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Irish Daily Mirror
20-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Chef shares simple tip to make the perfect omelettes at home
Omelettes are the perfect quick and easy meal for breakfast - they can be whipped up in a matter of minutes, and are simply delicious. A nutritious meal, they're rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, making them a healthy choice. Now, one chef has shared an easy method to make your omelettes even more delicious. Ellis Barrie has revealed how to cook an omelette in minutes and it's what you add to it that will make the biggest difference. There are two foods which Barrie suggests adding to this breakfast meal for added flavour. Barrie says the key to a good omelette is adding spinach and cheese to the recipe, Express reports. To make this healthy breakfast, you should: Start by melting a knob of butter in a frying pan placed over a medium heat. Next, you should add the spinach and cook for a minute or two. After this, you should season with salt and pepper and then tip out onto a plate. After this, beat the eggs in a bowl until mixed and return them to the frying pan. Add the remaining butter and melt until it turns foamy. With the beaten eggs, tilt the pan to distribute the eggs evenly and leave for 20 seconds. You'll then need to use a spatula or a wooden spoon to draw in the sides of the eggs to the centre, and incorporate butter. Then, gently shake the pan to redistribute the egg to the edges. For flavour, sprinkle over cheese and spinach while the egg is still runny in the middle. Take the pan off the heat and let the egg continue to cook in the warmth of the pan. Finally, season with salt and pepper, says BBC Food. There's a huge range of toppings you can add to your omelette. Cheese is one of the most common additions but if you're wondering which type of cheese is best, Eating Well has shared what you should look out for. It says: 'There's nothing wrong with choosing classic grated Cheddar to complement some crispy bacon or well-seared breakfast sausage, but a softer cheese, like chèvre or a herby Boursin, amplifies the gooey factor and leaves you with creamy bite after creamy bite. 'Softer cheeses, stirred together with your proteins and cooked veggies, also help with ingredient integration, assuring that every bite has a little bit of everything.' By following this simple recipe, you can create a delicious healthy breakfast to start your day off with a nutritious meal. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Daily Mirror
17-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Eton mess will taste better if youy switch out strawberries for other berries
This Eton mess recipe combines the sharp, tart flavour of berries with the sweetness of meringues for a delicious result. It takes just minutes to prepare and is perfect for dinner parties. Prepare to dive into the divine contrast of tart berries and sweet meringue with this knockout Eton mess recipe. If you fancy a quick 10-minute treat, simply smash up some shop-bought meringue nests, or take the path of the purist with easy-peasy homemade meringues for that pristine crunch and sun-kissed hue. A drizzle of fruity puree is the secret weapon here, slicing through creaminess like a charm. BBC Food let slip their golden rule, saying: "Purists would insist Eton mess should only contain strawberries, but other British summer berries like raspberries, red and rose currants and even cherries have a touch more sharpness which pairs perfectly with the sweet meringue and rich cream." Plate this up for six dinner guests, and watch it disappear in a flurry of spoons – this dessert is mind-blowingly simple but unapologetically elegant. Eton mess recipe Ingredients Two tablespoons of icing sugar 600ml double cream 200g seasonal berries (such as raspberries, cherries, currants, or more strawberries) Five readymade meringue nests or a batch of homemade meringues For the homemade meringues Two large egg whites 120g caster sugar A quarter teaspoon of vanilla extract Metho d If you're going rogue with homemade meringues, crank your oven up to 110C (100C for fan-forced) or Gas Mark 1⁄4, ready a tray with non-stick parchment. Whip your egg whites in a squeaky clean bowl until stiff peaks coyly stay put when you lift the beaters. Patience now – add the caster sugar by the tablespoon, giving it some whisking with the electric mixer after each sprinkle, until you've got a thick, gleaming mix standing tall in stiff peaks. Throw in a drop of vanilla extract for that aromatic cap-off. Dollop five spoonfuls of the meringue onto your prepped baking tray, leaving a gap between each. Pop them on the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for an hour, or until they lift off the parchment without a hitch. Let them cool down fully before storing in an airtight container for up to three days. For the Eton mess, blitz 150g of strawberries with half a tablespoon of icing sugar in a food processor or blender until you've got a smooth purée. Chop the remaining strawberries into halves or quarters, depending on their size, so they're just right for nibbling. Whisk the double cream with the leftover one and a half tablespoons of icing sugar until it forms soft peaks – it should keep its shape but still have a silky texture. When you're ready to serve, crumble four of the meringues and gently fold them into the whipped cream along with the chopped strawberries. Lightly swirl in the strawberry purée to create a marbled look. Spoon the mixture into six dishes or glasses, sprinkle the last meringue on top, and serve immediately.
