Most Eggsellent Pumpkin, Broccoli and Mushroom Frittata

A couple of weeks ago, my work colleague Leanne generously (and most kindly) gave me a dozen eggs laid by her very own Chinese Silkie hens.

Not only are these hens the most adorable little chickens I have ever seen (I just want to pick one up and give it a cuddle), but the eggs they lay are just as cute...

Cute and also delicious, which is how I prefer all my food to be. To take full advantage of this most eggseptional gift I decided to make an eggstremely tasty frittata.


Here's What You'll Need (Serves 4):

• 1 1/2 tbs butter
• 1 1/2 tbs brown sugar
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500g piece butternut pumpkin, cut into 2cm pieces
• 2 heads of broccoli, roughly chopped
• 200g mushroom, sliced
• 1/2 cup thickened cream
• 6 eggs
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

Melt the butter into a frying pan over low heat. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Increase the heat and add the onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring for 10 minutes or until onion has softened and caramalised. 

Meanwhile, add the pumpkin and broccoli to a saucepan of salted boiling water and boil for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and then add to onions in the frying pan.

Whisk the eggs and cream togethe and season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the veggies and cook uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes or until egg mixture is almost set but the top is still runny. 

Sprinkle the frittata with the parmesan and cook under the grill for 5 minutes or until the top is golden. Take out of the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes. Eat with the realisation that it doesn't matter what came first the chicken or the egg, because either way you end up with something delicious.

Pig in a Winter Garden Soup

Soup. I love the thought of it on a cold Winter's day, but the reality is that it rarely keeps me full for long. That's why I came up with this little beauty. It's tasty, nutritious, high in protein and did I mention it contains cheese AND bacon?

Here's what you'll need (Serves 6):

• 2 small red chillies, finely sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 300g bacon, chopped
• 3 heads of broccoli, roughly chopped
• 1/2 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 1-2 handfuls of brussel sprouts, halved
• 200g of mushrooms, chopped
• 2 tins of butter beans, rinsed
• 2L of vegetable stock
• Grated cheese

Fry the garlic, and chilli in some oil for about a minute. Add the Leek, bacon and mushrooms and cook until leek softens. Chuck in the rest of the vegetables, the butter beans and stock. Add water until liquid covers vegetables and bring to the boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Blend soup (I used my newly acquired stick blender... Life changing!), pour into serving bowls and add a handful (more like 2) of grated cheese to soup before serving. Best eaten slurped.