Eggs and Cheese
You can ‘steam-boil’ and ‘steam-bake’ eggs to perfection and scrambled eggs cooked in a steamer turn out wonderfully creamy. They may take a little longer than when cooked conventionally but the results will be perfect every time. Cheese benefits from being steamed too – it melts beautifully instead of leaving you with tough, rubbery results. In this chapter, you’ll find everything from simple starters and snacks to substantial main meals and desserts, all using eggs or cheese and, sometimes, both!
Steam-boiled eggs
Suitable for up to 8 eggs
1 Place the eggs in the special holder in the rice bowl of an electric steamer or in a bowl that will fit in or over a steamer. You can put them in an egg box to prevent them from rolling about but take care when removing them, the cardboard will be soggy and hot!
2 Cover and steam for 8–10 minutes for soft-boiled; 15–20 minutes for hard-boiled (hard-cooked).
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 10–20 MINUTES
Steamed scrambled eggs
Suitable for up to 8 eggs
1 Melt a knob of butter or margarine in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water or the rice bowl of an electric steamer. Do not let the water touch the bowl.
2 Whisk in the eggs and 15 ml/1 tbsp milk for each egg. Add seasoning to taste.
3 Cook, stirring all the time, until the eggs softly scramble but are still creamy. Do not overcook. Serve straight away.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 6–10 MINUTES
Steam-baked eggs
Suitable for up to 6 eggs
1 Lightly butter up to six ramekin dishes (custard cups), or as many as will fit in your steamer. Break an egg into each. Season lightly. Add a small spoonful of cream to each.
2 Place in the steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 6–10 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 8–12 MINUTES
Steam-poached eggs
Suitable for up to 6 eggs
1 Put a tiny knob of butter in up to six ramekin dishes (custard cups). Place in a steamer to melt. Brush the butter round the dishes to grease, leaving a tiny pool in the base. Break an egg into each. Season lightly.
2 Place in the steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 5–9 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Loosen the edge of each with a round-bladed knife and tip out on to hot buttered toast on warm plates.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 8–12 MINUTES
Chakchouka
Serves 4
1 red (bell) pepper, halved and thinly sliced
1 green pepper, halved and thinly sliced
2 beefsteak tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
15 ml/1 tbsp olive oil
15 ml/1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A good pinch of caster (superfine) sugar
4 eggs
To serve:
Flat breads, either bought or home-made
1 Put the peppers, tomatoes, garlic, oil, tomato purée, a little salt and pepper and the sugar in a large shallow dish that will fit in or over a steamer or in the rice bowl of an electric steamer. Stir well. Cover with a lid and steam for 20 minutes, stirring once, until tender.
2 Make four wells in the mixture and break an egg into each. Re-cover and steam for a further 6–10 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Serve straight from the dish with flat breads.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 30–35 MINUTES
Creamy coddled eggs with smoked salmon croustades
This makes a delicious lunch or supper dish. It will also make a starter for eight people.
Serves 4
2 ciabatta rolls, each cut into 4 slices lengthways
1 garlic clove, halved
30 ml/2 tbsp olive oil
15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp butter or margarine
8 eggs
120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup double (heavy) cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
100 g/4 oz smoked salmon pieces
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Twists of lemon and sprigs of fresh parsley, for garnishing
1 Rub the ciabatta slices all over with the garlic halves, then discard the garlic. Brush each slice with the olive oil. Place on a baking (cookie) sheet.
2 Bake in a preheated oven at 220˚C/425˚F/gas mark 7 (fan oven 200˚C) for about 12 minutes or until golden and crunchy. Remove from the oven.
3 Melt the butter or margarine in a fairly large bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the rice bowl of an electric steamer.
4 Add the eggs and beat until thoroughly blended, then beat in half the cream and add some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring all the time until beginning to scramble.
5 Separate the pieces of salmon and stir into the eggs with the parsley. Stir and cook for 1–2 minutes more until the eggs are creamy and just set. Stir in the remaining cream.
