Food Lust People Love: egg recipes

Showing posts with label egg recipes. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Nocciolata Swirl Meringues

These Nocciolata swirl meringues are made with a better quality chocolate hazelnut spread that doesn’t have palm oil or dairy. They are crunchy outside, a little chewy inside and just the right amount of sweet.

According to Google, "Nocciolata is made with organic ingredients, including sunflower oil and cocoa butter, and is free of palm oil, artificial flavors, and preservatives, making it a more natural option. Nutella, on the other hand, includes palm oil, modified palm oil, and other ingredients like soy lecithin and vanillin."

A couple of years ago, I was looking for a vegan friendly chocolate hazelnut spread to use in a recipe – I can’t remember what I wanted to make – and came across Nocciolata online. Unfortunately, none of the shops near me carried it and shipping was cost prohibitive so I was forced to abandon the project.

Fast forward to last summer when we were traveling in France and there it was! Of course, I had to buy a couple of jars. It’s lovely stuff, darker chocolate than Nutella and not overly sweet. I wish I could remember why I wanted it!

It was perfect swirled through these baked meringues.

Nocciolata Swirl Meringues

If you can’t find Nocciolata, substitute your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread to make these. I used golden caster sugar but normal granulated sugar will work fine.

Ingredients

1/4 cup or 75g Nocciolata

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

Pinch cream of tartar

Pinch fine sea salt

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon or 112g sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 300°F or 149°C and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with baking parchment. Tip: Put a little dab of oil in the middle and under each corner to help hold it in place.

Measure the Nocciolata into a ramekin and then put the ramekin in a bowl with hot water, to loosen it slightly.

Put the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until they are completely foamy.

Add the cream of tartar and the salt and continue whipping at medium-high speed until, when you lift the whisk attachment, soft peaks form. This should take a few minutes.

Once you have reached the soft peak stage, increase the speed to high and begin adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time (this should take a few minutes).

Once all the sugar is in, the meringue should be very thick and when you left the whisk firm peaks should remain and it will be glossy.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and drop in all the Nocciolata.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold it into the meringue three or four times. You’re aiming for a swirled effect so try not to over mix.

Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of meringue then use another tablespoon to scrape off and drop the meringue onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Continue until you’ve used all of the mixture and made about 14 meringues.

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, immediately lower the heat to 200°F or 94°C. Bake for 1 hour, turning the baking sheet around halfway through.

After 1 hour, turn the oven off and leave the meringues in the oven for a few hours as the oven cools. Remove from the oven and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 14th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2025, brought to you by the letter N. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the N recipes below:

Food Lust People Love: Nocciolata Swirl Meringues
Sneha’s Recipe: Olya Naralachi Karanji / Fresh Coconut Nevries
Jolene’s Recipe Journal: New England Iced Tea
Blogghetti: Zucchini Nut Bread
Mayuri’s Jikoni: Crispy Noodle Salad
Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Singapore Noodles
A Messy Kitchen: Frozen Negroni
Culinary Cam: White Nectarine-Lime Jam
Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Nut-Free Basil Pesto Chunky Tomato Sauce
Magical Ingredients: Nutella Neufchatel Dip
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Sweet and Spicy Cashews

Here are my posts for the 2025 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Roasted Asparagus Soup

B: Blistered Sugar Snap Peas

C. Jersey Royal Chicken Chorizo Traybake

D. Small Batch Dried Apricot Jam

E. Whipped Espresso Cream

F. Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken

G. Extra Herby Gremolata

H. Smoked Herring Spread

I. Fresh Cherry Ice Cream

J. Small Batch Strawberry Jam

K. Kiwi Tomato Feta Salad

L. Lobster Butter

M. Milk-Roasted Chicken

N. Nocciolata Swirl Meringues – this post!

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Sunday, December 29, 2024

Scotch Quail Eggs

Soft-boiled on the inside and crunchy on the outside, these tasty Scotch Quail Eggs are wrapped with sausage meat and covered in panko before frying.

The culinary origin of Scotch eggs is much debated but what all the sources I can find do agree on is that they aren’t actually Scotch, that is to say, they don’t come from Scotland.

More than likely, they are English with both a grocer called William J Scott & Sons in Yorkshire as well as the London gourmet food purveyor Fortnum and Mason claiming to have created them. Fortnum and Mason from as far back at 1738, predating the Yorkshire claim by close to 150 years.

