Brown butter, crispy potato, leek and cheddar hash and Rhubarb and ginger overnight oats

Two highly comforting, satisfying breakfasts to start the new year.

I thought i’d start the new year with two dishes that I find wholesome and comforting. The word wholesome often conjures up images of grains, saltless nut butters and tough leafy greens, but it really doesn’t have to be that way. I went through years trying to be ‘wholesome’ and ‘good’ setting out on fad diets that always kicked off in January - swapping greek yoghurt for low fat powdery yoghurts packed with artificial sweeteners and weighing bowls of brown pasta..it wasn’t ideal.

I think that January needs to embrace comfort and nourishment. Its the month of the year that we really need to look after ourselves. Winter is a very good time of year for seasonal fruits and veg, after all blood oranges and forced, pink rhubarb are coming into season (yey!). But to be ‘wholesome’ doesn’t just mean you have to turn them into something virtuous. Eat big bowls of citrus but pile them with your favourite creamy greek yoghurt and a slick of honey, make batches of rice pudding and top with poached rhubarb on cold nights and fry your potatoes and kale in good olive oil rather than boiling them if you like.

Enjoy these two scrumptious breakfasts or eat them for lunch/dinner/a snack if you like. There are no rules that you need to put upon yourself in January other than to eat what you bloody-well want.

Happy new year lovey lot, I honestly cant wait to share more on this platform with you over 2024 - its an exciting year ahead.

Esther x

Pictures by Tara fisher - Props by Faye Wears

Brown butter, leek, potato and cheddar hash

Serves 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 25 mins EASY

700g Maris piper potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

40g unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, washed and sliced

3 sprigs thyme

4 large free-range eggs - I use St ewe

1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped

70g hard cheese – Cheddar or Lincolnshire poacher works well

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with water and a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 12 mins or until tender. Drain and allow to steam dry in a colander for 10 mins.

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and fry for 10 mins or until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add the remaining butter and oil then thrown in the potatoes and fry over a medium heat for 8-10 mins undisturbed, turn and fry for a further 10 mins. Add the leeks to the pan and the thyme and raise the heat until the butter turns foamy and nutty and golden.

Heat the remaining butter in a separate frying pan and cook until the butter turns golden and nutty. Crack in the eggs and fry for 3-4 mins, undisturbed until the edges are crispy and golden. Spoon the potatoes on to a plate. Top with the eggs, chives and finely grate over the cheese. Spoon any extra butter over before eating.

Good to know -

• Leaving the potatoes to steam dry helps extract the moisture and give the potatoes a crispy exterior.

• Turn the potatoes with tongs if you can, this makes it easier to brown each individual potato.

• Swap the thyme for sage if you like - both work really well.

• Add slices of Serrano ham or crispy prosciutto to this if you want a meaty element.

Rhubarb and ginger overnight oats

PREP 10 mins plus overnight soaking COOK 10 mins SERVES 4 EASY