Power hungry

t makes sense that you should start the day as you intend to follow it through, so if you've got a big or demanding day ahead of you - you'll need to get as much energy as you can from your breakfast.

The Americans invented the term power breakfast and I've seen it appearing on numerous hotel menus, especially in New York. Why wait to get to the office to start those big deals when you can sell off a small company, buy an airline and sign a recording artiste before you've even finished your toast. Of course it would need to be yeast- free multi-grain with soya butter and organic conserves on it, followed by an egg white and shiitake omelette.

The following recipes are my versions of what makes me feel energised in the mornings. I must admit, anything fried with lots of chilli and two double espressos work just as well, but if I have the time, and I've done some prep the night before, then I love to launch into a full-on banquet to start the day.

Freshly blended Bloody Mary If you have to drive to work after this, skip the vodka.

Serves four a 500g tin chopped peeled plum tomatoes half red chilli, snapped in half half teaspoon grated horseradish 50ml vodka juice of 2 ripe limes 2 teaspoons unrefined caster sugar pinch of salt half celery stalk, roughly chopped 2 cups of ice cubes quarter cucumber, seeds removed, cut into long batons freshly ground pepper Place everything except the ice, cucumber and pepper into a blender, puree for 20 seconds. Add the ice and puree for five seconds more. Pour into tall glasses, place some cucumber in each one, and sprinkle some pepper over the top.

Good-for-you yummy smoothie This is great if you only have a minute to make breakfast. It has lots of the goodies you need to get you through until lunch, and it tastes great. Personally, I take vitamin B and C capsules to keep me healthy through winter, and a zinc tablet. This is a good way to take them.

For two large glasses 1 large ripe banana 150ml organic plain yoghurt 2 multivitamin tablets, broken up (If they come in capsule form, empty the contents into the blender and throw the capsules away) half teaspoon spirulina 2 teaspoons bran 400ml organic apple juice Place everything in a blender and whizz together for 20 seconds. If it's too thick, then thin it down with filtered water adding honey to sweeten if you like it that way.

Bean sprout, spring onion and chilli omelettes If you have some left over curry floating around the fridge, then warm it up and spoon over these omelettes. Otherwise, grill some smoked bacon or warm some smoked eel and serve rolled up in these.

Serves four 200g bean sprouts 8 spring onions, finely sliced 6 eggs 2 teaspoons nam pla (Thai fish sauce) or 1 small teaspoon of salt 1 hot red chilli, finely sliced (more or less to taste) 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger oil for cooking Bring a saucepan to the boil with salted water. Add the bean sprouts all at once and leave for 20 seconds, then add the spring onions, stir well, and drain. Break the eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk with the nam pla. Add the drained sprouts, spring onions, chilli and ginger and lightly mix. Heat up a small omelette pan and add a teaspoon of oil, swirling it around the pan. Spoon in a quarter of the mixture and spread it gently around the base of the pan. Cook over a moderate to high heat, preferably with a lid on the pan, until the mixture is just set. Slide it out onto a plate and cook the remaining omelettes the same way. These can be eaten hot out of the pan, or you can leave them for up to an hour before you eat them.

Rare beef, avocado, roast pepper and cucumber roll I'll admit that this may seem way too much preparation first thing in the morning, but if you have your beef seared the day before, and the pepper already grilled (you can buy them from good delis) then you can knock them up quite quickly. Make sure the beef is quite rare, and then you'll feel your primal roots coming through ready for you to tackle the board-room.

Serves two 250g piece of beef fillet, brushed with a little oil 1 long cucumber 1 grilled red pepper, peeled and de-seeded half an avocado grain mustard Heat up a skillet or pan and over a high heat, sear the beef on all sides for one and a half minutes, then leave to rest for at least five minutes. Using a potato peeler, peel the cucumber into wide strips. Cut the pepper into strips as wide as the cucumber. Peel the avocado and remove the stone, cut into small wedges. The next bit is a little tricky. Sit the fillet on its side and, using a sharp knife, roll it along a board cutting as you go, to make a long strip of beef. Lay two cucumber strips on the board and place half the beef on each one, spread some mustard on the beef and sprinkle with a little salt. Lay some of the pepper on top, then roll up. Wrap some more cucumber around the roll to secure it, then poke pieces of avocado into the beef.

Smoked haddock and haggis hash This will definitely kick-start your day. Great served with a fried egg on top and drizzled with chilli sauce.

Serves two 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced 1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1cm dice 50g butter 300ml boiling water 100g haggis cut into small dice 200g natural smoked haddock, skin and bones removed, cut into chunks 1 teaspoon hot mustard toast Fry the onion and potato in the butter until they colour, then add the water and put a lid on the pot and boil until the potato is almost cooked. Add the haggis and haddock and turn the heat to a simmer, replace the lid and cook until the haddock is warmed through (about five minutes). Make sure there's enough water in the pot to steam the meat and fish, so if it's looking a bit dry, add some more boiling water. Once it's all hot, stir in the mustard and serve on toasted chunky wholemeal bread.

Copyright 2000
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.