting fillings.

The second was the pork bun:
Slow-roasted Blythburgh pork belly, cucumbers, hoi-sin sauce and spring onions. 



If you're a lover of the components that make up duck pancakes and a fan of tender meat, this is a must order and as usual, Jordan and I made some pretty awkward sounds when we first bit into it. It was delicious.

The pork belly was beautifully cooked and melted in your mouth upon contact. The hoisin sauce blended with the texture of the meat perfectly and the drizzle of sriracha sauce just about topped it off. The cucumber slices were refreshing and the steamed bun held their own, held the fillings and wasn't soggy in the slightest but offered a touch of chewiness (which worked well!)

I'm drooling just thinking about it.

Oh, the anticipation. In the tum, you go!

My reaction says it all - love at first bite ;)

I had a hard time eating only a half of it and begrudgingly handed it over to a waiting and open-mouthed Jordan. They're simply too good to share and the good news is, they have a more extensive menu consisting of fish, mushroom, duck and salmon buns all with their respective fillings and fair share of sauces. Two months to go and those babies will be mine.



Out of excitement and pure clumsiness, some of the sauce landed on my lap. I don't care, I would still lick it clean.

To the other buns, I'll be back for you.

In the wise words of Pokemon, I gotta catch them all (and eat it all up).

Look out for the continued Hawker House posts in the next week or so, I'll be reviewing Spit & Roast's chicken burger and You Doughnut (prepare yourselves, they're good'uns and will make your stomach groan with longing)

Grab your other half, your best friends or a randomer off the street this Valentine's Day and head down to Hawker House. You won't be disappointed. Forever alone? Bring your stomach and treat it to a wild night of food and booze.

Who says love is dead?

Recipe: Kale Chips (Healthy Crispy Seaweed)

It may come as a surprise but growing up, my sisters and I were rarely allowed to eat the takeaway dishes that our parents prepared for the customers.

"We cook and serve it 24/7, we don't want it for dinner too!"

"It's not healthy. Have some steamed pak choi instead."

 On the occasions that we did have the odd dinner, we'd request duck pancakes, kung po chicken and a mountain of crispy seaweed. The thing is, we'd glug galleons of water before we've even cleared our first bowl of food and would wake up with hideously puffy faces from the high sodium levels. That wasn't so pretty.

Fun fact, crispy seaweed isn't actually made from seaweed. It's actually green cabbage that's been throughly deep-fried, overloaded with salt and soaked in oil before it's liberally sprawled all over your plate.

I'll let you on a little secret though...

I've perfected my recipe for a healthy version of the dish. It tastes exactly like it, doesn't have nearly as much trans fat and calories, it's super easy to prepare and it's made out of the king of superfoods: kale. All hail the kale.

Kale is classed as a 'nutritional powerhouse' - a single serving will provide you with your entire day's worth of Vitamin A, C and K (which will reduce the risk of various cancers!) It's a powerful antioxidant, high in fibre and rich in iron so munch away! This will satisfy your cravings for crisps and fries and you will be addicted. You've been warned.

You will need:

Handfuls of kale

A swirl of olive oil

A pinch of sea salt

A sprinkle of chilli flakes/paprika (toppings optional)

That's it!

1) Wash your kale well. Drain the excess water with kitchen towels or a salad spinner and make sure it's as dry as possible. This is especially important as soggy kale will only lead to soggy seaweed. Preheat oven to 200C.

- Most people opt to chop off the stalks of the kale so only the leaves remain. This will give it more of a uniform 'crispy seaweed' taste but it's entirely up to you. I personally like the odd chewy texture of the stems!

2) Spread the kale in a single layer over an oiled baking tray. I've used a reusable baking sheet so there wasn't a need to pre-grease it beforehand. Make sure there's enough space for it to 'breathe' and it isn't too closely packed in together. Again, this is important as this will help give it the crunch that we're after!

3) Drizzle a generous swirl of olive oil and sprinkle your 'seaweed' with a dusting of sea salt. Flaked chunky sea salt works really well and gives it a lovely crystallised effect. However, I've used chilli sea salt this time for an added kick! Toppings wise, it's completely down to your personal preference. Chilli flakes and paprika are great and rosemary will boost its flavour!

4) Time for a kale party. Give them some lovin' and a good ol' shake to ensure that everything is seasoned evenly and well.

5) Shove it in the oven for 8-12 minutes or until it crisps up and resembles crispy seaweed as you know it. Keep a very close eye on it as it can brown (and then taste like coal) in a matter of seconds. Beady eyes here, guv'nor.

6) Here's one that I made earlier (I've always wanted a Blue Peter moment). 

7) Transfer to a pretty bowl (or a bucket in my case) and enjoy!

It's the perfect film snack albeit not a very quiet one ;)

If you give this a go, let me know how you get on with it!