It has to be the most under-rated job in any kitchen, not generally by people who work in kitchens but by you, the general public.

It’s the meal you’ll spend the least on, expect it to be served quicker then the others and, by the most part just order what you want regardless of the menu…

“Poached eggs soft on multigrain with spinach on the side”

“I’ll have the exact same but with mushrooms and cook my eggs hard”

“Oh, I’ll also have the same as my two friends but scrambled eggs on toast with bacon, and avocado if you have it”

Well as you can quite easily see people are stupid as fuck if they think they are all the same thing. In fact there is literally nothing similar about them except for the fact they are served on plates. Now I don’t hate customers and in fact I, like all other professional chefs rely on them not just for my paycheck, but also to inflate my ever-growing ego. And to be completely honest I actually enjoying cooking breakfast now-a-days and this is for several reasons…

1. I really do think there are too many rubbish chefs/cooks just slapping shite out every morning all over the world, with little regard for temperature, flavour or presentation… shits me!!!
2. A poached egg is truly a beautiful thing and it brings me joy to think I’m serving the perfect egg to everyone I feed… if it waits to long I do it again… IT’S ALL ABOUT THE EGG!!!
3. I’m really lucky to work with some really cool people that allow me to amuse myself at their expense, and they make me coffee in return (great deal)
4. I get to finish work early ☺

But back to why it so hard, and I’m not just all of a sudden spruking the perils of the breaky chef because I now do a few shifts, I have always said that it is the shittest shift to get… mainly because I hate getting up early and those people that say “oh you missing the best part of the day if you’re not up before the sun is” you’re all god liars, the best time to get up is when your body is ready to get up and not one minute before, for me that time is generally about 8.30 ish. I’ve been getting up early for months now and never have I said “holy shit I love getting up this early” it just hasn’t happened.

Then take into account how many elements are involved in breakfast, bacon, sausages, tomato, hash browns, beans, toast, spinach and then there is the eggs with their many many many varieties and levels of cooking and all of this is just a standard full cooked breaky, not to mention additions like black pudding, square sausage, fried bread, avocado the list just goes on and on. And now you bastards have all got savvy as far as health and shit we have to create gluten free breakfasts, fat free, vegan breakfasts… so you can imagine if you work at an establishment that cares about the end product, then you’d be making your own beans, cooking pancakes to order, cutting the avocado as needed and all in all this stuff takes time and more importantly timing.

So next time you’re out for breaky and its good make sure you go and tell the chef and if you feel so inclined but him a fresh juice it will make he/hers day.

What I wouldn’t want to do is make you think that you can’t order what you want, because I’m with you people I like to order exactly what I want. I’m sure I will be chastised by other chefs for this statement, but if they can’t handle it then you know the old saying “a rolling stone gathers no moss” hang on I reckon that was the wrong saying but either way they’re shit, and should be quiet.

I good friend of mine feels so strongly about breakfast that she has created her own webpage that is all about breakfast and reviews of said breakfasts so if you are ever in Perth and want to know where to get a good breaky, or you just want a good read then check out Liz’s page…

http://www.breakfastconfidential.com.au

Now because I love you all I have decided to give my croissant and chorizo pudding recipe, its good, its tasty, make it this weekend!!!

And don’t freak out, I’ve put the pudding recipe after the dish description and explanation… relax

Chorizo & croissant pudding, spinach, poached eggs, basil pesto
Serves 4

• 4 serves chorizo & croissant pudding
• 150g spinach (picked and washed)
• 8 large eggs (free range)
• 6 tablespoons basil pesto
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 3 tablespoon white vinegar
• Salt and pepper

1. In a large sauce pan fill with water to ¾, add vinegar to water, bring water to the boil
2. Place the chorizo puddings on a non stick oven tray and place in a 180c oven for 5minutes or until warmed through
3. Heat a fry pan with olive oil in, then add spinach to hot pan, as soon as the spinach starts to collapse turn off heat, add butter and season, leave to one side
4. At this stage you have everything ready except your eggs, which is how you always want it, as no one likes hard-poached eggs!
5. Now turn your water down to a gentle simmer, with a slotted metal spoon spin the water to create a vortex
6. While the water is still spinning crack your eggs 1 at a time dropping them in the water (if you can’t crack them quickly enough you can have them cracked in separate cups or dariole moulds)
7. Make sure the water never fully boils, you want a gentle simmer
8. You have just over 2 minutes to get your plates ready
9. Place the spinach evenly between the 4 plates in the center of each plate flattening out as you go
10. Next place the puddings on top of the spinach
11. By now your eggs will be down, using the slotted spoon carefully take out the eggs and pat dry on a towel before placing 2 eggs on top of each pudding
12. Finish the dish by drizzling pesto around the plate and cracking some salt and pepper over the eggs
13. Serve immediately

Chorizo & croissant pudding
Serves 8

• 200g chorizo (sliced on an angle 4mm slices)
• 460g croissant 4-5 large (sliced or ripped into 1 inch chunks0
• 275ml milk
• 275ml cream
• 4 eggs (xl)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Good crack of black pepper

1. In a pan with no oil fry off the chorizo till it has a little colour then transfer onto kitchen paper and put to one side
2. Whisk together the milk, cream and eggs, then add seasoning and thyme
3. Place all the croissant pieces into the egg mix and allow all liquid to be soaked up
4. Mix through the chorizo
5. Transfer the mix into an oven dish (4inch by 9 inch) preferably non-stick or if it isn’t line with silicone paper.
6. Cover with piece of silicone paper then loosely cove with foil
7. Place in a 170c oven for 45 minute
8. Allow to cool
9. Cut into round/squares whatever shape you like
10. Place on oven tray to heat through in 180c oven for 5 minutes