super brunch: with the m&s chef range.

Brunch is totally the in thing these days. Forget cereal for breakfast or the same old sandwich fillings, between 10-11 is the prime time for the likes of beautifully seasoned avocados, hot buttered sourdough bread, lashings of smoked salmon, wilted spinach and eggs. All the eggs. When M&S Food got in touch to see if I'd fancy hosting a super brunch I just had to rustle something up. Showcasing their latest M&S Chef Range of pans, utensils and serveware, I created two recipes just waiting for a lazy Saturday morning. 

The first was a jumble of pan fried chorizo, plum tomatoes and avocado, simply served in a stack with fragrant fresh thyme. The second was a salmon and spinach frittata in their mini copper pan. The frittata is finished with a dollop of cream cheese, lots of black pepper and fresh basil. Avocado and chorizo vs. salmon and eggs. Which would you choose?

The M&S Chef collection is no doubt a delight to look at. (Because shiny, because copper, because slates). But what about the quality? As well as a saucepan and utensils, I especially enjoyed their tri ply frying pan, with aluminium sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. It beautifully pan fried my chorizo, thyme and tomatoes to a slight char, and was easy to clean in the dishwasher afterwards.

The tiny (and very cute) copper pan pretty much wiped clean after I'd devoured the frittata. Lastly, I presented the chorizo dish on one of their stoneware grey Richmond dinner plates - another one for my ever growing plate collection! And so on to the recipes...

For the avocado, chorizo and tomato stack

Shopping list.

(Makes one)

♥ 60g cooked chorizo, sliced into discs

♥ 75g tomatoes, halved
♥ Olive oil

♥ Half a ripe avocado

♥ A few sprigs of fresh thyme
♥ Salt and pepper to season

Step one. Simply toss together your chorizo and tomatoes with a glug of good quality olive oil and a few of sprigs of thyme. Cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring now and again.

Step two. Meanwhile peel and chop your avocado into cubes.

Step three. Bring together all the elements of the dish and top with the thyme. You could even finish with a freshly poached egg and a generous amount of cracked black pepper!

For the salmon and spinach frittata

Shopping list.

(Makes one)

♥ One good quality salmon fillet (approx 150g) cut into chunks
♥ Olive oil

♥ A handful of torn spinach

♥ One free range egg

♥ 30ml milk

♥ 1 tsp cream cheese

♥ Fresh basil leaves

♥ Salt and pepper to season

Step one. Begin by cooking your salmon with a little oil on a low to medium heat.

Turn on your grill to a medium heat.

Step two. When cooked through, add in your torn spinach bit by bit until wilted. Add enough so that it comes half way up the pan, so you still have room for the egg mix. 

Step three. Beat together your egg with the milk and pour in the mixture to your pan. Cook for 5 minutes without stirring.

Step four. Grill on a medium heat for ten minutes until cooked through and golden.

Serve with a heavy teaspoon of cream cheese, a twist of black pepper and a simple basil garnish.

Which brunch recipe would you pick? Have you got a go-to brunch recipe? Or have you tried the M&S Chef range yet?

In collaboration with M&S Food