One of the first things we wanted to do after we moved to the farm, was to get a few chickens. Just a few weeks after we arrived we were joined by six chickens to provide us with eggs. Five years on, we have 11 chickens and all of our original chickens have gone, save one. Spotty chicken has defied the odds and is loving her retirement. Each year we have added a few more out brood. The kids love naming them, and even pick them up and carry them around.
After a cold, wet winter and a slow start to spring, where we hardly got an egg, the chooks are suddenly giving us eight or ten every day. It’s a lot of eggs. The chicks we raised last summer have now grown, and the three girls have now joined the coop to add to our egg laying brood. It’s a great joy to be able to give a dozen eggs to friends and family whenever they come to visit, but even so, we will often have several dozen eggs available for us to use at any one time.
When we are cooking on weekends, I’m often on the hunt for recipes that can use plenty of our eggs, so I’ve put together a list of different meal ideas and snacks that feature eggs.
Easy Eggs
Boiled eggs with asparagus, or just toast soldiers. Put a good knob of butter into the yolk together with a twist of salt and few drops of white wine vinegar for a really delicious treat.
Omelette – we often just snip in some fresh chives, or grate some cheese over the top.
Poached eggs on toast with hollandaise sauce
Breakfast
French toast – served with fresh fruit, yoghurt, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Occasionally when the kids and I are feeling super lazy, we have French toast for dinner. It’s just as popular at night!
Eggs and bacon rolls – hello!!!
Lunch or Dinner
Zucchini, feta and mint fritters – these are super popular with the kids.
Quiche – there really are endless varieties of quiche. I’m quite partial to salmon myself.
Frittata – There are so many variations. Try chorizo, potato, and spinach, or any other vegetables you happen to have around. Delicious.
Zucchini slice
Leftover fritters – perfect for when you have lots of eggs, and not much else.
Devilled eggs – also known as egg boats. Classic 1970’s fare. Hardboiled eggs, halved with the yolk scooped out and mashed with some mustard and mayo before popping them back into the yolk hole. If we need to shift a lot of eggs, I often do a plate of these to take to a shared dinner. Always a winner.
Caesar salad
Dessert
Pavlova – this chocolate raspberry version is my absolute favourite dessert, but any pav is a good pav!
Bread and butter pudding (here’s a recipe for a chocolate version)
Clafoutis – I made a berry version, but I’ve also tried an apricot clafoutis that was gorgeous!
Lemon delicious – I remember having this as a child occasionally, and it was always a favourite.
Lemon Meringue Pie (or rhubarb meringue pie) – my mother in law makes the best lemon meringue pie in the world, but anyone is good to me!
Custard – baked or stirred. I often whack some baked custard into the oven as I finish baking biscuits, and then we have a nice treat after dinner!
Treats
Passionfruit curd tarts (or lemon curd, or raspberry curd). Skip the tart bit if you wish, and just slather the curd on some fresh bread.
Flourless chocolate orange cake
Crumbly lemon slice – this is one recipe we trot out regularly. Delicious and easy.
So help me out! What are your favourite egg recipes? I’m thinking of having a cobb salad for dinner tonight!
