Like any area that involves research, experimentation and a bit of serious sleuthing, it’s all too easy to become obsessed with the world of food and cooking. The problem is that obsessives who take it too far, too often can be a pain in the, um, kitchen.
The world of food offers much to thrill and excite, and plenty to keep geeks like me very happy as long as I keep my obsession in check and don’t bore people too much with the right recipe, the next “new” thing, ingredient or diet, the “best ever” something or other.
Years of seeing foods go in and out of favour and of hearing every superlative imaginable used to describe the things we eat, means I have become a little more cautious and a lot wiser when rushing to judge something, for better or worse.
I first sampled Sarah Britton’s recipe for “Life-Changing Crackers” at a pot-luck dinner, where we often try to “out-health” or “out-Ottolenghi” each other.
On this occasion, I was ordered to smuggle in my really evil version of Mac n Cheese, which I zooped up so that it was chock-full of badness, for old times’ sake. Rib-sticking doesn’t even come close to what it’s like.
But one of the real stars of the show that evening was the crackers. The very next day, our wonderful flame-haired hostess sent a link for Life Changing Crackers to all us pot-luckers, directing us to Sarah Britton’s excellent blog My New Roots.
Now, my first thought was that they sounded a bit menopausal. I mean, come on. Really? Can a humble cracker be that good?
Well, after a few tweaks, I have to say a big thank you to Sarah, because while “life-changing” might be a tad lofty, these crackers are certainly delicious. They are also have no gluten (if you use gluten-free oats) and are full of omega oils thanks to all the seeds they contain.
Between the seeds and the coconut oil, these little crackers are great for your digestion and your skin. It’s a no-brainer, which is why I chose to call them Cracking Crackers. The only real change to the recipe was leaving out the maple syrup and not bothering to “dry” them out overnight. Anything that takes too long just doesn’t make the cut in this house.
To go with them is a classic dish with a seasonal (spring) twist: scrambled egg with spring onions, cherry tomatoes and something very close to guacamole.
The soft, buttery egg and zingy, slightly spicy avocados are not only full of nutrients, but they just beg to be dipped into with the crackers.
This dish works well for a substantial brunch but also as a quick, nutritious midweek supper and is one of my new favourite dishes.
Food cooked and styled by Domini Kemp and Gillian Fallon
dkemp@irishtimes.com
