Credit crunch cupboard corner: the 4Cs

Egg-based lunch Vol.1

Working from home means that I often don't have much to eat ... because I've forgotten to go shopping. I get up at 7am and sit typing away over a bowl of cereal and then suddenly, bam, it's lunchtime and I want some food.

I've found that in these tough time scavaging for food is the only answer. This often results in a happy mess called Cupboard Food. CF is rather hit and miss, but I thought that I would share my recipes to help anyone else who may be facing a food crisis.

Today's recipe:

Pea and mint frittata ( aka cheesy omelette and frozen veg)

Take one egg of undetermined date that has arrived in the house via my mum's pilates teacher.

Crack into a bowl and add frozen peas or vegetable of your choice. On this occasion chips do not fall under the vegetable category, even though I sometimes try and include them as one of my five a day.

Add salt and pepper and a splash of milk (sniff first). Whisk at a half-arsed speed.

Be alert for lucky finds. It turns out that the overgrown plant on the kitchen windowsill is in fact a mint plant, at least it smells minty (pictured above). Dried herbs in the cupboard can equally be a source of previously undiscovered joy. Check the use-by-date; then ignore it. I had some sage from 1992 the other day and I'm fine.

Sprinkle, or chuck, herbs into eggy mixture.

You need some fat now: butter or strange low-fat spread will do. I found some rice bran oil. No idea who would have bought that, but it seemed to do the trick. Or you can buy a non-stick pan.

Pour egg mixture into pan and cook like an omlette on one side until it looks about done. Now you need some cheese: have a look in the fridge... that's it, right at the back, and grate that onto the top.

I lucked out and found a pot of ready-grated 'Italian cheese', which looked like it was stolen from a Little Chef circa 1983, but it worked a treat.

Pop your cheese on and stick that baby under the grill...watch out if your pan has a plastic handle. I didn't.

If you have any lucky herb finds, garnish your frittata with a sprig. Now eat and enjoy your CCC meal.