Marmite Recipes
My Marmite Recipes
Like so many people I have described myself, and have been described by others as akin to Marmite, you know the “love me or hate me” scenario, and yes I think there may be something of that in who I am. In my life I have had views and opinions on things and that always means others will therefore have theirs. However cooking with Marmite is something I love, I am one who loves the taste of the stuff. And even if it is only adding Marmite to toast, or with baked beans, or addition to anything on toast, Marmite adds something special and that little bit extra. These are just a few simple ideas, but I do believe you can easily go wild with the Marmite.
Basil French Toast with Marmite, Mozzarella & Tomato
Ingredients
For 2 people
4 slices firm rustic bread
Level tablespoon of freshly chopped basil leaves
150g mozzarella cut into 4 slices
Marmite for spreading
1 large tomato sliced into 4
1 medium free-range egg
50ml milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Recipe
In a shallow bowl mix together the egg, milk, chopped basil and pepper. Spread the Marmite over two of the slices then
dip all the slices of bread into the mixture until well soaked and transfer to a large plate. Then add the mozzarella and finally the slices of tomato to the Marmite slices. Season well with fresh pepper and then sandwich together the remaining slices of bread gently pressing together to seal the sandwiches.
Heat half the olive oil on a griddle or in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the sandwiches over a low heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden, adding the remaining oil when cooking the second side. Check that the bread has cooked through and is not soggy inside and then drain on kitchen paper to remove any excess oil.
Serve immediately on warmed breakfast plates.
Marmite Tart
Don’t be fooled by the name, it’s not made with a traditional pastry base, but – so long as the right quantities of ingredients are used – holds itself together perfectly. It's probably the consistency of a savoury cake, or slightly stodgy scone. It is extremely tasty and filling, and you will probably find yourself having to hide it away once you start eating – otherwise you will end up eating one piece after another!
There’s no Marmite in the tart itself – the Marmite flavour comes from a delicious “glaze” that goes over the top, and runs down into the tart through little holes pricked into the top.
It is ideal cut up into smallish sections and served cold as part of the “nibbles” selection at a drinks party, and is divine with a glass of wine or a soft drink (but be warned – you won’t be able to leave it alone!) I also enjoy it as a snack with a cup of tea. You could even cut it into larger pieces and serve it as a lunch with salad, either slightly warm, fresh from the oven, or once it has cooled. You definitely need a drink with it, as the Marmite flavour makes it quite salty and leaves you feeling quite thirsty.
It’s not the healthiest of snacks, but a little piece now and again is not going to add on too many extra pounds.
I’d even hazard a guess that this tart is so tasty and has so many lovely flavours that even non-Marmite lovers would enjoy it. I am yet to prove my theory, however, as everyone in my family loves Marmite and I haven’t yet convinced a Marmite-hater to try it! Anyone care to rise to my challenge?! Go on, I dare you!
Now, here’s the recipe – it includes American measurements (i.e. cups) but cup measures are readily available from most kitchen shops, and many recipe books contain conversion charts. It also refers to Peri Peri sauce, which is a tangy, spicy sauce readily available from most supermarkets. Although it may seem wasteful to buy a whole bottle just so as to add a little sprinkle to this recipe, it makes a lovely marinade, so if you like spicy flavours it definitely won’t go to waste. Incidentally, the tart itself is not spicy (unless you make your sprinkle particularly generous!) the Peri Peri just adds a lovely “bite” to the flavour.
Enjoy!
MARMITE TART
Mix together:
1 cup cake flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
(can use self-raising flour but omit the baking powder)
1 cup strong Cheddar cheese – grated
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
A sprinkle of paprika
A sprinkle of Peri-Peri
Rub in:
125gm butter (or Stork margarine)
Add:
1 grated or finely chopped onion
Finally:
Beat 1 egg and combine with a little milk, and add to the mixture. The consistency should be fairly “sloshy”.
Pour the mixture into a greased square or rectangular baking tin or Pyrex dish. Bake at 180º for +/- 25 minutes.
Melt together:
1 big blob of butter or Stork margarine
1 big teaspoon of Marmite
Prick the cooked tart with a fork and “drizzle” the Marmite mixture over it while both are still fairly hot. Once the tart has cooled, cut into appropriate size squares.
Grange Asparagus Brunch
Ingredients
Per person (Vegetarian)
1 slice of good country bread
4 pieces of fresh asparagus
3 cherry tomatoes
6 button mushrooms
Marmite for spreading
Olive oil
Recipe
Steam the fresh asparagus until its cooked but still has a crunch and keep warm.
Brush the tomatoes and button mushrooms with olive oil and pop them under a medium grill for about 4 minutes. Do not over cook them or the tomato skins will split and the mushroom will become crispy.
Toast the bread and then spread it with Marmite according to your taste.
