Tom Kitchin: 'Lamb kidneys on toast is a wonderful twist on the classic bacon roll'

Published on Friday 4 March 2011 10:04

When thinking of Scottish breakfasts, people around the world tend to picture the traditional big, greasy fry-up.

PhotoGraphs MARC MILLAR

Orange Granola

200g demerara sugar

125g honey

75g golden syrup

110g butter

100g dried cranberries

180g desiccated coconut

150g pecan nuts

75g pistachio nuts

200g flaked almonds

50g oats

zest of 4 oranges

Method

Preheat oven to 160C/gas mark 3. Heat a heavy bottomed pan with the sugar, honey, golden syrup and butter until all are melted.

Add all the nuts, cranberries, oats and mix. Then add the orange zest. Spread on to a greaseproof tray and cook for 25 minutes, mixing every five minutes. Cool and serve with natural yoghurt.

Kidneys on toast, grain mustard and bacon

Serves two

4 lamb's kidneys (cut in half and nerve removed)

salt and pepper

20g butter

200g button mushrooms (cut into four)

1 tbsp chopped parsley

4 rashers of bacon (crispy)

2 slices of toast

Method

Heat a non-stick pan and add some oil.

Check the kidneys are clean and season with salt and pepper.

Place the kidneys in the pan and cook for two or three minutes and remove from the pan. Then, using the same pan, add the butter and mushrooms, salt and pepper and saut for two or three minutes.

Return the kidneys to the pan and cook together for a further minute. Add the mustard and parsley.

Serve on toast with crispy bacon.

We get a lot of stick in Scotland about our food but, thankfully, that reputation is starting to shift. Scots have access to such a wide selection of amazing fresh produce - local suppliers are leading by example and producing some of the finest fruit and dairy, meat, oats and cereals. With so much delicious food right on our doorsteps, there is no excuse for starting the day with an unhealthy meal.

Although I don't have a chance to sit down for breakfast during the week, I always look forward to the weekend when I can relax with Michaela and the boys, Axel and Kasper, while we enjoy a big leisurely breakfast. There is nothing better than taking time to enjoy a feast while reading the Sunday papers, with lots of freshly squeezed juice and mugs of fresh coffee. It's a great way to spend some quality time together and catch up on the week.

One of my favourite Sunday dishes, which is actually very traditional in Scotland but not particularly common these days, is lamb kidneys and bacon on toast with mustard sauce - a wonderful twist on the classic bacon roll.

People are often put off by the idea of kidneys but there can be few people (among meat eaters at least) who don't drool over the rich taste and succulent texture of lamb, the soft, squidgy, lightly toasted muffins with really crispy bacon, mushrooms and mustard.

However, when it comes to Sunday breakfast you can't forget eggs; they are the one essential ingredient and the fantastic thing about them is their versatility - fried, boiled, poached or scrambled they are absolutely delicious. Without a doubt poached eggs (right) are my favourite. A lot of people shy away from this method of cooking but it is one of the best ways to serve them and one of the healthiest.

The key to getting it right is to keep the water at a bare simmer throughout cooking. When the tiny bubbles start to appear at the bottom of the pan break the eggs steadily into the water and leave them to simmer for one minute without covering. Next thing is to take the pan off the heat and let the eggs sit in the water for about ten minutes, the egg should have a perfectly set white with a soft and creamy yolk.

As a special weekend treat I will quite often pick up some smoked haddock fresh from Newhaven harbour in Edinburgh to serve with the eggs. Together they make such a comforting dish - just what you need to unwind after a long week. The flakiness of the haddock is perfect for soaking up the delicious golden yolk.

During the week, and now that the mornings are getting lighter, I find myself craving a light, but still energising breakfast. Luckily, there are some really delicious fresh fruits in season which are perfect for making a healthy, nutritious morning meal. There are some fantastic breakfast dishes you can prepare in advance - granola is brilliant and can be eaten in so many different ways. It is always a hit with the kids as well.

Like porridge, the oats release energy slowly, making sure you stay fuller for longer, so they are great for setting you up for the day ahead. If you can find the time, it's worth trying to make your own. Quite often the packaged varieties you buy in the supermarket are full of sugar so, by making it at home, you can add dried fruit instead. There are lots of different ingredients to try - chopped banana, honey, blueberries, chopped dates, apricots or sultanas are just some toppings that work really well.

Adding fruit is a great way of getting the kids to try nutritious food, which can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. It's also a good snack when you are feeling peckish through the day. We love pairing it with finely chopped or grated fresh apple and a selection of Scottish seasonal berries, experimenting with whatever is in season. At this time of year apples, rhubarb and pears are absolutely delicious, and mixed them with yoghurt complements the acidity of the fruit - perfect for waking you up.

• This article was first published in the Scotland on Sunday on March 13, 2011