Beat the heat wave with 4 delicious recipes, from deluxe bagels to fabulous blondies

Eggs are wonderfully versatile in the kitchen. From frying to scrambling to poaching, there are so many ways to use them for a relatively cheap and quick meal, if you’re in a rush.

But in addition to being a delicious, healthy option on their own, they’re also the ideal accompaniment to so many delicious dishes and divine desserts.

Whether you want to bake the perfect summer dessert this weekend or beat the heat with a refreshing salad, eggs are a nutritious staple that can be incorporated into a variety of recipes.

So, here are four simple yet stylish ways to treat guests – or just yourself – to special eggs…

Summer semifreddo

SERVES 6-8

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ingredients

• 300 g fresh or frozen summer berries (a mix of strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and blackberries)
• 150 g good quality lemon curd
• 1 tbsp limoncello
• 3 large Burford Brown eggs, separated
• 50 g caster sugar
• 2 unsprayed lemons, grated
• 400 ml whipped cream
• 50g good quality shortbread
• 50 g shelled, unsalted, pistachios (blanched if you can find them)

Method

1. Line a 2-pound loaf pan with a long strip of wax paper that goes up the short sides, leaving an overhang. Place in the freezer.
2. Place 150g of the berries in a small saucepan. Simmer on low for 20 minutes until the fruit has broken down, strain through a sieve into a bowl, set aside and let cool.
3. Mix the lemon curd with the limoncello and set aside.
4. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl, beat until pale and stir in the lemon zest. In a separate bowl, beat the cream to soft peaks and in a third bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold the cream and egg whites into the yolk mixture.
5. Spoon half of the creamy mixture into the cooled mold. Wrinkle in half of the cooked berry mixture and sprinkle over some whole berries.
6. Spoon on the lemon curd, then the remaining creamy mixture. Wrinkle in the rest of the cooked and whole berries, reserving a few whole berries to serve, and place in the freezer uncovered for 4 hours. Cover and freeze for another 4 hours or overnight.
7. Place the mold in the fridge for 20 minutes before serving.
8. Grind the shortbread and pistachios fine in a food processor.
9. Turn the semifreddo over onto a plate. Divide the shortbread and the pistachio crumbs on top, cut into slices and serve with the reserved fruit.

French toast bagels with spicy smoked salmon pate

SERVES 2-4

ingredients

• 2 bagels, 2-3 days old if possible
• 3 Old Cotswold Legbar eggs, beaten
• 1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp horseradish, optional
• 100 g smoked salmon slices
• 150 grams of cream cheese
• Zest and juice of a lemon
• A small bunch of soft herbs, such as dill and chives, finely chopped
• 1 tsp capers
• Black pepper
• 2 tbsp butter
• Salad cress, watercress or another peppery lettuce leaf, to serve

Method

1. Start by cutting the bagels in half.
2. In a large shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the grated Parmesan cheese and optional horseradish. Soak the bagels, cut side down, in the mix for 5 minutes.
3. Place the smoked salmon, cream cheese, half of the lemon zest and juice, herbs, capers and a pinch of black pepper in a food processor and grind until almost smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
4. Place a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter and let it melt and froth up. Place the halved bagels in the pan, cut-side down, and bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side until crispy and golden brown. Place the bagels on plates and garnish with the salmon pate.
5. Drizzle with the remaining lemon juice and zest and serve with a handful of peppery lettuce leaves.

Veggie Caesar salad

SERVES 2

ingredients

• 50 g cashew nuts
• 1 small baguette
• Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp capers
• 2 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp tahini
• 125 ml cashew milk
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
• 2 old Cotswold Legbar eggs
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 Little Gem lettuce varieties
• Shavings of vegetarian Italian hard cheese, optional

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200^OC/180^OC fan/gas mark 6.
2. Place the cashews in a bowl of cold water and let them soak for 20 minutes.
3. Cut the baguette into crouton-sized pieces and place in a roasting tin. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the crushed garlic. Sprinkle over the capers, toss together and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until toasty.
4. Drain the cashews and put them in a blender. Add the nutritional yeast, tahini, cashew milk, a dash of lemon juice and the veggie Worcestershire sauce. Blitz until smooth.
5. Boil the eggs until soft and place in cold water until ready to peel.
6. Place a grill pan on high heat. Split, pit and peel the avocado and cut the lettuce in half, grilling both until just charred.
7. Before serving, place 2 lettuce halves and half an avocado on plates. Peel the eggs, halve them and add them to the plates. Drizzle over the dressing, sprinkle over the croutons and add some vegetarian cheese shavings, if desired.

White chocolate blondies

MAKES 12-15

ingredients

• 120 g unsalted butter
• 250 g soft light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 Clarence Court duck egg
• 1 lemon, grated and finely grated
• 200 g self-raising flour
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 50 g pecan nuts, chopped
• 50 g dried cranberries
• 100g white chocolate, chopped, plus 30g extra melted, for drizzling, optional
• Small handful of fresh raspberries, plus extra to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175^OC/155^OC fan gas marking 3 1⁄2. Grease and line a 20 x 20 cm square cake tin.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and stir in the sugar and vanilla essence.
3. Let cool for 10 minutes, then beat in the egg and lemon zest. Fold in the flour, salt, cinnamon and ginger.
4. Stir in the chopped pecans, cranberries and chocolate, spoon into the prepared cake tin and gently press the fresh raspberries into the blondie mix.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until just set with a light crust on top.
6. Let cool in the mold before cutting into pieces. Serve with fresh raspberries and drizzled with a little melted white chocolate, if desired.

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