- NUTTY APPLE BIRCHER MUESLI
Con Traas owns the Apple Farm in Tipperary, where apples have been grown for hundreds of years. He's been championing Irish apple varieties since I’ve known him and has worked hard to get them on our supermarket shelves. Next time you’re shopping, read the labels and buy the Irish ones.
Serves 4
- 1 Irish eating apple, such as Elstar
- 100g (4oz) porridge oats
- 25g (1oz) shredded coconut
- 4 tbsp raisins
- 1 tbsp apple syrup or honey, plus extra to
- serve
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 300ml (½ pint) milk (or use almond, oat or
- hazelnut milk if you prefer)
- 50g (2oz) shelled pistachios
- 6 tbsp thick Greek-style natural yoghurt
1 Grate the apple, discarding the core, and place in a large bowl.
2 Add the oats, coconut, raisins, apple syrup or honey and vanilla, then pour in the milk. Mix well to combine. Cover with clingfilm and chill overnight.
3 Cut the pistachio nuts into slivers.
4 Spoon the bircher muesli into bowls and add a dollop of the yoghurt to each one. Drizzle over extra apple syrup or honey and scatter the pistachio slivers on top to serve.
- EGGY BREAD BLT
Eggy bread, aka French toast, made into a sandwich with one of my favourite fillings – what’s not to like? The eggy bread could also be drizzled with apple syrup and scattered with your favourite fruit, but for me there is something particularly delicious about this savoury version.
Serves 2
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 small ciabatta loaf
- about 4 tsp rapeseed oil
- 2 rindless bacon rashers
- 2 tsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced 25g
- (1oz) Little Gem lettuce leaves
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Crack the eggs into a shallow dish. Add the milk, season and beat with a fork. Cut the ciabatta in half lengthwise, then cut in half again across the width. Place cut side down in the egg mixture and leave to soak for 1 minute before turning.
2 Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add half the oil. Add the bases, cut side down, pressing with a metal slice. Cook for 2 minutes, until golden, then turn over and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and repeat with the tops.
3 Meanwhile, preheat the grill. Arrange the bacon on a grill rack and cook for a couple of minutes on each side, until really crispy. Keep warm.
4 Mix together the mayonnaise and mustard. Spread the ketchup on the bases, then add the tomato and season. Top with the lettuce and bacon. Spread the Dijon mayonnaise on the tops of the eggy bread. Sandwich together to serve.