It was minus something degrees outside and I was craving an indulgent supper which could be thrown together quickly using stuff I had lurking in my fridge and freezer.
Peering into the depths I spotted a pack of smoked bacon and half a cabbage and it reminded me of a meal I ate many years ago at a gourmet pub - it was actually a starter but my friend who had taken me to the pub recommended we ask for double portions and have it as a main - her recommendation was spot on!
The friend moved away, I haven't been to the pub in years but the memory of this dish has lingered.
I cannot think of a snappy name for this dish but I can heartily recommend it as a proper winter warmer. I used mostly store-bought ingredients but if you wanted to make it as a show off starter you could obviously make everything from scratch.
I added roost to make it a more substantial meal - I used frozen Rosti from that big yellow and blue Swedish store which I happened to have in the freezer.
They oven cooked quickly and tasted lovely. They were not too thick so were perfect for this recipe. They are however basically potato cakes so not difficult to make if you have time.
Ingredients
1 or 2 Rosti per person
1 or 2 eggs per person
Hollandaise sauce (I cheated and used sauce from a jar)
1/4 white cabbage chopped into thin strips
1 leek cut lengthways into thin strips
garlic butter (combine crushed garlic with butter and a drop or two of lemon juice or use store bought)
3 pieces smoked bacon per person
salt and pepper to taste
Method
Start to cook rosti according to pack instructions (or prepare fresh, cook and keep them warm.)
At the same time grill or fry bacon.
Meanwhile steam or microwave cabbage and leeks together until just soft. Melt garlic butter in pan and add cooked cabbage/leek mixture.
Prepare poached eggs. I boil water in a pan, add salt and using a spoon stir simmering water to create a whirlpool which I drop egg into. Cook for 2 minutes.
Assemble dish by plating rosti, top with cabbage and leek mixture, crisscross bacon slices on top of that then top with poached egg(s) and a generous dollop of Hollandaise.
Grind black pepper over the lot and serve immediately.
It's creamy and warming and tasty and totally worth having to juggle cooking all the ingredients at once!
Peering into the depths I spotted a pack of smoked bacon and half a cabbage and it reminded me of a meal I ate many years ago at a gourmet pub - it was actually a starter but my friend who had taken me to the pub recommended we ask for double portions and have it as a main - her recommendation was spot on!
The friend moved away, I haven't been to the pub in years but the memory of this dish has lingered.
I cannot think of a snappy name for this dish but I can heartily recommend it as a proper winter warmer. I used mostly store-bought ingredients but if you wanted to make it as a show off starter you could obviously make everything from scratch.
I added roost to make it a more substantial meal - I used frozen Rosti from that big yellow and blue Swedish store which I happened to have in the freezer.
They oven cooked quickly and tasted lovely. They were not too thick so were perfect for this recipe. They are however basically potato cakes so not difficult to make if you have time.
Ingredients
1 or 2 Rosti per person
1 or 2 eggs per person
Hollandaise sauce (I cheated and used sauce from a jar)
1/4 white cabbage chopped into thin strips
1 leek cut lengthways into thin strips
garlic butter (combine crushed garlic with butter and a drop or two of lemon juice or use store bought)
3 pieces smoked bacon per person
salt and pepper to taste
Method
Start to cook rosti according to pack instructions (or prepare fresh, cook and keep them warm.)
At the same time grill or fry bacon.
Meanwhile steam or microwave cabbage and leeks together until just soft. Melt garlic butter in pan and add cooked cabbage/leek mixture.
Assemble dish by plating rosti, top with cabbage and leek mixture, crisscross bacon slices on top of that then top with poached egg(s) and a generous dollop of Hollandaise.
Grind black pepper over the lot and serve immediately.
