Scrambled Soya

The snow over the last few days has thwarted some of the plans I have had over the Christmas period and meant that I have needed to stay closer to home than first thought. Today was no exception as I was able to get out a short walk however although the main roads near my house had improved, traversing the side roads nearly resulted in a number of slips that would have seen me end up flat on my back if I had been less lucky.

After I got home I stuck my new Christmas Present on the playlist; it was Genesis' last studio release 1997's Calling All Stations which features vocalist Ray Wilson and lots of languid songs like "Shipwrecked", "If that's what you need", "Uncertain Weather," and "There must be some other way" that matched my tired midwinter mood. The album is a little bleak but very atmospheric and despite being disliked by many I think it is a key part of the band's often brilliant and multifaceted catalogue.

As I watched the weak winter sun caress the crisp snow covering the back garden I realised that I needed to make something quick and easy that was comfort food so as to make me feel a bit more motivated. The inspiration for this recipe came from a trip to Verdo Lounge Café in Sutton Coldfield in the summer. This café has a wonderfully innovative approach to its recipes and often puts interesting twists on traditional dishes using spices and sauces as is evidenced in their excellent 'Dirty Beans on Toast' dish that is found on their breakfast menu.

I followed Verdo's example by making some scrambled eggs with my beans on toast that included soya milk and paprika in the ingredients. I did this by first beating together two eggs in a bowl with a whisk and then in a saucepan melting twenty five grams of margarine while also adding half a tablespoon of paprika to the melting margarine. Once the margarine was melted I added the beaten eggs and two tablespoons of unsweetened soya milk. I turned up the heat on the saucepan and stirred the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon.

I saw that despite the extra heat the mixture was not thickening, probably because there was not enough egg in the pan. This said I poured the yolk and white of another egg into the mixture and slowly but surely it began to thicken and the eggs and paprika absorbed the melted margarine and soya milk. Once this happened I served the scrambled eggs by putting them on top of some baked beans, that I had laced with paprika, and toast.

The use of the paprika gave this traditional dish a really distinct flavour and adding a much needed warmth to it. The meal was made healthier through the use of the soya milk, as opposed to full fat dairy milk or cream, and the melted margarine also added a richness to the eggs that helped make this snack into more of a main meal.

Above: the scrambled egg was nearly ready to serve when it had absorbed all the soya milk and melted margarine.

Perfect food for a winter's day with some beans on toast.