Place the asparagus on the toast, 2 pieces horizontal and 2 vertical with equal gaps to form a ‘chequer-board’.
Place a tomato in the top right hand corner, the central square and the bottom left hand corner, fill the remaining gaps with the button mushrooms and before devouring you can play noughts and crosses!
Eggs en Cocotte with Marmite Mushrooms
Ingredients
For 4 people (Vegetarian)
4 large free-range eggs
25g butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
300g flat mushrooms finely chopped (reserving a few slices for garnish)
2 teaspoons Marmite
1/4 of a whole nutmeg grated
3 rounded tablespoons of creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt
Freshly ground black pepper
Bunch of watercress
Recipe
This is an easy dish to make and looks really impressive when you dunk your toasted soldiers into the golden yolk – perfect for ladies who brunch!
You will need four brightly coloured ramekins well buttered and a shallow roasting tin. Heat half the butter in a small saucepan until it begins to sizzle. Add the shallots and cook on a low heat for five minutes tossing from time to time until the shallots have become transparent. Add the mushrooms, the nutmeg (warning – nutmeg is an aphrodisiac!), the remaining butter and the Marmite and season well with fresh pepper. Turn the heat right down and cook gently for about 5-8 minutes until you have a lovely dark concentrated mixture.
All this can be prepared in advance but when you are ready to cook the eggs start by pre-heating the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mk 4.
Gently re-heat the mixture stirring in one tablespoon of the creme fraiche or yoghurt then divide the mixture between the ramekins making an indentation, break an egg into each one and season. Stir the rest of the creme fraiche or yoghurt to loosen it, divide it between the dishes and spread gently over the egg using the back of a spoon.
Place a piece of the reserved mushroom on the top of each ramekin and put the ramekins in the roasting tin with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Delicious served with wholemeal toasted soldiers for dunking and garnish the plates with fresh watercress.
Roast chicken with bacon and Marmite
Ingredients
For the chicken
1x 1.2kg chicken
1 tsp Marmite
1/2 lemon
6 bacon rashers
1 bunch mixed fresh herbs
2-3 garlic cloves
For the potatoes
1kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks
2 Onions, halved
75g Butter
Method
1. For the chicken: preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5.
2. Spread a layer of Marmite all over the chicken. Squeeze the lemon into the neck of the chicken, then pull the skin back and squeeze the lemon into the breast - this gives the chicken more flavour. Cover the chicken breast with slices of bacon. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with herbs and garlic.
3. Place in a roasting tin and cook for 20 minutes per 450g plus 20 minutes. Remove the bacon after 1 hour and put to one side. Meanwhile make the potatoes.
4. For the potatoes: put the potatoes in a pan with the onions and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and drain well, reserving some of the cooking water. Transfer the potatoes and onions in a roasting tin and pour over the reserved cooking water. Dot with the butter and cook in the oven for 45-60 minutes until tender and crisp.
5. Serve the chicken with the potatoes, onions and bacon.
Pancetta & Cherry Tomatoes on Marmite Crumpets
Ingredients
Per person
2 crumpets
butter for spreading
4 rashers of Pancetta
(or streaky bacon)
6 cherry tomatoes
Marmite
Basil leaves to garnish
50g Mascarpone
Recipe
Grill the Pancetta until golden and crispy, adding the halved cherry tomatoes to the grill towards the end. Toast the crumpets and spread each with a little butter and a good spread of Marmite.
Arrange the Pancetta on top of the Marmite crumpets and then the cherry tomatoes. Finish each one with a dollop of Mascarpone and a few basil leaves to garnish.
Marmite Eggs Florentine
Ingredients
For 4 people (Vegetarian)
675gm frozen chopped spinach
4 medium free range eggs
1 tablespoon Marmite
4 slices freshly cooked toast
freshly ground black pepper
Recipe
Warm the spinach in a microwave and drain in a sieve squeezing out
as much water as possible. Heat 1" deep of water in a frying pan
and poach the eggs for 3-4 minutes. Beat the Marmite into the
drained spinach and then pile it on to the toast, making a small
well in the centre of the spinach. Place a poached egg in each
well and season with pepper.
Marmite Baked Beans with Tomato & Sage
Ingredients
For two people (Vegetarian)
1 tsp Marmite
250g cooked cannellini beans, drained
2 shallots chopped
8 large or 12 small cherry tomatoes quartered
3 sage leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
basil leaves and extra virgin olive oil to serve
Recipe
Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mk 6. Put the prepared beans, shallots, tomatoes and sage leaves in a roasting tin with the olive oil and Marmite and toss gently to combine well. Season with pepper and bake in the oven stirring occasionally for 20 - 30 minutes or until the tomatoes are hot and bubbling and the shallots are beginning to brown.
Serve on good hot ciabatta bread drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, and garnished with fresh basil leaves.
