Salmon, mushroom and egg pie

This simple pie dish is inspired by a recipe from Donna Hay, where she created a simple pie dish with bacon, spinach and egg with store-bought puff pastry for the pie shells and tops. I have made this many times and absolutely love it.

To make it a healthier dish, I used salmon cubes instead of bacon. Instead of spinach, I tried using mushrooms which also works well for the pie. I used the 6-big muffin tray to make 6 individual pies.

There are no other spices for the pies other than the salt and pepper. Yet, the taste is sooo amazing. The combination of salmon, mushrooms and egg really does work! The crispiness of the puff pastry makes it perfect. Absolutely adore the clean taste of the pie. It’s simple, healthy and delicious…

The pies can be enjoyed for breakfast or snack or dinner :). We had them for dinner with garden salad and on its own as a light snack after our badminton game :).

(inspired by the recipe from Donna Hay, Donna Hay magazine Aug/Sep 2009 issue 46)

(makes 6 individual pies)

• 200 gr fresh salmon
• 300 gr button mushroom
• 6 eggs
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 sheets store-bought ready puff pastry
• 1 extra egg for the eggwash (or use milk)

Step 1. Remove the skin of the salmon and chop the salmon into 1.5cm cubes. Thinly slice the mushrooms.

Step 2. Heat a wok with olive oil over medium fire. Add the mushrooms and fry until brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the salmon cubes and cook for 1 minute and turn off the fire. Let it cool.

Step 3. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Meanwhile line the puff pastry into the muffin holes of a 6-big muffin tray. One sheet of store-bought puff pastry is enough for 4 holes. So 6 holes require 1½ sheets. Trim the edges and use them to cover the the entire muffin holes.

Step 4. Divide the salmon and mushroom mixture into the holes and make a shallow well in the middle of each mixture for the egg. Crack one egg over the well so the egg yolk will fill up the well. Distribute the egg white over the pie and it will fill up the gap between the salmon and mushrooms. Do the same for all 6 pies. Cover the pies with the remaining puff pastry and press the edges with fork. Prick the top of the pies with fork or knife carefully so you don’t get the egg yolk. Brush the top of the pies with the extra egg or milk.

Step 5. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

simple, healthy and delicious 🙂

xxx,
Inge

 

Thai-style pork parcels

‘I love fresh basil and coriander’

This recipe is another one from the cookbook ‘Egg’ by Alex Barker. With the eggs, we’ll make simple omelettes to make parcel wrappings. For the fillings, it’s Thai-inspired stir fry mince pork cooked with fish sauce, tomatoes, chillies and herbs.

Fresh coriander is used in the book. Since I have fresh coriander and basil in the fridge and cannot decide which one I should use, I decided to use both herbs. The mince pork filling is tasty; it’s sour, salty, spicy plus you get the fresh flavour from the herbs. What a contrast to the delicate taste of the eggs. Best served with hot steamed jasmine rice 🙂

Thai-style pork parcels

(adapted from ‘Egg’ by Alex Barker, 2000)

(makes 4 parcels)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 300 gr minced pork
• 3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 4 red chillies, finely chopped
• 1 small handful fresh basil leaves
• 1 small handful fresh coriander leaves
• salt and black pepper
• extra basil and coriander to garnish

Omelettes

• 6 eggs
• 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
• 4 teaspoons olive oil

Eggs and fish sauce

Step 1. Heat the oil in a wok, add the garlic and onion, and fry for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add the pork and fry for about 8 minutes until lightly browned.

Step 2. Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, tomatoes, chilli, salt and pepper; simmer until slightly thickened. Mix in fresh basil and coriander.

Step 3. To make the omelettes, whisk together the eggs and fish sauce. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add a quarter of the beaten egg mixture and tilt the pan to spread the egg into a thin, even sheet. Cook until the omelette is just set, then spoon a quarter of the filling into the center. Fold into a neat square parcel by bringing the opposite sides of the omelette towards each other – first the top and bottom, then the right and left sides.

Step 4. Place the parcel onto a plate, folded side down. Repeat with the rest of oil, eggs and filling. Garnish with fresh basil and coriander and serve with steamed rice.

