You can go to any cafe in Sydney and they will have almost exactly the same dishes on the breakfast menu, yet will have a variety of different things for lunch and dinner. I hope to add to this section some more and to try to break away a bit from the ‘eggs with…’ formula.
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Granola
Simon Bryant did a great granola on ‘The Cook & the Chef’ one night. It was very ‘Simon’ though. A bit too much coffee and chocolate and I thought the wattleseed was a bit strong. We have developed the following version of granola. It takes awhile to make, but the taste is very much superior to anything you buy and i find it is the only breakfast that really keeps me full until lunchtime.
Check out this link for Simon’s recipe: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/cookandchef/txt/s2225651.htm
8 cups rolled oats
125ml fruit juice
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup coco
8 teaspoons mixed spice
3 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
400ml honey
Nuts and Seeds – quantities are from memory, just add according to your preference
3/4 cup each of broken almonds and walnuts.
1/2 cup each of pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernels, flax seed
1/4 sesame seeds
1/2 flaked coconut.
Fruit
1 handfull each of dried cranberries, sultanas and chopped dried figs
Mix oats with all dry ingredients (except fruit). Slowly combine liquids with oat mixture and stir until slightly moist. If too wet add more oats. Spread out on large trays, as thin as possible and bake in oven until dry and oats have formed clumps. 100oC for 4 hours works well for us. Remove and when cool combine with fruit. Serve with milk.
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Smoked Salmon, sauteed mushrooms and poached eggs on toast
4 slices thickly sliced, good quality bread. I used Ciabatta.
4 slices smoked salmon
three handfuls of selected gourmet mushrooms, sliced
4 sprigs thyme
1/2 sprig rosemary
6 small tomatoes, halved
4 eggs
1 big knob of butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley.
To make the mushrooms, heat the butter with a little olive oil in a fry pan. Sautee mushrooms with the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme salt and pepper until cooked. Poach eggs (the above method might work for you, but check comments for a better one (hopefully!)). Toast bread, top with smoked, mushroom mixture and eggs. Then garnish with parsley. Serves 2
