Liz Seabrook
Ixta Belfrage’s Upside-Down Plantain Omelette with Scotch Bonnet Salsa
Ingredients
Coconut milk: 120g, full fat
Eggs: 6
Ginger: 1/2 tsp fresh, peeled and finely grated or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
Garlic: 1 small clove, crushed or grated
Lime zest: 1 tsp
Fine salt: 3/4 tsp
Chives: 5g, finely chopped
Coriander: 5g, finely chopped
Spring greens: 40g, thinly sliced (substitute spinach or kale)
Feta cheese: 100g, broken into medium-sized chunks
Plaintain: 2, medium-sized (460g)
Ghee: 30g (substitute unsalted butter)
Olive oil: 1 tbsp, plus extra for drizzling
Flaked salt: To serve
Lime wedges: To serve
Sweet cherry tomatoes: 200g, extra-ripe
Lime zest: 1 tsp
Lime juice: 1 tbsp
Olive oil: 1 1/2 tbsp
Flaked salt: 1/2 tsp
Scotch bonnet chilli: 1-2 to taste (or a milder chilli if you prefer)
A spicy, sweet omelette recipe, perfect as a main for two or to share with friends.
"This recipe calls for plantains that are ripe and sweet, preferably nearly all black, with only some yellow marks," says chef Ixta Belfrage. "Unripe plantain is no substitute here because you won’t achieve the sweet, caramelised layer we’re looking for."
Serving two as a main, or four as part of a spread, the recipe also calls for coconut milk from a tin rather than a carton, with at least 75% coconut extract.
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C/360°F fan).
Before measuring out your coconut milk, take all the contents out of the tin and whisk well to combine the solid and the liquid, then weigh out the 120g.
Add the coconut milk to a large bowl with the eggs, ginger, garlic, lime zest and fine salt, and whisk together. Stir in the chives, coriander, spring greens and feta, then set aside.
Peel the plantains and slice them into 3⁄4cm/1/4in rounds. You need about 320g peeled slices.
Place a 28cm/11in ovenproof, non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat and add the ghee (or butter) and the oil. Once the ghee has melted, layer the plantain slices to cover the bottom of the pan, then set a timer for 3 minutes, and cook without stirring or flipping the plantain, to create a caramelised, golden layer on the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat, then pour over the egg mixture to evenly cover the base and leave to fry for another minute undisturbed. The omelette should be set around the edges but still liquid in the middle.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 8–9 minutes, until the omelette is just set on top, with a good wobble in the centre. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to release the sides of the omelette from the pan.
While the omelette is in the oven, make the salsa. Finely chop the cherry tomatoes into very small pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl, using your hands as a natural sieve so you don’t take all the liquid and seeds with you (otherwise the salsa will be quite soggy). Stir in the lime zest, lime juice, oil and flaked salt. Very finely chop the Scotch bonnet; they vary substantially in heat level so start with 1⁄2 a chilli, removing the seeds and pith if you prefer milder heat. Add to the salsa, stir and taste, then add up to 1 1⁄2 more finely chopped chillies, to taste.
Place a large plate on top of the pan, then quickly flip the whole thing over so the omelette ends up on the plate. Hopefully all the plantain pieces will end up on the omelette, but if not just peel them from the pan and place them back on top.
Drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with more flaked salt. Serve with the salsa on the side and some extra lime wedges for squeezing.
Extract taken from 'The Female Chef' by Clare Finney and Liz Seabrook, published by Hoxton Mini Press.
