An Aussie's late-summer hurrah before he starts roasting his Sunday lunches! You're probably aware of my penchant for salads, and the one here makes great use of perfectly ripe figs and the last of the year's broad beans. This salad can be served as a starter or with the main course, depending on how lazy you're feeling.
The great thing about open-faced omelettes is the speed at which you can prepare them and the fact you can feed a group of people at once.
I've been making them ever since I started cooking and, at my first restaurant in the early days, I used to make one with gruyère and tomato and topped with fresh rocket, serving them in generous slices.
This whole meal can be made ahead of time. I would reserve the dressing until you're ready to serve the salad. The omelette is just as good at room temperature.
The choc tops can be frozen again once they are made, to be taken out at the optimum moment, and are guaranteed to bring out the child in anyone.
Bill's restaurant, Granger & Co, is at 175 Westbourne Grove, London W11, tel: 020 7229 9111; 50 Sekforde Street, London EC1, tel: 020 7251 9032; and Stanley Building, 7 Pancras Square, London N1, tel: 020 3058 2567, grangerandco.com. Follow Bill on Instagram at bill.granger
Fig, feta and broad bean salad with toasted pecans
The dressing here adds depth to late-summer and autumn salads; it's perfect with roasted squash served at room temperature or over a bitter green salad to serve with roast pork.
Serves 4
300g broad beans, frozen or fresh
8 figs, torn
180g marinated feta cheese, crumbled
40g dried cranberries
Handful mint leaves
For the dressing
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp julienned ginger
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp lime juice
Pinch chilli flakes
35g pecans, toasted in a dry frying pan
Blanch the beans in boiling water for around five minutes or until cooked. Drain, refresh under cold water and slip the skins off.
Arrange the broad beans, figs, feta, cranberries and mint on a serving plate.
For the dressing, place the oil, ginger, molasses, honey, lime juice, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt in a jar and shake to combine, or whisk together in a bowl. Pour over the salad and sprinkle over the pecans, breaking them up a bit with your fingers as you do so.
Prawn, pea and dill open-faced omelette
An omelette with prawns is an unusual combination but I've always been a big fan of Chinese omelettes, cooked in hot oil in a wok, filled with prawns and fresh herbs, and drizzled with oyster sauce. Here I've taken this idea and given it a Scandi twist.
Serves 4
250ml Greek-style yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra to garnish
1 tsp lemon zest, plus extra to serve
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 eggs
125ml single cream or milk
Small handful picked parsley, plus extra to serve
Small handful picked mint, plus extra to serve
Small handful picked dill, plus extra to serve
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
4 spring onions, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
100g peas, fresh and blanched or frozen
400g cooked prawns, peeled
Prawn, pea and dill open-faced omelette (Anson Smart)
Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/Gas4.
To make the lemony yoghurt to accompany the omelette, place the yoghurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
Combine the eggs and cream or milk in a large bowl, add the herbs and stir to combine. Season.
Heat the oil to a medium-high heat in an ovenproof, 20cm non-stick frying pan. Add the spring onions and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and sprinkle over the peas and prawns. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sides are beginning to set, then transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until set.
Cut into wedges and top with the extra herbs, lemon juice and zest and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with the yoghurt drizzled with a little extra olive oil.
Almond choc tops
These are a cinema-going tradition in Australia, but the joy of a choc top for the home cook is that they can be made ahead of time and popped back into the freezer on a tray lined with baking paper until serving. You'll need an ice-cream maker, but of course they can also be made with shop-bought ice cream.
Dark chocolate for the almond choc tops (Anson Smart)
Serves 4
6 egg yolks
125g caster sugar, plus 3 tsp extra
500ml almond milk or milk
250ml pure cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
50g almond slivers or chopped almonds
150g dark chocolate, melted
30g coconut oil
4 large waffle cones
Toasted almond slivers
For the ice-cream mix, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until well combined. Heat the milk and cream in a medium-sized saucepan to simmering point. Add to the egg mix gradually, whisking to combine. Return to the saucepan and heat, stirring, until the mixture is thick enough just to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl and add the vanilla. Cover the surface with cling film and refrigerate until cold.
Place the almonds in a small pan with the extra sugar and toss until the sugar has melted and coated the almonds. Tip on to a baking paper-lined tray to cool.
Almond choc tops are a cinema-going tradition in Australia (Anson Smart)
When the ice-cream mix is cold, churn in an ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the almonds 1 to 2 minutes before the churning finishes. Transfer to a container and freeze until required.
When ready to assemble, place a tray lined with baking paper in the freezer to cool. Combine the melted chocolate and coconut oil. To assemble, place a scoop of ice cream on each cone then dip in the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with almonds and place on the chilled tray and return to the freezer to set.
Food preparation: Nick Banbury; Props merchandising: Megan Morton
