Spiced beans with eggs, vegan chocolate brownie
With children finishing school this weekend, these’s recipes are perfect for the summer holidays. Spiced beans and eggs and vegan chocolate brownies are all–round winners in our house – both delicious and easy to dish up, they are sure to keep the kids happy.
Eggs are nutritious, tasty and usually pass muster with youngsters, particularly with a bit of chilli heat; the vegan chocolate brownie is on the menu at our Hadskis restaurant in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s a firm winner.
Spiced beans with eggs (Serves 2)
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
½ green chilli, deseeded and sliced
5 sprigs coriander, destalked and chopped
1 pinch cumin
1 tsp chipotle paste
1 tin borlotti beans
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 eggs
Cheese – cheddar, pecorino or feta
Method:
Warm the oil in the bottom of a deep–frying pan (one with a lid); once sizzling, add in the onions, red pepper, chilli and garlic. Cook until soft on a medium heat.
Stir in the coriander and cumin and cook until the smell of the spices opens up – a couple of minutes on a medium heat.
Add the borlotti beans, the tomatoes and chipotle paste and bring to a high heat until bubbling. Cook for three minutes, then reduce to a simmer for a further five minutes.
Make two hollows in the bean mix and crack an egg into each. Cover the pan with a lid. Keep on a gentle heat until the white of the egg is cooked. I prefer them soft in this dish but not runny.
Add a handful of grated cheese and finish off under the grill. Keep an eye on this as it will burn quickly. Remove from grill and sprinkle with any remaining coriander. Serve with heated tortilla for brunch.
Vegan chocolate brownie
(Makes one baking tray)
20ml rapeseed oil
200g diary–free dark chocolate (valrhona brand is the best)
200g pecan nuts, crushed
4 tsp cocoa powder
170g self–raising flour
180g golden caster sugar
pinch Maldon sea salt
1 vanilla pod
230ml soya milk, unsweetened
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease a baking tray with a little of the rapeseed oil and line with greaseproof paper.
Make a bain maire with a bowl over a pot of boiling water. Break up 2/3 of the chocolate and melt, making sure you do not get any water in. Once melted remove from the heat.
Sieve the flour and the cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the sugar, salt and scrape in the vanilla pods. Add in all the wet ingredients including the melted chocolate and combine.
Chop up the remainder of the chocolate and add to mix, including the chopped pecans. Pour the mixture into the tin bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove once the mixture is cooked but the centre still a bit soft. Leave to cool in the tin and then remove. Place on rack and slice to serve.