Perfect for any relaxed weekend or holiday time, the crispy golden boxes taste fantastic in themselves and make a handy holder for a variety of traditional breakfast fillings.

For each box you will need a slice of bread approximately 3-5cm (1- 1½ inches) thick, ideally from a day old white tin loaf as it needs to be slightly dry.

Trim away the crusts and hollow out the centre: the base and walls should be around 3cm (1 inch) thick.

Brush the box lightly all over with melted butter: it must be actual butter or you won’t get the lovely flavour.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180C (fan oven) or equivalent for 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden, turning over halfway.

Fill the boxes with cooked smoked streaky bacon, cocktail sausages, whole button mushrooms, halved cherry tomatoes and fried quails eggs. Season with freshly ground black pepper and snipped chives. Serve fresh and hot.

Alternative Fillings

Scrambled hen’s eggs and chopped smoked salmon, garnished with lumpfish roe. Serve with a glass of something fizzy.

Flaked poached smoked haddock and soft boiled quail’s eggs

Kedgeree topped with fried or soft boiled quail’s eggs

Shredded ham with fried or soft boiled quail’s eggs

Garlic mushrooms and snipped chives (use garlic butter to brush the box)

Note

A peeled soft boiled egg is known as ‘oeuf mollet’. To soft boil quail’s eggs, lower gently into boiling water. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, keeping the eggs in the water for a further 30 seconds, then remove, peel, and serve immediately.

Egg Box

Prepare the box(es) as before. Reduce heat to 170C. Crack a large hen’s egg into each box, cover the baking tray loosely with greaseproof paper, tucking it underneath to secure (this prevents yolks drying out) and return to the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Incidentally . . . .

These photos are looking a bit jaded! They date right back to 2014: time to take some more!