Monday

Tali's Tasty Brekkie Tatties (Black Pudding Optional)




During my time in Scotland with my partner's friends and family I was fortunate to eat a few local delicacies that I wouldn't normally eat at home such as local smoked salmon pate, black pudding, haggis, cheese and oatcakes from the Isle of Arran (a wee island off the west coast).

I wanted to post a recipe that is traditionally Scottish but instead came up with this healthier, modern twist on a Scottish breakfast which can be eaten without the black pudding if preferred. Black pudding is normally part of a full Scottish breakfast (as well as beans, square sausage, a white roll, mushrooms, broon sauce and scrambled eggs) but the combination with sweet potato is by no means traditional. The sweet potato tower was inspired by the Veggie & Egg Tower of Power at My New Roots.


The one thistle we saw on our walk up the mountain Goatfell on the Isle of Arran

What you need to serve 4 lucky people:
  • 500g sweet potato
  • 4 slices of black pudding (optional)
  • 4 organic free range eggs
  • 2 red onions, thinly sliced
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
  • Coconut oil or grapeseed oil
  • Salt and pepper
How to cook it:

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees. Cover two large baking trays with baking paper (gas mark 5). Toss the sweet potato and tomatoes in a small amount of oil and salt and pepper. Place the sweet potato on one tray and the black pudding and tomatoes on the other.  Cook the potato, tomatoes and black pudding in the oven for 20 minutes or until the potato is soft.

In a frying pan add some oil and gently cook the onions for 15-20 minutes. Once the onions have caramelised turn off the heat and stir in the spinach to allow it to wilt slightly.

Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle boil. Add the vinegar and gently stir. Crack an egg into a tea cup and carefully slip the egg into the water. Gently stir the egg white around the egg with a spoon. Repeat with the other eggs. Simmer the eggs for 4 minutes then carefully remove them with a slotted spoon onto some paper towel to drain.

Assemble the plates by layering the black pudding followed by a few slices of sweet potato, topped with some onion mixture and a poached egg. Surround by cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper.

Make it naughty: add some crispy bacon.

Variations: replace black pudding with salmon, avocado or chorizo, add some mushrooms to the onion mixture, squeeze some lemon juice over the stack at the end and add a glug of extra-virgin olive oil.


Steve, Sara and I at the 'top' of Goatfell