Breakfasts

Smoked salmon French toast

Delicious, fluffy crumpets with smoked salmon, cream cheese and lemon
Makes 6
Preparation + cooking:  25 minutes
Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
  
• 6 crumpets
  
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• 200gm cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 lemon, juiced
  
• 200gm smoked salmon
  
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  
• Chives, finely sliced, to serve
  
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Whisk eggs and milk in a bowl.  Add the crumpets to the egg mixture and set aside, turning occasionally, for 30 seconds to soak.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan.  Cook crumpets for 1 to 2 minutes until golden.
3. Combine the cream cheese and lemon juice in a bowl.  Spread the cream cheese mixture over each crumpet.  Top with smoked salmon and sprinkle with chives.  Serve with lemon wedges.

Pancakes

Mum's recipe which brings back fond memories of family hovering around her eagerly waiting for the pancakes to bubble and cook
Makes 6 to 8, depending on size
Ingredients

• 1½ cups plain flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Pinch salt
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp butter or canola spray, for cooking

Method

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, except butter.
2. Melt butter in frying pan over medium high heat.
3. Place large spoonfuls of mixture into frying pan.  Cook until mixture starts to bubble.  Flip and cook on the other side.
4. Serve either hot or cold with your choice of toppings.

Notes
Transfer mixture to a jug to make it easier to pour
Substitute cream or buttermilk for the milk, it makes the pancakes really rich and creamy

Liver and bacon

Photo coming soon

A dish people love to hate, however, a delicious retro favourite
Ingredients

• ½ cup plain flour
• Salt and pepper
• 250gm lamb's fry or calf liver
• 4 bacon rashers
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp oil

Gravy

• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 250ml hot water
• 1 tbsp beef stock powder

Method

1. Season the flour with salt and pepper.  Remove any skin from the liver and slice into 2cm lengths.  Toss the liver in the flour to coat evenly.
2. Remove rind from bacon and chop roughly.  Heat oil in a pan and fry the bacon and onion over medium high heat until bacon is cooked and onion is soft.  Transfer to a plate.
   
3. Fry liver in the same pan for about 2 minutes on each side until lightly browned.  Remove to plate with bacon and onions.  Reserve pan juices to make gravy.
   
4. To make the gravy, add the flour to the reserved juices and stir until mixed through.  Dissolve the stock powder in the hot water.  Slowly add the stock to the pan, stirring until gravy is just bubbling, smooth and thickened.  Return liver, bacon and onions to the pan with the gravy.  Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until just heated through.  Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Notes
Substitute water and stock powder for 1 cup liquid beef stock
Be careful not to overcook the liver, it will toughen!
Liver and bacon is also delicious as a main meal served with mashed potato and green peas