FRITTATA

Serves 4

2 Tbsp. Olive oil
3/4 cup Cooked tube shaped pasta not too wide about 1/2" to 1"
6 lg or ex lg eggs
1/2 cup of blanched, squeezed-dry spinach
salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped onions

METHOD
Take a 9 inch flat pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the onions and cook without colour. Add some salt and pepper. Break the eggs into a bowl, whisk lightly. Add the pasta to the pan. Add the spinach to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir together

Add the eggs to the pan. Cook without stirring. From time to time tip the side of the eggs up so that they run underneath the frittata. After 7 minutes put a plate over the top of the pan, turn the pan over onto the plate, put the pan back on the stove. Slide the omelette back into the pan and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.

CROQUE MADAME

Serves 4

8 1 inch thick slices of firm white bread
4 thin slices of blackforest ham cut to the same size as the bread
4 slices of Gruyere cheese cut to the same size as the bread
6 Tbsp. butter

METHOD
Using a cookie cutter cut a 2 inch circle out of the centre of the bread. Cut a similar circle out of both the ham and cheese slices. Butter one side of a piece of bread. Heat a pan over medium heat. Put the bread in butter side down. Put a slice of ham and a slice of cheese. (Note: If you wish to add hot mustard this is the time to spread it on the next slice of bread).

Put the next slice of break on top of the cheese, mustard side down if you're using mustard. Butter the outside of this piece of bread. Turn the sandwich over when the first side turns golden brown.

Break an egg into a bowl and then pour it into the centre of the sandwich, be careful not to break the yolk. Cover with a lid briefly to help cook the egg but not too long because the sandwich must remain crisp. When serving the sandwich, serve it with some sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.

SEAFOOD CREPES

Serves 4 (2 CREPES EACH)

RECIPE FOR SAUCE
3 Tbsp. Butter
3 Tbsp. Flour
2 cups fish stock
2 oz. Cream
2 oz. White wine
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
In a pot heat 3 Tbsp. of butter and add the 3 Tbsp. of flour to make a roux and cook for a few minutes. Slowly add 2 cups of fish stock and whisk until smooth. (If it is not smooth, don't worry, just strain it before continuing). Add 2 ounces of cream and simmer until the sauce is thickened.

Once the sauce is thick add 2 ounces of white wine and continue to cook for 5 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, prepare the crepes.

RECIPE FOR CREPES
2 Eggs
10 Tbsp. Flour
7 oz. Milk
2 Tbsp. Melted butter

METHOD
Mix the 2 eggs and 10 tbsp. Flour until smooth, if it is not smooth, strain it. Add the 7 oz. Milk. Add the 2 tbsp. melted butter. Wipe a bit of vegetable oil on the pan and heat it. Pour 2 ounces of batter in the pan and swirl it around to cover the bottom of the pan and cook until it changes colour, turn over and cook for another minute.

Stack the crepes as you remove them from the pan

SEAFOOD FILLING
4 oz. Scallops
4 oz. Cooked shelled mussels
4 oz. shelled, deveined, coarsely chopped shrimp
2 oz. Thinly sliced cremini mushrooms (if you can't find cremini mushrooms then use some other fresh, light flavoured mushroom)
Salt and Pepper - as you like it

METHOD
Put some clarified butter to heat in a pan on medium/high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they just begin to colour. Add the shrimp cook for two minutes. Add the scallops and cook for two minutes. Add the mussels and cook for a minute. Add 1 1/2 cups of the veloute to the seafood mixture, mix it all together and and bring just to the boil. Place a crepe on a board, put 1/3 of a cup of the filling on the crepe and roll it as you would a spring roll.

If you like it extra hot, heat in warm over for 2 minutes and serve. Garnish with some chopped red pepper and some deepfried parsley. If you care to, you may put a bit of the filling on the crepe when serving so that the guest will know what the filling is.

Tip 1
French and Italians enjoy a variety of cold meats. Salami, Capicollo, Mortadella and Prosciutto. Enjoy a variety of slices on a crusty loaf with some lettuce, some mild cheese such as Swiss cheese and Dijon mustard.

Tip 2
Europeans love cheese. There's a goat's milk cheese; "Ementhaler" - the Swiss cheese with the big holes; there's "Gruyere" also Swiss, which has a kind of nutty flavour but is mild; and of course there's the rich delicious "Brie" from France. Enjoy any of these cheeses with some lettuce and some Dijon mustard on a crusty loaf, lunchtime, snack time, anytime.