6 Pile on to the slices of ciabatta and garnish with twists of lemon and sprigs of parsley. Serve straight away.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: ABOUT 20 MINUTES
Neapolitan-style ham and egg pots
Serves 4
A little olive oil, for greasing
4 slices of Parma ham, finely chopped
2 canned plum tomatoes, chopped
8 fresh basil leaves, torn
4 eggs
60 ml/4 tbsp single (light) cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
Focaccia bread
1 Lightly oil four ramekin dishes (custard cups).
2 Put some ham in the base of each and top with the tomato and the basil.
3 Break an egg into each dish. Spoon the cream over and season with salt and pepper.
4 Place in a steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 10–15 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Serve hot with focaccia bread.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 15–20 MINUTES
Cheese soufflé
Using the same recipe to make a single soufflé in a 15 cm/6 in dish will take about twice as long to cook.
Serves 4
120 ml/8 tbsp cheese spread
30 ml/2 tbsp milk
30 ml/2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
1.5 ml/¼ tsp made English mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs, separated
45 ml/3 tbsp crushed cornflakes
1 Put the cheese spread, milk, flour and mustard in a bowl and season with a little salt and pepper. Stir in the egg yolks and beat until smooth.
2 Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture with a metal spoon.
3 Grease four ramekin dishes (custard cups). Spoon the mixture into the dishes and sprinkle with the cornflakes.
4 Place in a steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 10 minutes until risen and set. Serve immediately.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES
Melting cheese, mushroom and chutney rolls
Serves 4
4 soft round rolls
200 g/7 oz/1 small can of creamed mushrooms
5 ml/1 tsp dried oregano
20 ml/4 tsp tomato chutney
50 g/2 oz/½ cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
50 g/2 oz/½ cup Cheddar cheese, grated
To serve:
A crisp salad
1 Cut the top off each roll and pull out most of the soft bread, leaving a thick wall all round.
2 Spoon the mushrooms into the rolls and sprinkle with the oregano. Top each with a spoonful of chutney.
3 Mix the cheeses together and pack into the rolls. Cover with the ‘lids’. Wrap each one in foil.
4 Transfer to a steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted.
5 Unwrap and serve straight away with a crisp salad.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES
Cheddar and gruyère fondue with crudités
You can, of course, serve this fondue with chunks of French bread to dip in instead of the vegetable sticks.
Serves 4
100 g/4 oz/1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
100 g/4 oz/1 cup Gruyère (Swiss) cheese, grated
10 ml/2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
90 ml/6 tbsp fruity dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
15 ml/1 tbsp kirsch or vodka
60 ml/4 tbsp crème fraîche
A pinch of cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
2 celery sticks, cut into matchsticks
5 cm/2 in piece of cucumber, cut into matchsticks
1 red (bell) pepper, halved and cut into strips
1 Put the cheeses in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in a double saucepan or the rice bowl of an electric steamer, and stir in the cornflour. Add the wine and kirsch or vodka.
2 Steam for about 10 minutes, stirring until the mixture is melted and creamy.
3 Stir in the crème fraîche and season the fondue with the cayenne and black pepper to taste.
4 Arrange the vegetables on four plates. Spoon the fondue into warmed individual pots, place on the plates with the crudités and serve straight away.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 25 MINUTES
Blue cheese and celery cocottes
This is delicious as a starter or as a light lunch, served with crusty bread and a salad.
Serves 4
2 tender young celery sticks, very finely chopped
50 g/2 oz/1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
50 g/2 oz/½ cup blue cheese, crumbled
2 eggs, separated
75 ml/5 tbsp crème fraîche
75–90 ml/5–6 tbsp milk
30 ml/2 tbsp snipped fresh chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
15 ml/1 tbsp tomato ketchup (catsup)
10 ml/2 tsp tomato purée (paste)
2.5 ml/½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
A small handful of whole fresh chive stalks, for garnishing
1 Grease four ramekin dishes (custard cups) and line the bases with circles of greased greaseproof (waxed) paper.
2 Mix the celery with the breadcrumbs and cheese. Beat the egg yolks with 60 ml/4 tbsp of the crème fraîche and 60 ml/4 tbsp of the milk and mix in. Stir in the snipped chives and some salt and pepper.
