Chorizo and Blue Cheese Omelette Recipe ~ Man-Up Your Meals Recipe Book Review

Man-Up Your Meals is the latest recipe book I've been sent from Parragon. Very different to anything I've reviewed from them before, it's a book full of big, hearty recipes, hints and tips. It's also, on the face of it, a very light-hearted, jokey book.

The recipes are graded like a Haynes Manual, ranging from Australopithecus to Human, and around half of the book really is incredibly basic sandwich making and 'how to cook a bit of meat without dying from food poisoning'. Our 16 year old girl is infuriated by it, while I take it as a joke and find it funny. The main reason I take it as a joke is BECAUSE IT'S TRUE!

While there are many men who cook exquisite meals full of interesting and nutritious ingredients and bursting with flavour, my partner has cooked solo twice in 8 years. It terrifies him and he doesn't know where to start, so I can honestly say this book is ideal for him.

I chose to make a Mighty 5 Egg Omelette (page 38) because I have no doubt that any of my teenage or adult family can make it alone, and I felt my partner would love it.

Ingredients

1tbsp olive oil
1tbsp butter
200g Chorizo, sliced
1 large red onion, chopped
5 large eggs, beaten
150g blue cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper

I'll admit it - I made this for lunch and I used half the ingredients. I felt a 5 egg omelette might be okay for teatime, but not really for 12 noon. My partner just doesn't eat that much!

Method

Preheat the grill to high

In a large frying pan heat the oil and butter over a medium heat. Add the Chorizo and red onion and fry for 8-10 minutes, or until golden.

Pour in the eggs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Using a spatula, scrape the eggs away from the edge of the pan in a circular motion until the omelette starts to set. Scatter over the cheese and place under the preheated grill for 5 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Remove from the grill and leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

I don't eat meat, so I didn't try this, but my partner said it was absolutely delicious. He ate the lot without saying a word, but he made lots of 'mmmm' noises. It was definitely a hit, and for a meal which took less than 15 minutes in total, it's far more fun than a cheese and pickle sandwich - which is what I had!

I think that Man-Up Your Meals is actually really excellent for someone new to cooking. It has lots of hints and tips and is a starting point for someone who has never used the kitchen for anything other than making a brew, but it also has more difficult recipes. All of the meals are hearty and this is not really a book for a dieter.

Man-Up Your Meals is published by Parragon Books and has 128 pages split into 5 chapters. It is tongue-in-cheek, so it's ideal for people who don't take themselves too seriously. With a recommended retail price of £8 I think it would make an excellent gift for a student or other young person who is moving out, or for a reluctant chef who finds themselves in the position of needing to cook for themselves.

I was sent Man-Up Your Meals for review