Happy Pancake Day!

~  Menu  ~

Butternut & Chilli Hash with a Poached Egg

Very small glass of red

Leftover Pancake Batter

Coffee

Last night I cooked a full on roast chicken dinner for the menfolk.  I often do that because a) they like it, b) it’s cheap (£5 for a 2kg chicken), and c) there are loads of leftovers.  

They have all the traditional stuff but for me, I always cook roasted butternut squash with red onions and chilli flakes to which, last night, I added a couple of parsnips.  Delish, but not so delish I could eat it all!

And so for lunch today I tipped the remains of my roasted veg into a hot pan, lightly mashed and pressed it into a cake-ish form and fried it till hot and golden.  I then ate it topped with a poached new laid egg (see here for info on poaching eggs) and finished with a few leftover croutons crumbled over it to provide some crunch.

Pancake Day today, of course, which to me means the yummy delicate crèpe type pancakes my Mummy used to serve with lemon and sugar.  However my real man begged to differ and also needed breakfast before going to work so I made equally viable thick American style pancakes with bacon and maple syrup.  This too is yummy.

My Standard Pancakes Recipe

This makes about five 3" pancakes …

120g plain flour

pinch salt

1 tbsp sugar

rounded teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

100ml milk

a little vegetable oil

~   Stir together the first 4 ingredients.

~   Male a well in the middle of the flour mixture.

~   Break the egg into the well.

~   Gently whisk the egg into the flour and, as it thickens, gradually add the milk, still whisking, till you have a thick but pourable batter.  This may or may not take all the milk, or might even need a tad more, depending on the make and age of the flour.

~   Heat a non stick frying pan and carefully, using a piece of paper towel, smear the surface with a little cooking oil.

~   When the pan is hot and greasy pour a 3" circle of batter in the pan and cook till the surface is pitted with burst bubble holes.

~   Using a spatula or a deft flip of the wrist turn the pancake and cook till the other side is golden.

Serve immediately or keep in a warm oven till all are done so everyone can eat together.

My man ate 4 with 2 thick slices of bacon and I had 2 with 0 slices of bacon.  There was a little batter left in the bowl so I decided to finish it off in an artistic (for me) sort of way. for lunch pudding; I tried to a spiral of batter in the pan and added a few chopped walnuts!

I then made An Arrangement on a plate and drizzled with the maple syrup.  Tasted much the same as breakfast but looked better!

Nice palindromic date today, by the way – 2102 2012!

Lots more Pancake Recipes Here
and
Pancake Toppings and Additions Here