Someone once said breakfast is the most important meal of the day – but personally, I think brunch can give it a run for its money.
While whipping up a quick breakfast is all very well and good during the week, weekends call for something just that little bit more special. Whether you’re planning an action-packed weekend or just setting aside some quality time to spend with your family and friends, a proper Sunday brunch can be the highlight of a weekend.
This is exactly what The Birnam Brasserie, one of our new restaurants at Gleneagles, does best. We serve breakfast daily, but brunch is – for the time being, at least – an event reserved for the first Sunday of each month. We pull out all the stops with live music and a huge selection of delicious brunch dishes; from American classics such as pancakes and waffles, to French-inspired desserts, fresh seafood and a wide range of continental cheeses and charcuterie, we’ve got it covered. There's even a Bellini, Mimosa and Bloody Mary station.
There’s just so much fresh, seasonal produce right on our doorstep here at Gleneagles. From seasonal game and locally-sourced meat, to fresh berries and dairy products – I’m always looking to incorporate the very best of Perthshire’s produce into recipes. Seafood is no exception: omelettes are a tried-and-tested brunch favourite, and this variation is a popular choice on the Birnam menu. Incorporating fresh Scottish haddock and tender crab meat (check out George Campbell in Perth for great, fresh shellfish – or your local fishmonger) and elevating it by adding a touch of caviar. It’s still delicious even without the fish eggs!
As with many dishes, preparation is key to serving up the perfect omelette. Once the eggs start to cook, we’re on a countdown, so make sure to have everything ready beforehand.
Makes 1 omelette
Ingredients:
100g cooked and flaked smoked haddock
250ml milk
50g fresh handpicked white crab meat
1 teaspoon of caviar of your choice
3 eggs
1 spring onion, finely chopped
A pinch of finely chopped chives
A pinch of salt and pepper
25g butter
Method:
1. Pre heat your grill ready to finish the omelette.
2. Poach the haddock in a pan with enough milk to cover the fish. Bring the milk to the boil to cook the fish, and leave it to cool slightly. Break the haddock into bitesize chunks, leaving them in the warm milk.
3. Break all three eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork, then add the salt and pepper and spring onion. Have all your ingredients laid out in front of you, as you have to work quickly once you start cooking.
4. Place a non-stick omelette pan on a high heat and add the butter to the pan. When it starts to foam, add the eggs and stir rapidly with a heat-proof spatula. As the egg starts to set on the bottom and sides of the pan, fold it back on itself so that the uncooked egg slips in behind the cooked egg. Repeat as it starts to set: this should take place in the space of a minute so you’ll need to work quickly. You don’t want the egg to start browning, so a quick folding action is essential.
5. Once the omelette is three-quarters set and still a little runny, take the haddock out of the milk and place it on top of the omelette. Scatter over the crab meat and then place the pan under the grill to finish the cooking process. You can leave the omelette just cooked if you like, for a softer finish.
6. Finely scatter the omelette with chopped chives and place the caviar on in small piles across the top. Serve, and enjoy!
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