Thai-style pork parcel served with steamed jasmine rice

It’s seriously good 🙂

xxx,
Inge

 

Smoked fish and potato pie

This pie recipe is from the cookbook titled ‘Egg’ by Alex Barker. This cookbook is the first cookbook I bought, and this was wayyy back before I love cooking :). Obviously I was not keen to cook when I bought it, but was mesmerised by the photos inside the book 😛

'Egg' by Alex Barker

This pie is a simple pie made from smoked cod fillets, potatoes and eggs :). It’s pretty healthy indeed. The egg whites were whisked until stiff, and this makes the pie light and fluffy and no need to add cream or milk or lots of butter :). The smoked cod fillets can easily be found in most supermarkets. They are already salty, so do not season the potato mash with too much salt.

(adapted from recipe by Alex Barker – ‘Egg’ by Alex Barker, 2000)

(serves 4)

• 500 gr smoked cod, soaked for 20 minutes in cold water
• 500 gr cooked, peeled potatoes, kept warm
• 50 gr butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped spring onions, plus extra to garnish
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and black pepper

Smoked cod - soak for 20 mins

Brushed potatoes for the mash

Chopped spring onions

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Drain smoked cod, place in a large pan, cover in cold water and bring to simmering point. Poach the fish for 5-7 minutes until it flakes easily. Cool slightly, then drain well and remove the skin and bones.

Smoked cod flakes

Step 2. Mash the potatoes thoroughly with the butter, spring onions, egg yolks, salt and pepper. Stir in the flaked fish and lemon juice. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the potato and fish mixture.

Step 3. Spoon into a buttered, deep ovenproof dish and bake for 45 minutes or until golden on top.

Spoon the mixture to ovenproof dish and bake

Smoked fish and potato pie

xxx,
Inge

 

Omelette

One of my fave breakfast dishes is fried egg. Fried, scrambled, sunny-side up or omelette served with toast, bacon, tomato, mushroom, spinach or baked beans… whatever you fancy.

The omelette I often make was inspired by the omelette I had in Marriot hotel, Jakarta. I stayed there for about 3 months during my work assignment in Jakarta. I had the buffet breakfast in the hotel every morning and loved the omelette they serve. The chefs cooked them in front of the guests. And after 3 months I saw them making the omelettes, it would be so wrong if I can’t make it myself, wouldn’t it?

Be creative with the ingredients to compliment the egg; diced tomato, diced mushroom, diced bacon, diced capsicum, etc.. This morning I made the omelette with diced tomato, chopped parsley and grated parmesan.

Omelette
(serves 2)

• 4 eggs
• 1 ripe tomato
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Ingredients for omelette

Step 1. Cut the tomato into 8 wedges and discard the seeds. Dice the wedges.

Step 2. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper and beat lightly.

Step 3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small non-stick frying pan over small fire. Pour half of the egg mixture onto the pan, add half of the diced tomato, leave for about 10 seconds, then lightly scramble the egg and fry for about 10 seconds.

Pour the egg onto the pan

Add chopped tomato to the egg mixture

Lightly scramble the egg

Step 4. Push the egg to half of the pan, scatter 1 tablespoon of cheese on top of half of the egg, then fold the other half of the egg on top of the cheese.

Scatter the cheese on top of half the egg

Fold the egg

Step 5. Fry the egg for about 30 seconds or until golden brown, turn over and fry for another 30 seconds or until golden brown. Do the same for the remaining ingredients.

Fry the omelette until golden brown

Omelette

xxx,
Inge

 

Egg and Avo on Toasted Bagel

One of  my favourite breads is bagel. Bagel has a shape like a doughnut and it is more dense , chewy and a bit sweeter than normal bread.

Bagel is nice to be enjoyed on its own. Just simply halve, toast them, and spread with margarine.

This morning I added an omelette and avocado slices on the toasted bagel. I thought this combination works really well.

Avocado is considered as one of the best superfoods. Nutrients information of avocado can be found here: http://www.avocado.org.au/nutrition/nutritional_information.aspx

Egg and Avo on Toasted Bagel

(serves 2)

• 1 bagel, halved
• 1 avocado, halved then sliced
• 3 eggs

Step 1. Crack the eggs on a bowl and lightly beat them with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2. Put a little bit of olive oil in a small frying pan and heat over a medium fire.  Cook the eggs to your liking. I like the eggs folded, not scrambled. Pour the egg mixture, after 10 seconds, fold the eggs continuously until it’s cooked (but not browned) – this will take about 30-40 seconds.

Step 3. Toast the bagel in the toaster.

Step 4. Arrange the avocado slices on each of the bagel halves and top with the omelette.

Egg and avo on toasted bagel

Served with the healthy juice, this is a perfect breakfast to start your Sunday.

xxx,

Inge