He's all grown up and off to university. It’s been a decade since the launch of In My Mother’s Kitchen. Hopefully Fin is armed and ready to cook using our family favourite tried and true simple dishes from In My Mother’s Kitchen.
Classic recipes for eggs, pasta and the grill. And easy on the pocketbook.
Share with your kids who may need some kitchen coaching from afar.
Eggs Every Way You Like Them
Egg in a Hole
Serves 4
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4 slices of whole-grain bread
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4 tsp butter
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4 eggs
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salt & pepper to taste
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1 tsp chives for garnish
Use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut a hole from the middle of each slice of bread.
In a large frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Put bread in pan and turn to coat with butter .
Cook bread for 1 min each side. Crack an egg into each hole and fry for 1-2 min, until eggs are set.
Flip and fry for 1 more min or until cooked to your liking.
Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chives.
Soft-Boiled “Grandie Eggs” with Soldier Fingers
Put eggs in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to boil over high heat
As soon as the water hits the boil, put the toast on.
Lower heat to a simmer and cook eggs 3 minutes
Butter toast and slice lengthwise into strips.
Put each egg in an egg cup, crack the top off, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dip with toast.
Scrambled Eggs
Serves 4
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4 eggs
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2 tsp milk
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1 tsp butter
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pinch each salt and pepper
In a small bowl, lightly whisk together eggs, milk and salt and pepper until completely combined.
Heat 7 or 8-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add butter and heat until foamy but not brown.
Pour in egg mixture. When eggs begin to set around edges, shake pan lightly and, using a spatula, gently push eggs across the pan back and forth.
Cook until eggs are almost set but still moist, about 1 min.
Kitchen Notes:
A good pan makes all the difference. Eggs are about the only thing I use a nonstick pan for. Nonstick is perfect for quickly cooking eggs.
Make sure the pan is good and hot before the eggs go in, so they cook quickly and end up fluffy, not rubbery.
Don’t overcook your eggs. They’re done pretty quickly, so don’t leave your post - don't answer the phone or check your email!
Remove the eggs from the pan when they’re still a bit moist. They will continue to cook even out of the pan.
Simple Omelette for One
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2 eggs
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2 tsp milk
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pinch each salt and pepper
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1 tsp butter
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2 tbsp diced vegetables and/or meat (see fillings below for ideas)
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2 tbsp grated or crumbled cheese
In a small bowl, lightly whisk together eggs, milk and salt and pepper until completely combined.
Heat 7 or 8-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add butter and heat until foamy but not brown.
Pour in egg mixture. When eggs begin to set around edges, shake pan lightly and, using a spatula, gently push eggs from edges to centre without stirring, so the uncooked portion flows underneath.
Cook until eggs are almost set but still moist, about 1 min.
Spoon veggie and/or meat fillings across the centre and cook for another 30 seconds, or until the underside is a light golden.
Sprinkle filling with cheese. Fold one side of omelette over filling then roll once in the same direction to close.
Tilt pan and slip omelette onto a plate
Fillings:
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red onion, finely chopped
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sweet red pepper, finely chopped
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button mushrooms, finely chopped
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chives or other fresh herbs, chopped
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spinach, chopped
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asparagus, chopped
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tomatoes, seeded and diced
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cheeses - chèvre, Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Gruyère
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meats - bacon, ham
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salsa
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whatever else you have in the fridge
Pasta Quickie with Tomatoes, Olives and Basil
Serves 4
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4 slices2 tbsp olive oil
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1 small onion, finely chopped
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2 cans (each 28oz) good-quality Italian plum tomatoes
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1 tsp sugar
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3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
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1 lb penne
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1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
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salt and pepper to taste
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leaves from 1 bunch of basil, coarsely chopped
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3/4 cup grated pecorino cheese
In a medium sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 min or until softened.
Add tomatoes with their juice. Add sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 min, squishing tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in vinegar and remove from heat.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and return pasta to the pot.
Off the heat, toss pasta with tomato sauce. Add olives and enough pasta water to give desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
Quickly toss in basil and 1/2 cup pecorino and serve immediately. Pass remaining pecorino at the table.
Kitchen Notes:
In the summertime, use 2lb fresh local tomatoes -grape, cherry or small vine-ripened - cut in half, tossed with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, then tossed with cooked hot pasta. You may need to add a bit more oil.
Variations: A welcome addition is 1/2 cup cooked chopped spicy Italian sausage. Substitute crumbled feta for the pecorino.
Simple Sole Meunière
Serves 4
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1/3 cup all-purpose flour
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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4 sole fillets (5 oz each)
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2 tbsp grapeseed oil
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2 tbsp
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butter
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1 tsp lemon zest
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1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)
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lemon wedges, for serving
Preheat oven to 250 F (120 C).
Combine flour with salt and pepper to taste in a large shallow plate. Pat sole dry with paper towels.
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large sautè pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp butter and quickly swirl. Dredge 2 sole fillets in the seasoned flour on both sides, carefully shaking off excess, and place them in the hot pan. Cook for 2 min until flesh loosens from the pan and is lightly golden underneath. Add half the lemon zest and half the lemon juice, then turn the fish carefully with a thin spatula. Cook 2 minutes on the other side.
As soon as fish is cooked through, carefully transfer to warm plates and keep fish warm in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining 2 fillets.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately with lemon wedges and a good sprinkle of chopped parsley and lemon zest. ( I have sometimes omitted the parsley - a classic ingredient for this dish - because the green flecks threw off the kids, but please add liberally!)
Served with steamed rice and your favourite vegetable. I love this fish with grilled asparagus and grilled radicchio.
Kitchen Notes:
Always ask at the fish counter when the fish came in - ideally, you want the same day.
Variations: If you want a little crunch, mix 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, in with the flour. You can also add a little Parmesan.
You can make a quick sauce in the same pan, melting 2 tbsp butter and swirling parsley and lemon juice to taste; pour over the fish.
Swap sole for another light white fish such as tilapia. Ask your fishmonger for local lake fish such as trout.
