MAKES
1 loaf
My mum is my hero, my best friend and the best lemon sultana loaf maker. This recipe is a corker and delicious served in slices with afternoon tea. My favourite way to eat it, however, is when it’s a few days old. Simply toast a slice and spread with butter or my Lemon, Lime and Thyme Curd recipe on.
INGREDIENTS:
225g golden sultanas
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
225g self-raising flour
100g very cold butter, cubed
juice and zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
100g agave syrup
1 egg, beaten
sea salt
EQUIPMENT:
2lb (900g) loaf tin, greased and lined with greaseproof paper
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/Gas mark 3.
Put the sultanas into a bowl with 150ml boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, sift the flour and a pinch of salt, and rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add the lemon zest.
With a metal spoon, stir in the agave syrup, lemon juice, egg, sultanas and their soaking liquid. Gently fold everything together until combined.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 40–50 minutes or until the top is golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool fully on a wire rack before slicing.
TIP:
If you don’t have agave syrup, that’s no problem. Just use honey instead.
HALLOUMI, PROSCIUTTO AND SMASHED AVOCADO SARNIE WITH MUSTARD MAPLE SYRUP DIP
SERVES
2
There’s something immensely satisfying about dipping a sandwich into maple syrup, and when the sandwich contains everything you want from a breakfast sarnie, you’re onto a winner. This is the best possible combination of salty and sweet, tangy and mellow. If you don’t like avocado, replace with fresh spinach or sliced tomatoes and dip away.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp olive oil
250g halloumi cheese, sliced into 6 slices
90g prosciutto, about 6 slices
a small loaf of artisan crusty bread, such as sourdough
1 avocado
100ml maple syrup
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp olive oil
METHOD:
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan over a medium–high heat. Add the halloumi slices and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside.
Add the prosciutto slices to the same pan and cook for a few minutes until crisp. Transfer to the same plate as the halloumi.
Pop the slices of bread down into the pan and toast for a couple of minutes on each side until slightly charred.
Slice the avocado in half, remove the stone and spoon the flesh into a bowl. Using a fork, mash the avocado until it has a chunky consistency.
To assemble the sandwiches, spread one side of the toasted bread with half the avocado mixture, top with halloumi and prosciutto and top with the other piece of bread. Repeat.
Split the maple syrup between two mini bowls with half a teaspoon of mustard seeds in each. Simply dunk the sarnies in the mustard maple syrup for a pop of sweet and heat!
HOT SMOKED SALMON, WATERCRESS AND DILL POTATO CAKES
SERVES
4
If you’re having people over for brunch, this is a nice alternative to the ubiquitous smoked salmon on toast. It’s easier than it looks and you can use any potatoes you have, although I prefer the texture of Desirée potatoes for this. Equally, if you can’t get hold of hot smoked salmon, then regular slices of smoked salmon will work just as well. An easy but elegant dish.
INGREDIENTS:
200g Desirée potatoes, scrubbed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO SERVE:
100g hot smoked salmon
2 large handfuls of watercress
1 lemon, quartered
EQUIPMENT:
At least one round pastry cutter
METHOD:
Using a vegetable peeler, shave the potatoes into long ribbons. Pop them in a bowl, season with a pinch of salt and stir well.
Gather the potato ribbons up and squeeze out any excess water. Discard the water, return the potatoes to the bowl along with the black pepper and dill and stir well.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Divide the potato ribbon pile in four, and, using a round pastry cutter as a guide, create four circular potato cakes in the pan. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, just mould the cakes using your hands. Push them down a little and cook for 4–5 minutes on either side until golden brown.
Once cooked, remove the cakes from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.
To serve, top the potato cakes with the salmon and watercress and a wedge of lemon on the side.
SWEETCORN FRITTERS, WITH BACON AND A QUICK TOMATO CHUTNEY
SERVES
4 CHUTNEY MAKES 1 MEDIUM-SIZED JAR
Deep-fried fritters and bacon for breakfast – YES! This dish is my go-to for Sunday brunch, and whenever I make it I’m left with a delicious jar of tomato chutney in the fridge to have with cheese and biscuits later. This is a light batter, so the sweetcorn doesn’t get eclipsed and the fritter’s not too doughy.
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CHUTNEY:
200g red onion, finely chopped
400g tomatoes, deseeded and roughly chopped
60ml red wine vinegar
120g brown sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE FRITTERS:
2 eggs
2