Super Natural Every Day (9 page)

Open-Face Egg Sandwich

WHOLEGRAIN TOAST, HERBS, YOGHURT

This bright, simple egg salad served on top of thin, toasted wholegrain bread is my sandwich of choice a couple of days a week. I run a bit of butter along one side of a slice of hot toast, follow that with a quick rub of garlic, and then top it with a mayo-free egg salad.

The real secrets? Good eggs and proper cooking technique. Good eggs give you beautiful bright yellow yolks, and good technique helps you avoid the dreaded grey rings around them. If I want to take this sandwich on the go, I keep the components separate, with the egg salad chilled, until I’m ready to eat. If you are using extra-large eggs, cook them for 10 minutes, instead of 7, before cooling and peeling.

2 tablespoons plain yoghurt, plus more if needed

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or chives, and/or a small pinch of fresh thyme leaves, plus more if needed

4 extra-thin slices artisan wholegrain bread

A bit of unsalted butter

1 garlic clove

4 large eggs, hard-boiled and cooled (see
box
)

Combine the yoghurt, a couple pinches of salt, a small pinch of pepper, and (most of) whichever herb you choose in a small bowl. Set aside.

Toast the bread until it is deeply golden. Rub each piece with a bit of butter, then take the garlic clove and rub it against each slice. Set aside.

Crack and peel each egg. Put them in a medium mixing bowl. Add the yoghurt mixture and mash with a fork. Don’t overdo it; you want the egg mixture to have some texture. If you need to add more yoghurt to moisten the mixture, go for it, a small dollop at a time. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or herbs, if needed. Just before you’re ready to eat, place one-quarter of the egg salad on each slice of bread and top with left-over herbs.

SERVES 2–4

Tortellini Salad

AVOCADO, SPROUTS, CORIANDER, PINE NUTS

I like to round out my pasta preparations with a good amount of vegetables and other fresh ingredients. Here, tortellini with ricotta-stuffed bellies are combined with blanched broccoli and asparagus, toasted nuts, avocado, and sprouts. The salad makes a great lunch and travels well.

Fine sea salt

455 g fresh ricotta-stuffed tortellini

8–10 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2.5 cm segments

½ head broccoli or equivalent broccolini, cut into small trees

1 small garlic clove

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

60 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Small handful of fresh coriander or mint leaves, chopped Small handful of sprouts

30 g pine nuts or almonds, toasted (see
Wholegrain Breadcrumbs
)

1 medium ripe avocado, sliced into small pieces

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt generously, add the tortellini, and cook according to the package instructions. About 30 seconds before the pasta has finished cooking, stir the asparagus and broccoli into the pot. Cook for the final 30 seconds, drain, and run under cold water just long enough to stop the cooking.

In the meantime, to make the dressing, use the flat side of your knife to mash the garlic along with a big pinch of salt into a paste. Whisk together the garlic paste, lemon juice, olive oil, and more salt, if needed. Set aside.

When you’re ready to serve the salad, toss the pasta, asparagus, broccoli, and coriander with about half of the dressing. Add more dressing to taste, if needed, and toss well. Add the sprouts, nuts, and avocado. Very gently toss a couple of times to distribute those ingredients throughout the salad and enjoy. Keep the extra dressing on hand to refresh leftovers; the pasta tends to absorb it overnight.

SERVES 4

Zucchini Soup

RED THAI CURRY, TOFU CROUTONS

I make this soup two ways: chunky and smooth. This is the chunky version, and I flavour it with red curry paste. For the smooth version, you can substitute green curry paste for the red, and puree the whole lot with a stick blender before topping with the tofu croutons and serving. This chunky version is primarily a concession to aesthetics; when you puree the red curry with green-skinned vegetables, it makes for an off-coloured soup. If you happen to have fresh basil on hand, finely shred a small handful of it and use it as a finishing touch. A drizzle of basil oil is nice, too.

225 g extra-firm tofu, cut into 1 cm cubes

Fine sea salt

1 tablespoon red Thai curry paste, plus more if needed

60 g extra-virgin coconut oil or 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the tofu croutons

3 large shallots (eschalots), chopped

680 g zucchini (courgettes), cut into 2 cm-thick chunks

340 g potatoes, unpeeled, cut into tiny cubes

4 garlic cloves, chopped

475 ml lightly flavoured vegetable stock or water

1 x 415 ml tin coconut milk

Season the tofu with a pinch of salt, toss with a small amount of oil, and cook in a large frying pan over medium–high heat for about 5 minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Toss gently once or twice, and continue cooking until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy, 3–4 more minutes. Set aside.

Mash the curry paste into the coconut oil until the paste is well incorporated. Heat this paste in a large heavy-based stockpot over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the shallots and a couple of pinches of salt and sauté until the shallots are tender, another couple of minutes. Stir in the zucchini and potatoes and cook until the zucchini starts to get tender, a few minutes. Stir in the garlic, then add the stock and coconut milk. Bring just to the boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.