FLOWER POT KITCHEN: BEAUTIFUL SOFT BOILED EGGS GLORIOUS

4 Oct 2011

BEAUTIFUL SOFT BOILED EGGS GLORIOUS

SOFT BOILED EGGS FROM THE GIRLS IN GRANDADS EGG CUP, ASPARAGUS WRAPPED IN JAMON SERRANO WITH A RICH VELVETY HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

2 fresh eggs
2 egg yolks
125g melted clarified butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
two slices jamon serrano
asparagus spears

TIMING IS THE KEY FOR THIS BREAKFAST WHICH MEANS PREP...

In a small tall pan fill 1/2 way with water, put the two eggs in and turn on high heat and time eggs for 6 minutes, as soon as 6 minutes is up take the eggs out and place in the egg cups, turn the pan down to medium heat and put the asparagus in, place a small bowl on top of the pan to make a bain marie, add the egg yolks and whisk, do not stop whisking, within a couple of minutes the yolks will have become thick and glossy, start to drizzle in the butter slowly but whisking all the time, once all the butter is in add the lemon juice and season to taste with white pepper and salt, don't stop whisking until you have turned off the heat, with the other hand lift out the asparagus and turn off the heat leaving the hollandaise sauce on top. Wrap the jamon around some of the asparagus spears, drizzle over the hollandaise sauce and enjoy your sunshine on a plate.

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LIFE MY PASSION

Welcome to my daily life of cooking, one winters day many years ago my family and I were all inspired by a back to back rainy day of River Cottage this got us to stop talking about and start actually doing, suddenly three weeks later eight vegetable beds were dug, greenhouse erected and our first vegetables were propagating, this was the start to raising and growing our own food, our fabulous son Oscar changed our path in life which lead us to sell our small thriving restaurant of 10 yrs and to start our new life (Terrifying!) a life of the self sufficient in touch with nature and seasons, taking a step back and looking forward to a slower change of pace and making the most of every moment.

My passion for cooking was stronger than ever and having time at home with Oscar I found I had a new direction and I was no longer striving for perfection, I was suddenly very passionate for the enjoyment of the other side of food, something I had not realised, being the Chef/Cook and every other duty of your own small restaurant made me see that I never actually took time to cook what I wanted!

So there I was muddy boots and hands digging deep in more than one sense and I found myself transported back in time to where everyone grew some of their own food, it is a wonderful world with a real sense of achievement and loss, Slugs Snails and Caterpillars! But thats another story! Childhood memories of summers when I lived with my grand parents reminded me of so much that I had learnt about the make do and mend generation that I had forgotten.

Now as a family we love our free wild food days where we gather what nature has provided, have gone from being mini mini garden urban small holders, who did raised pigs at home because we could not wait to find land and supporting ourselves from our garden to now owning a very small farm that allows us to grow more vegetables for the whole of our family and neighbours, raise our own gorgeous Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, (Sausages!) and pets! Dorset Down sheep, chickens for eggs and pet goats! Suddenly having large quantities of produce started to wake up the Cook in me!

The Cook was awake that part of me that wants to cook for the masses and I found myself setting up Flowerpot Kitchen, a Farmers Market Stall, I wanted to use our honest raised meats and make old fashioned pork pies, rabbit pies and game pies from the local game keeper along with old fashioned techniques and the best hot water crust pastry. This in turn grew to a small cottage industry from home weekly supplying three farm shops and a deli along with also attending three farmers markets A few years later there came a time when my son Oscar's health changed and it was an easy decision to stop.

I still hold the occasional pop up 40 seater restaurant or gourmet lunch which we do for local charities for the love of sharing food and to remind that Cook in me why I love our go slower self sufficient life!

So here I am sitting amoung the vegetables watching the chickens loving that every season nature teaches me something new and that nature is in charge! She has taught me to just go with it and grow. Give it a try from a tray of salad on your windowsill to a few tomato plants it all counts.