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The egg is a very useful convenience food. But if you stop at boiling, poaching, frying and making omelets you have underused a basic food product that can bring the simplest of ingredients to life. It is great in savory and sweet dishes alike. The experienced cook knows that without eggs they will flounder and they are constantly on the look out for new ways to use them. But even if you are a quick food junkie the egg is your friend. I will introduce you first of all to a few simple and appetizing recipes which you can learn and bring out of your closet with a flourish to make even the most non cook among you pass themselves off as an expert.

Vermicelli Egg:  A useful and quick dish that you will love. It takes only ten minutes and is substantial enough for a main meal or can be used for a lunch time treat.

Ingredients (serves 4)

half pkt. Vermicelli (Vermicelli is a type of pasta that is very fine)

4 eggs

dash of milk

salt + pepper

2 tomatoes

4oz cheese

Method (preperation and cooking time 10 minutes)

Put the vermicelli in a pan of boiling water,add salt, cook for 3 to 5 mins. While cooking beat four eggs with a little milk, add salt and peper to taste. Grate the cheese into a seperate dish. Also chopp the two tomatoes into small pieces. Remove the vermicelli from the pan draining all the water. Put a knob butter in bottom of the pan. Put the vermicelli back in the pan, add the beaten eggs and a little of the cheese. Turn the heat off, with a wooden spatula turn the vermicelli and eggs gently over letting the eggs cook. The pan should be cooling as otherwise the eggs could get too hot and seperate. Tip onto plates and sprinkle with grated cheese and chopped tomatoe. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Oven-roasted roots frittata: A great way to use up odds and ends of fresh veg and left overs. No need to fry this fritta as the egg is poured straight into the roasting dish.

Ingredients (serves 6)

600gm mixed winter veg, including onions and potatoes.

1 large garlic clove, chopped.

3 tablespoons oil

8 eggs

mixed herbs, fresh or dried.

20gm parmesan or strong hard cheese to your taste

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 C/Gas 5. Prepare veg into cubes. Put them in a roasting tin about 23cm square. Add oil and garlic and roast in the oven approx 40 mins untill the veg are tender and satring to caramlise in places. Beat eggs with the chopped herbs and more salt and pepper. Take the dish from the oven and pour the eggs over the veg and scatter the grated cheese on top. return to the oven for ten minutes untill the egg is set and the top is starting to colour. Leave to cool slightly and serve hot or cold. Great packed lunch snack.

I will be adding recipies frequently, so keep coming back and checking them out. If you have a good egg recipie you would like up on this website send it to me via the contact page and I will put it up, with a credit to you of course!