eggs jenedict

For our anniversary, I bought a jar of delicious Maille Hollandaise sauce as a treat for Eggs Benedict. Two weeks later, I'm still mainlining the sauce - using it at any possible occasion. A modified version of ol' EB has been my favourite:

Eggs Jenedict
(serves 1)

1 slice of bread, toasted
1 sliced of cheddar
1 egg,
1 big ol' scoop of Hollandaise
1 tbsp salted capers

Toast the bread. Top with the cheese and broil/grill for a couple of minutes.

Poach the egg. Remove from the water and ensure all excess moisture has dripped off. Place on the cheese toast and top with hollandaise and capers.

Now obviously I could just as soon smear the sauce on my legs - though I wouldn't get to taste its wonderful goodness. And over the years, Mock Hollandaise Sauce has worked extremely well. Here's my variation on a South Beach recipe for it; it's a good 'un:

Mock Hollandaise
(serves 2)

1 egg, whisked
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
dash ground red pepper

Combine the egg and the olive oil in a Pyrex jug.

Microwave on low (20%) for 1 minute, stirring once halfway through cooking, until the mixture is softened.

Stir the lemon juice and mustard into the egg mixture.

Microwave on low for 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until thickened. Stir in the pepper.

If the mixture curdles, use a hand blender on it for 30 seconds, until smooth.

soupe au pistou... oui oui!

When in doubt, go French. That’s what the experts say, right? Classic French cooking, though not an everyday occurrence, still gets top ratings from the ol’ Michelin star chefs.

But I’m thinking – in the vain of the lovely Disney flick Ratatouille – of rustic French cooking. Soups packed with chunky vegetables and topped with a spoon or two of pesto and crème fraiche. Soupe au pistou = soup with pesto.

Aside from the fact that it tastes absolutely brilliant, it’s healthy too. Even South Beach diet recommends it – and it's in Phase 1 even, that generally horrid phase when you’re not allowed to each much of anything. Click here for their version.

Like any veggie soup, the choice is yours as to whether you do or don’t add specific vegetables. That choice could be dictated by what’s in your freezer or fridge, or the time of year. In summer I’d make my own pistou – but right now I think it’s best to stick with the jar.

In any case, here’s my version:

Soupe au pistou
(serves 2 generously, with leftovers)

3 medium leeks, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
4 stalks celery, sliced and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
250 g button mushrooms, quartered
1 large courgette, sliced into rounds
½ a small cabbage, sliced thinly (shredded even)
2 litres of chicken or vegetable broth
1 stalk rosemary
salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp crème fraiche
4 tbsp green pesto

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, and add the leeks, carrot and celery. Sauté over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, covering if necessary.

Add the mushrooms, courgettes, rosemary and cabbage and mix together. Add the broth and season well. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, check the seasoning. Ladle into large bowls and spoon over the crème fraiche and pesto. As an extra option, a few twists of cracked red pepper is quite nice.

Calories per (quite large) serving: 330. And it’s very filling. (For the whole rest of the night, I didn’t once think about how I’d like chocolate!)

To keep the heartier eaters happy, serve with slices of bread or baguette.

Tell me you don’t love that soup.