Trains, Sandwiches and British Egg Week: French Egg & Tomato Breakfast Tartine with Lovage

Trains, Sandwiches and British Egg Week: French Egg & Tomato Breakfast Tartine with Lovage

Trains, Sandwiches and British Egg Week:

French Egg & Tomato Breakfast Tartine with Lovage

Someone once said “It is better to travel well, than to arrive”; a common saying that  is often attributed to Buddah, although it probably originated from a quote taken from Robert Louis Stevenson’s “El Dorado”….. “To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive” . However, the origins of the saying are of no importance to this post, although I have been travelling a lot lately, so I feel suitably qualified to use the expression………..but, no matter how well I have travelled over the last few weeks, the arrival at home last night was sweet relief! My own bed, my own beside clock, ticking away in a reassuring and comforting manner; my own fluffy pillow and high sided armchair. My own teapot and my own mug.…….

Quince, Apples and Pears

…..and an autumn garden ripe for the picking (and yes, there will be many preserving posts coming up soon) and my own little office area and comfy chair…….the travel has been exciting and interesting, but the arrival has been comforting and familiar. And, as my regular readers will have noticed, some of my regular posts have not materialised over the last few weeks (Sepia Saturday, Monday Meal Plan, Fish on Friday and The Sunday Patchwork Quilt of Recipes and Photos), although that is not hugely worrying, as I will resume them forthwith, and I DO like to rebel now and then, be a little fickle and unpredictable!

British Egg Week

But, I am home, and here is my first post for the weekend, with all my latest news to follow of the next few weeks……..and the recipe I am sharing today is a fabulous “eggy” breakfast or brunch recipe, with a French twist. A simple open sandwich recipe with fresh free-range eggs, just in time for British Egg Week. I have QUITE a few eggs in my pantry, as whilst I have been away from home, my chickens have been laying for Britain! My husband seems not to have cooked with many of them, so I will be embracing a baking bonanza (with the older eggs) tomorrow, and eggs for breakfast will be on the menu over the next few days. Today’s brunch was a lazy one, and as well as eggs to use, there was a mountain of late tomatoes to climb too…….plus, my lovage is still going strong, and I DO love a little lovage with fresh eggs……..and so, a new recipe was created – French Egg & Tomato Breakfast Tartine with Lovage. 

French Egg & Tomato Breakfast Tartine with Lovage

 This could be classed as eggs and tomatoes on toast, but, I have added a French twist to it and called it a tartine – which is essentially an open sandwich in France, much like a Danish sandwich. I have also added an extra treat, insofar that I have suggested cutting some of the toast into dipping fingers, affectionately known as “Soldiers”. The recipe is simple and yet quite elegant as it is served with lamb’s lettuce (mache) and is finished off with a garnish of finely chopped lovage, adding a lovely savoury and slightly yeasty taste to the dish. It’s a perfect recipe for a late weekend breakfast, and we both enjoyed it today with a pot of fresh coffee and orange juice. 

French Egg & Tomato Breakfast Tartine with Lovage

As it is British Egg Week, I have collated a few of my other egg recipes together, as listed below, and hopefully they will offer some inspiration for those of you who fancy trying something new, as well as revisiting the traditional classics….

Lavender and Lovage British Egg Week Recipes:

Scandinavian Smoked Salmon & Scrambled Egg Breakfast Wraps

5:2 Diet: LOW CALORIE Breakfast Omelette Recipe

Mexican Breakfast Eggs – Two Ways

Somerset Scramble – Scrambled Eggs with Goat’s Cheese

Omelette Arnold Bennett

Quick and Easy Mixed Courgette & Cherry Tomato Clafoutis with Cheese

Old-Fashioned Egg & Bacon Sandwich Spread

Farmhouse Egg and Bacon Pie

 Quire of Paper – a Stack of Pancakes with Lemon & Sugar

Michelle’s French Mayonnaise in a Flash

…….that’s all for now, the recipe for my French Egg & Tomato Breakfast Tartine with Lovage is below, and, as it is vegetarian and a sandwich, I am entering it into Jac’s No Croutons Required challenge for October here: Sandwiches……

 ……plus, this is a perfect entry for my own Herbs on Saturday event, with the herb being Lovage of course! October’s Herbs on Saturday. 

See you later with more new recipes, and a new giveaway, as well as more of my latest news! Karen

French Egg & Tomato Breakfast Tartine with Lovage

French Egg & Tomato Breakfast Tartine with Lovage

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Serves	2
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	10 minutes
Total time	15 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Wheat
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Bread, Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Misc	Child Friendly, Serve Hot
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

A Tartine is a French "open sandwich", similar to a Danish sandwich, but often served as an appetiser, although, French sandwich shops often serve large and very filling rustic versions! My recipe is a breakfast or brunch idea, but of course this would also make a great lunch, tea or supper dish. Fresh tomatoes are fried in butter and served with a free-range egg on toasted bread, with "soldiers" and a garnish of fresh lovage.

Ingredients

• butter, to fry
• 4 small to medium tomatoes
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 4 slices of bread (such as oat, granary, wholemeal, farmhouse or home-made)
• butter or margarine to spread
• lamb's lettuce (mache in French) (to serve)
• salt and pepper
• 4 leaves of fresh lovage, finely chopped (or flat leaf parsley)

Note

A "Tartine" is a French "open sandwich", similar to a Danish sandwich, but often served as an appetiser, although, French sandwich shops often serve large and very filling rustic versions! My recipe is a breakfast or brunch idea, but of course this would also make a great lunch, tea or supper dish. Fresh tomatoes are fried in butter and served with a free-range egg on toasted bread, with "soldiers" and a garnish of fresh lovage. Perfect for adults and children alike, the lovage adds a wonderful warm, yeast like flavour to the dish, making it taste very special.

Directions

Step 1	Wash and cut the tomatoes into thick slices, 2 to 3 slices per tomato, discard the ends - I usually save them in the fridge for soups and salsas.
Step 2	Cut a knob of butter the size of a walnut and heat it over a medium heat in a non-stick frying pan; when it is hot, add the tomato slices and fry until cooked for about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the tomatoes, and set to one side. Wipe the pan with some paper towel and add a little more butter.
Step 3	Fry the eggs on the hot butter to taste; meanwhile, toast the bread, butter and then cut in half, length ways, so you have long rectangular halves. Cut one half into bread fingers, "soldiers".
Step 4	Arrange the salad leaves on a plate and place the 3 pieces of toast on top of the leaves. Put the cooked tomatoes on top of the toast, and then add the egg to sit on all 3 slices......season with salt and pepper, and scatter the chopped lovage over the top. Arrange the dipping fingers (soldiers) on the side of the plate and serve immediately.

Coming up soon…….stuff with Quince, Apples and Pears! 

Quince, Apples and Pears