It’s the first bank holiday weekend of 2026, and we have St Brigid to thank for it.
Ingredients (Makes 4 slices)
- 225g mature Irish cheddar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 4 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
- 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 4 tbsp cream
- Good dash Worcestershire sauce, to taste
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 thick slices of crusty bread
- Parsley sprigs for decoration
Method
- Place cheese, egg, scallions, mustard, and cream in a bowl.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and parsley, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Using a fork, stir to mix the ingredients evenly.
- Pre-heat the grill and toast bread slices lightly on both sides.
- Remove from the grill and top each slice with some cheese mix.
- Return to the grill and cook until melted and the tops are golden.
- Arrange on a platter and decorate with parsley sprigs to serve.
Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
- 4 brioche rolls
- 4 ripe bananas
- 2 fresh free-range eggs
- 180g canned ready-made caramel
- 350mls milk
- 1 punnet fresh blueberries
- Icing sugar for dusting
Method
- Halve the brioche rolls and butter them, then arrange them like overlapping roof tiles in a buttered oven-proof dish.
- Halve bananas lengthways and slice then tuck them in between the brioche slices.
- Whisk the eggs, caramel and milk together.
- Pour over the mix and scatter half the blueberries over, reserving the remainder for serving.
- Cover the top with foil. Bake in a pre-heated oven, Gas 4 180C (160C fan assisted) for 20 minutes or until the custard has set but is still slightly wobbly in the centre. Remove the foil for a few minutes at the end to brown the top. Serve in warmed bowls, with fresh blueberries scattered over. Dust with icing sugar.
If you’re serving this as a lunch snack, a little tipple may not be in order if you have places to go and things to do. However, if it’s a light supper dish, a glass of red wine with it is definitely on the cards! So I’ve found a red with a bit of a story to tell. La Maldita Garnacha Rioja is a red wine made in the Rioja region of Spain, from Garnacha grapes. These grapes were traditionally hard to grow in the region, acquiring the name La Maldita or ‘little cursed one’. This winery has mastered the art of growing Garnacha grapes, to produce a delicious single variety Rioja, which does justice to the famous region. In the glass, expect some full plummy fruit, but also a firm body which gives backbone to the wine. A clean flinty edge on the finish comes from the high altitude vineyards planted on gravel soil. If you like Rioja wines and you usually go for the full-on spicy Tempranillo-driven style, try this for a change – now down from €15.00 to €10.00 until February 4 at Supervalu stores.