Slow start to Pentecost

I was out celebrating the birthday of a very good friend of mine last night. I was at home in Bedford, and the range of excellent home made alcoholic beverages was impressive. There was really very tasty ale and excellent elderflower champagne. Unsurprisingly, this morning got off to a very slow start. I may not have forgotten it was Pentecost, but the thought was very deeply buried. There were more immediate concerns of water, aspirin and breakfast. When I finally resurrected myself I left my good friends and hosts, who had struggled valiantly down the stairs, making themselves cosy in the sofabed they had kindly made up for me the night before. It looked like it was going to be a very sleepy day indeed.

On the drive back to Oxford I listened to Palestrina's Missa Brevis. I figured I had better get my holy classical music fix before reaching home, as I would be attending an evening Mass with no music later. I love this setting, and I could let the simple harmonies float around my thoughts, encouraging them to higher things. Just four voices: truly amazing. There is nothing, in my opinion, that can help you move from 'fuzzy head' to 'clear reflection' more quickly. Listen here to the Kyrie. 

Pentecost is another one of those feasts which offer an opportunity to start again, to renew, to reinvigorate. I needed a bit of this today. I figure that my friends back on the sofa did too. You know, it is a sign of complete love and devotion to dedicate a 'delicate' morning to cooking up a storm in the kitchen for the 'incapacitated'. And this feast is all about love too. My one confession is that this morning, I didn't get up and do this for my friends. I left them on the sofa, and another kind and loving soul resurrected them with hash browns and copious cups of tea. Mea Culpa

So, with love and a promise for next time: Breakfast Burritos for Four

3 Red Peppers
oil
4 soft corn tortillas
6 eggs
6tbsp milk
freshly ground salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter
6 pepperdew peppers (these are a little hot, they come in jars from places like WAITROSE :-) )
2 tsbp cooked baby spinach
100g grated cheddar cheese
hot Jamaican Sauce to serve

Preheat the oven to 200C. Put the red peppers in  a roasting tin, brush with a little oil and roast for about 15 minutes until softened. Place the peppers in a plastic bag and leave to sweat until they are cool enough to handle. Remove the peppers from the bag and peel off the skins, cut in half and remove the seeds. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C

Stack the tortillas and wrap them in foil. Place them in the oven and worm them for 10 minutes, or according to the packet instructions.

Beat the eggs with the milk and seasoning. Melt the butter in a large non stick frying pan and, as it begins to foam, pour in the egg mixture. Do not touch the eggs until they begin to set, then, once they do, move them gently towards the centre of the pan with a spatula. Continue to cook until they are set, flip over using the spatula and remove them from the heat.

Roughly chop both types of peppers along with the cooked spinach.

Assemble the burrito, place a quarter of the cheese on one side of the tortilla, then top with a quarter of the spinach and pepper mixture, then a quarter of the eggs. Roll up tightly and eat immediately served with the super hot Jamaican sauce.

Soon you will be ready to set the world on fire again.