3 Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold in with a metal spoon. Turn into the ramekin dishes. Place in a steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 20 minutes until set.
4 Meanwhile, mix the remaining crème fraîche with the tomato ketchup, purée and Worcestershire sauce and add enough of the remaining milk to give a thick pouring consistency.
5 Loosen the edges of the cocottes with a round-bladed knife. Turn out on to warm plates and remove the circles of paper. Spoon a little sauce round the bases of the cocottes.
6 Arrange a few chive stalks in a criss-cross pattern on top of the cocottes and serve straight away.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 30 MINUTES
Nutty camembert with cranberry sauce
Serves 4
8 individual wedges of Camembert, chilled
1 large egg, beaten
100 g/4 oz/1 cup toasted chopped mixed nuts
60 ml/4 tbsp cranberry sauce
Mixed lettuce leaves and French dressing, for garnishing
To serve:
Hot rolls
1 Dip the cheese wedges in the egg, then the nuts. Repeat to cover well, pressing the nuts on firmly.
2 Place on lightly oiled foil in a steamer. Cover with a lid and steam for 5 minutes.
3 Transfer to individual plates. Spoon cranberry sauce to one side of each and garnish with salad leaves and a drizzle of French dressing. Serve straight away with hot rolls.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
Egg custard
Serves 4
2 eggs
15 ml/1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
450 ml/¾ pt/2 cups milk
A little grated nutmeg
1 Beat the eggs and sugar together in a serving dish that will fit in or over your steamer.
2 Warm the milk and pour over, whisking all the time.
3 Sprinkle with nutmeg and transfer to the steamer. Cover with a lid and steam for 1¼ hours until set.
4 Serve warm or cold.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
Fluffy tiramisu
A traditional tiramisu has raw egg yolks in it. This version gently cooks the mixture and is much lighter.
Serves 6–8
250 g/9 oz/generous 1 cup Mascarpone cheese
2 eggs, separated
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup caster (superfine) sugar
10 ml/2 tsp instant coffee granules or powder
60 ml/4 tbsp amaretto liqueur or brandy
8 trifle sponges, halved lengthways
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup double (heavy) cream, whipped
30 ml/2 tbsp finely grated chocolate
1 Beat the cheese with the egg yolks and sugar.
2 Dissolve 5 ml/1 tsp of the coffee in 15 ml/1 tbsp hot water, then stir into the mixture.
3 Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture with a metal spoon.
4 Dissolve the remaining coffee in 120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup water and add the liqueur.
5 Dip the halved sponges in the coffee and liqueur mixture and lay half in the base of a 20 cm/8 in soufflé dish.
6 Spread half the cheese mixture over, then top with the remaining dipped sponges and finally the remaining cheese mixture.
7 Cover the dish with well-greased foil with a pleat in the centre to allow for rising. Twist and fold under the rim to secure. Transfer to a steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 30 minutes.
8 Remove the foil, leave to cool, then chill.
9 Spread the top with whipped cream, then cover with the grated chocolate before serving.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 45 MINUTES PLUS CHILLING
Zabaglione
This Italian dessert is traditionally made with egg yolks, but I find this whole-egg version works just as well.
Serves 4
2 eggs
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
45 ml/3 tbsp Marsala or sweet or medium-dry sherry
To serve:
Sponge (lady) fingers
1 Put the eggs in a large bowl with the sugar and Marsala or sherry. Stand the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.
2 Whisk with a balloon or electric whisk until thick, creamy and voluminous.
3 Spoon into wine goblets and serve with a sponge finger tucked down the side of each glass.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 7 MINUTES
Fruit zabaglione
Put a few fresh raspberries, small strawberries or sliced peaches or nectarines in the base of each glass before adding the Zabaglione. Use a complementary fruit liqueur instead of the Marsala or sherry, if liked.