Whoever made the first ones, they are still on the menu in many pubs all over the United Kingdom. Normally made with hen’s eggs, they are a substantial snack. My quail egg version is much less filling, so they make an excellent addition to an appetizer spread or party table.

Scotch Quail Eggs

Here in the States, your typical British sausage is hard to come by. Fortunately, we do have a company that makes them in Houston but you can substitute another raw pork sausage meat (not breakfast sausage though) with the caveat that American sausages are generally more coarse and saltier than their British counterparts. I buy my fresh quail eggs at local Asian supermarkets.

Ingredients

20 quail eggs

1 lb or 450g Cumberland sausages

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for garnish, if desired

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 cup or 70g panko

For frying: canola or other light oil

Method

Bring a small pot of water to a simmer. Ready a bowl of ice water nearby.

For soft boiled, which is always my goal, put four quail eggs in the simmering water at a time.

Leave to cook 2 1/2 minutes, stirring often so that they cook evenly. Remove the eggs with slotted spoon and put them in the ice water.

Peel the ones in the ice water immediately, starting at the pointy end. Add four more quail’s eggs to the pot, remembering to stir so they cook evenly. Repeat till all the quails’ eggs are cooked and peeled.

I forgot to stir one batch and they were not cooked evenly so peeling them was a challenge. Hence those are sitting in spoons for support. They still made lovely Scotch eggs.

Squeeze the sausage meat into a bowl, discarding the skins, then pick the thyme leaves off the sprigs and add them to the bowl. Stir well to mix.

Beat the egg in a shallow bowl with the milk. Place the panko into another bowl.

Weigh the sausage mixture and then divide it into 20 equal pieces.

Shape the sausage around the quail eggs.

Carefully pinch the sausage around the egg and roll into a ball.

At this point, you can continue with the preparation or chill in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.

Roll each ball in the beaten egg.

Then in the panko until fully coated.

Using a thermometer, heat about 2 in or 5cm of oil in a deep pan to 350°F or 180ºC and very carefully fry the Scotch eggs in batches of three, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown, turning halfway through so the sausage layer is fully cooked.

Remove with caution and drain on paper towels. Put some newspaper or a brown paper bag underneath for more absorption. I lower the Scotch eggs in and remove them with a slotted spoon, so the oil can’t splash and burn me. I recommend you do the same.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay so today we are sharing nibbles for New Year's Eve! Many thanks to our host, Camilla of Culinary Cam. Check out the link list below.

Seared Scallops in Lobster Creme from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Boiled Egg Sandwiches from Sneha's Recipe
Cranberry Brie Bites from Mayuri's Jikoni
Fried Cheesy Pickles from Amy's Cooking Adventures
From Cheesy to Chocolatey - Using My Caquelon All Evening Long from Culinary Cam
Mushroom Duxelle on Toast from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Scotch Quail Eggs from Food Lust People Love

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Sunday, December 8, 2024

Cheater Chawanmushi - Savory Egg Custard

A quick and easy version of the more complicated Japanese dish, this delicious cheater chawanmushi or savory egg custard is cooked in a microwave.

Food Lust People Love: A quick and easy version of the more complicated Japanese dish, this delicious cheater chawanmushi or savory egg custard is cooked in a microwave.

Many years ago when we were living in Kuala Lumpur, there was a Japanese restaurant I loved to go to for lunch because they had a selection of set menus/lunch specials to choose from and all of the combos were delicious.

I especially like the one that came with a little bowl of savory custard called chawanmushi, something I had never eaten before that. It was silky soft yet stayed upright on your spoon. And the flavor! Somehow delicate and yet robust.

I searched online for chawanmushi recipes once we moved away from KL and my favorite restaurant but I never got around to making it, until I found a “cheater” version on New York Times Cooking.

According to NYT Cooking, “the key to that perfect, soft-set wibble-wobble texture (think silken tofu) is using your microwave at around 500 watts — or half its power on a 1,000-watt machine. This lower heat lets the eggs and broth steam together gently until they cohere into something ethereal, existing somewhere between liquid and solid.”

I can confirm that I have had great success with my microwave on 50 percent power but depending on the temperature of the eggs and the vessel I cook them in, I’ve had to play with time. I take my eggs out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking so they aren’t ice cold.

