Wholemeal Drop Scones

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

100g wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder

1 pinch of salt
1 large egg, beaten
150 ml semi skimmed milk

DIRECTIONS

Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl and make a well for the egg. Break the egg into the well and then mix together quickly with a metal spoon, gradually adding the milk until you have a smooth batter.

Don't let the mixture rest, use it immediately.

Heat a non-stick frying pan and melt a knob of butter in it.

Drop a level tablespoon of batter into the pan for each scone.

TOP TIP- drop the batter from the tip of the spoon for round cakes and from the side of the spoon for oval cakes.

Cook gently for a couple of minutes until bubbles start to appear and then flip over and cook for a minute on the other side. If there is room in your pan you can do more than one at a time. 
Cook the scrambled egg - melt a knob of butter in a small saucepan and when the butter starts to sizzle slightly, pour in the egg mixture. Cook on a low heat, stirring slowly until the mixture begins to thicken and starts to become creamy. Remove from the heat immediately now before the mixture goes solid.

Serve up about 4 scones per person, pile the scrambled egg and smoked salmon on top and sprinkle with chives and a good grind of black pepper. Scatter the capers around the side of the dish with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over the salmon.

For the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs:

4 slices of smoked salmon

4 fresh free-range eggs

A splash of milk

Knob of butter

Salt and plenty of black pepper

Lemon wedges, a few capers and chopped chives to serve

Get the smoked salmon, lemon wedges, capers and chives ready for when the scones and scrambled eggs are cooked.

Tom Yam Soup

INGREDIENTS (serves 12)

 

2 litres fish or  vegetable stock (or chicken if you are making this for omnivores!)
300ml water

300ml coconut milk
5 sticks lemongrass, lightly crushed
8 fresh coriander roots, crushed
220g fresh galangal, peeled and sliced (available from Asian supermarkets)
12 pomodorino tomatoes, cut into quarters, seeds removed

3 generous handfuls of Shitake or Oyster Mushrooms, thinly sliced
10 kaffir lime leaves
3 to 4  limes, juice only
3 tablespoons of tamarind paste

4 red chillies, thinly sliced
150ml fish sauce (nam pla), or to taste
150g palm sugar (or brown sugar if unavailable)
3 raw tiger prawns per serving,  shelled, gutted and split in half
 
To serve
fresh coriander leaves
lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

Place the stock and water into a large pan over a high heat and bring to the boil.
Add the lemongrass, coriander roots, galangal, tomatoes, lime leaves, lime juice, tamarind water and red chillies. Return to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Taste the stock and add as much fish sauce and palm sugar as necessary to keep the salty-sour-hot-sweet taste, then remove from the heat.
Add the prawns and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, or until prawns are completely cooked through.
Add the coconut milk and turn off the heat.

To serve, pour the soup into bowls and garnish with finely chopped coriander and a wedge of lime.