Lemon sabayon
Serves 4–6
4 egg yolks
40 g/1½ oz/3 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
Finely grated rind and juice of ½ large lemon
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups medium-dry or sweet white wine
30 ml/2 tbsp brandy
4–6 ratafia biscuits (cookies)
1 Put the egg yolks, sugar, lemon rind and juice and half the wine in a large bowl. Stand the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and whisk with a balloon or electric whisk until thick and frothy.
2 Whisk in the remaining wine and the brandy until really thick, creamy and voluminous.
3 Put a ratafia in the base of each wine goblet. Spoon the sabayon over and serve straight away.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES
Crème brûlée with blueberries
If you prefer, you can heat the sugar slowly in a saucepan until it melts and caramelises to a rich golden brown, then simply pour it over the top of the set cream. You will get a more even, shiny finish rather than the traditional ‘tortoiseshell’ appearance.
Serves 4–6
2 large eggs
100 g/4 oz/½ cup caster (superfine) sugar
450 ml/¾ pt/2 cups double (heavy) cream
4 ml/¾ tsp vanilla essence (extract)
100 g/4 oz blueberries
1 Whisk the eggs with 30 ml/2 tbsp of the sugar and the cream until well blended.
2 Put the fruit in the base of a 15 cm/6 in soufflé dish. Pour the cream mixture over. Place in a steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 1 hour or until set.
3 Leave to cool, then chill.
4 Sprinkle with the remaining sugar to cover the top completely. Either caramelise with a blow torch or place the dishes under a preheated grill until the sugar melts and caramelises. Cool again and chill until ready to serve.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES PLUS CHILLING
Chocolate marbled cheesecake
Serves 8–10
175 g/6 oz/1½ cups chocolate digestive biscuits (graham crackers), crushed
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter, melted
400 g/14 oz/scant 2 cups medium-fat soft cheese
175 g/6 oz/¾ cup caster (superfine) sugar
1 large egg
2.5 ml/½ tsp vanilla essence (extract)
100 g/4 oz/1 cup plain (semi-sweet) chocolate, broken into pieces
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup crème fraîche
A little grated nutmeg
1 Mix the crushed biscuits with the butter and press into the base of a greased, loose-bottomed 18 cm/7 in cake tin (pan).
2 Beat the cheese with the sugar, egg and vanilla essence.
3 Melt the chocolate in a fairly large bowl over a pan of simmering water.
4 Stir half the cheese mixture into the melted chocolate, then tip this into the white cheese mixture and gently stir just enough to give a marbled effect. Do not mix completely.
5 Turn into the cake tin and smooth the surface. Cover the tin with foil, place in a steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 2 hours. Remove the foil, leave to cool, then chill.
6 Spread the crème fraîche over the surface and dust with a little grated nutmeg.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 2¼ HOURS PLUS CHILLING
Hazelnut moulds with raspberry coulis
You can stew the raspberries first in a saucepan, if you prefer.
Serves 6
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup soft light brown sugar
600 ml/1 pt/2½ cups double (heavy) cream
100 g/4 oz/1 cup ground hazelnuts (filberts)
A few drops of vanilla essence (extract)
350 g/12 oz fresh or thawed frozen raspberries
25 g/1 oz/3 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar
A squeeze of lemon juice
A few tiny sprigs of fresh mint (optional)
1 Lightly oil six ramekin dishes (custard cups) and line the base of each with a circle of greased greaseproof (waxed) paper.
2 Whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar and cream together with the nuts. Spoon into the ramekin dishes.
3 Place in a steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 40 minutes until set. Leave to cool, then chill.
4 Meanwhile, reserve 18 raspberries for decoration and put the remainder with the icing sugar in a bowl that will fit in a steamer tier over the ramekins or in the rice bowl of an electric steamer. Steam for 10 minutes until the juices run. Purée in a blender or food processor and pass through a sieve (strainer) into a bowl to remove the seeds. Sharpen the purée with lemon juice to taste, then leave to cool.
5 Loosen the edges of the hazelnut creams and tip out on to six dessert plates. Remove the paper. Drizzle the raspberry coulis around. Decorate each cream with a cluster of three raspberries and add a tiny sprig of mint, if liked.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR PLUS CHILLING