Cheater Chawanmushi - Savory Egg Custard

This version is cooked in two ramekins so they only need about 4 1/2 minutes, then another minute resting. The original recipe calls for the two eggs to be cooked together in one bowl, so the suggested time for that was 5-7 minutes.

Ingredients

2 large eggs

1/2 cup or 120ml instant or kombu dashi, vegetable or chicken broth

Pinch of salt

To serve:

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Optional: chili crisp, chopped chives

Note: You can make your own kombu dashi by steeping a few pieces of kombu in boiling water until it cools.

Method

Whisk the eggs vigorously with the pinch of salt.

Gradually add the dashi, whisking all the while, until very well combined, at least 30 seconds.

Pour the mixture through a small sieve into a measuring pitcher, to make sure the eggs are smooth. This also removes the large bubbles which we definitely do not want as they mess up the texture of the eggs.

Divide the mixture between the ramekins.

Cover them each loosely with cling film, making sure that they can “breathe.”

Microwave at 500 watts (on 50 percent power on a 1,000-watt microwave) until the eggs have just set and are no longer liquid in the middle, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Every machine differs, so check for doneness at 4 minutes, then in 30-second intervals after that if need be.)

Make sure the cling film is still loose and let them sit in the microwave to cool for 1 minute.

Carefully remove, uncover and drizzle with the soy sauce and sesame oil. Garnish with the chopped chives and chili crisp, if using.

Serve immediately. This is undoubtedly not the method my favorite Japanese restaurant used, but, I tell you what, the chawansushi is perfection. Silky, tender and delicious!

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are getting creative with eggs. Many thanks to our host, Sneha of Sneha’s Recipe. Check out all the links below.

Food Lust People Love: Cheater Chawanmushi - Savory Egg Custard
Amy's Cooking Adventures: Egg Drop Soup
Mayuri's Jikoni: Easy Migas Recipe
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Garden Vegetable Deviled Eggs
Sneha's Recipe: Hash Brown Omelette With Egg
Karen's Kitchen Stories: Stir-Fried Eggs and Velvet Shrimp

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- Savory Egg Custard!

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole

This cheesy sausage and egg casserole is the perfect make-ahead breakfast or brunch dish that your whole family will love! It rests in the fridge overnight, then baked when ready to serve.

I was first introduced to a recipe like this a long, long time ago when a Canadian friend gave me a cookbook from home that she loved called The Best of Bridge. It was put together by a group of bridge playing ladies who so enjoyed the food they brought to share on games days that they decided to write a cookbook.

Their warm and wonderful cookbooks are staples of Canadian culture and are still available today, almost 50 years after the first one was published! In that first book, which I still have and treasure, the breakfast casserole was called Christmas Morning Wife Saver. It called for Canadian bacon, naturally, or you could substitute ham.

I made some version of it often years ago, sometimes substituting breakfast sausage or cooked crispy bacon instead but somehow it got dropped from the weekend/holiday rotation. Time to bring my rendition back!

Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole

I like to spice things up with the addition of jalapeños but if your family can’t take the heat, feel free to add some chopped green peppers aka bell peppers instead for inside the casserole and to sprinkle on for garnish. I also use the Jimmy Dean “hot” sausage for extra spiciness. Use your favorite.

Ingredients

1 lb or 450g bulk pork sausage

2 fresh jalapeños

6 large eggs

2 cups or 480ml milk

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 oz or 170g sliced sandwich bread – about 4-5 slices

4 oz or 113g extra sharp cheddar, grated

For baking:

2 oz or 56g extra sharp cheddar, grated

Method

In a skillet, brown and crumble sausage; drain and set aside to cool.

Cut the bread into 1/2-inch or 1cm cubes. I leave the crusts on.

Cut several round slices of jalapeño to decorate the top before baking, then mince the rest and discard the stems. I leave the seeds and ribs in because we like things spicy but you can discard these if you don’t.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk in the salt and mustard powder. Then add the milk and whisk again.

Stir in the bread cubes, cheese, cooled sausage and minced jalapeños.

Spoon into a greased 9x13-in or 23x33cm baking dish. Cover snugly with cling film and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Top the casserole with the extra grated cheddar and decorate with the reserved jalapeño slices.

Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the casserole rest for five minutes, before cutting in squares to serve. I like to put out our favorite hot sauce in case anyone wants to add a sprinkle or two.

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 19th edition of the 2024 Alphabet Challenge, brought to you by the letter S. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the S recipes below: