Spiced date omelette

Bring a kettle to the boil. Remove the stones from the dates, finely chop the fl esh, then put in a small heatproof bowl with the cinnamon, cover with just-boiled water and set aside. Put a nonstick frying pan (18-20cm base diameter) on a medium-low heat, then add the butter, shallot and cumin seeds. Season, then gently fry for 8-10 minutes until starting to soften. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a jug with 2 tbsp cold water and season. In a bowl, toss together the spinach, chilli and coriander.

When the shallot has softened, strain the dates and add to the pan. Fry for 1 minute, then spoon half the mixture back into the bowl the dates were in (ready for the second omelette). Pour in half the whisked eggs and gently scramble the mixture for about 1 minute.

When the eggs begin to set, give the pan a shake to level the surface, then leave to cook over a low heat until the edges begin to solidify. When there is a good crust underneath and the eggs are just cooked, pile in half the spinach mixture and fold the omelette over. Slide onto a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, then serve with a leafy salad, if you like.