Daily Record
21-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Mary Berry shares favourite and 'quick' 15-minute pasta recipe
Making a delicious dinner doesn't have to be difficult and time-consuming. This is one of Mary Berry's favourite pasta dishes and it's ready in just 15 minutes Pasta is a beloved dinner choice for many due to its speed, simplicity, and tastiness. Mary Berry's 15-minute pasta might just revolutionise your weekday dinners with minimal additional effort. The celebrity chef shared on BBC Food: "This is my standby pasta supper as it is so delicious, so quick and everyone loves it. "Great for everyday or for casual supper parties too. It's base is a crème fraîche pasta sauce and it's topped with crispy Parma ham, which gives tons of flavour and great texture." To whip up this dish, start by cooking the pasta in boiling salted water as per the packet's instructions. Once done, drain the pasta and put it to one side. Then, get a frying pan hot and crisp up the Parma ham, reports the Express. Set aside half of the ham, then toss mushrooms into the pan and cook them for a couple of minutes. Mix in the pasta, parmesan, and parsley, tossing everything together on the stove and seasoning to taste. Parma ham adds a sublime touch to any pasta dish, offering a tender texture and a sweet taste. Although it may cost a bit more, this cured delicacy elevates the dish to a higher standard. For serving, pair it with a fresh green salad and some crusty bread for a well-rounded, satisfying meal that's perfect for entertaining friends, family, or guests. This straightforward recipe is easy to prepare and sure to impress your guests, making it well worth a go. Here's what you'll need: 350g penne pasta. 2 x 80g packs Parma ham 250g small brown chestnut mushrooms 200g full-fat crème fraîche 100g Parmesan, grated 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley Salt and freshly ground black pepper Green salad Crunchy bread By following this recipe, you can elevate your quick pasta dish with minimal additional effort. It comes after she issued a warning about choosing the right kind of butter for baking a cake. With vast experience stretching from her training at Le Cordon Bleu to having authored over 70 cookbooks, the former Great British Bake Off judge knows that the choice of butter can significantly affect your baking outcomes. When aiming for perfection in a homemade birthday cake or her signature Victoria sponge, it could make all the difference. While you may think any choice of butter or spread will do the job, Mary said that's not the case. It's all about the right fat content. Writing for BBC Good Food, Mary emphasised checking the label for one critical detail while at the grocery store rather than during baking at home. The use of high-fat butter is crucial for Mary as it ensures cakes are light, moist, and tender. Butter boasting a fat content above 75 per cent naturally possesses less water, which means it's better at maintaining those precious air pockets for the ideal texture
Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Mary Berry urges households to chop veggies in certain way to slash cooking time
Ahead of Mary Berry's new series Quick Cooking Mondays, the chef's latest advice to speed up the cooking time is to chop vegetables thin and nicely, or to not cut them at all National treasure Mary Berry has uncovered a top cooking tip for anyone preparing vegetables. The ex-Great British Bake Off host is a household name, and chances are you've followed one of her many recipes, When it comes to cooking, timing is important. Celebrating Mary's new series, Mary Berry's Quick Cooking Mondays on BBC Two, she shared some helpful tips when chopping vegetables. When following a recipe that involves vegetables, it can get quite time consuming - especially during the cooking process. Mary Berry, who has written over 70 cook books, has the best tips and tricks to cut things shorter altogether. Although chopping vegetables can take a fair bit of time, the cooking process is much faster. Plus, it gives a sense of accomplishment because of the time and dedication spent on preparing the dish, rather than just cutting random uneven sizes. Cut it thin and nicely When it comes to vegetables, if you don't own a vegetable chopper, you will have to use the old-fashioned way of using a sharp knife and a cutting board. BBC Food wrote: 'Mary often slices her vegetables and meats nice and thinly, so they cook quickly - or quicker yet, she sometimes doesn't cook her veg at all! Vegetables that are cooked in a flash tend to retain more of their nutrients too - win, win!' When vegetables are being cut thin, because of the heat they're being exposed to, it speeds up the cooking process. If the vegetables are not properly cut, it's harder for the heat to penetrate them, and cook them accordingly. It also helps the sauces and flavour used to stick into the vegetable. However, some vegetables don't need to be cut at all and can be just thrown into the cooking pan. Some of the many vegetables include cherry tomatoes, baby potatoes, baby carrots, lettuce, and Brussels sprouts. Of course, it also depends on what you're cooking. Another tip the chef shared is to cook using a wide pan. 'The bigger the surface, the shorter the cooking time,' the site explained. When using a big pan, it allows the food to cook evenly, nicely and way faster. By following this simple tip, experienced and non-experienced chefs can rest assured that their cooking time will be minimised by a lot of time, and the dishes will continue to be as delicious as ever. Happy cooking!
