MAKES 6 MUFFINS

DRY INGREDIENTS
225g plain white flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp chicken or vegetable stock granules
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
75g Gruyère or Emmenthal cheese, cut into tiny cubes
Small handful of fresh chives,
scissor-chopped

WET INGREDIENTS
2 large eggs, fork-whisked
150ml milk
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
75g cooked ham, chopped into tiny cubes

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl, reserving a little of the cheese and chives, then cover and chill in the fridge. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and 1 tablespoon of cold water, cover and place in the fridge to chill. An hour before serving, pre-heat the oven to 200°C, Gas Mark 6. Stir the wet ingredients, including the ham, into the dry ingredients, to form a moist, lumpy batter, ensuring that there are no pockets of unmixed flour. Spoon the mixture into 6 oiled muffin tin hollows or 6 double thickness paper cases, scattering with the reserved cheese and chives. Bake for 30 minutes or until the muffins are browned, crusty and fragrant. Serve warm with extra butter for spreading, if liked.

RECIPES CLARE FERGUSON
PHOTOGRAPHS DAN DUCHARS, WILLIAM SHAW
STYLING KAREN SMITH
FEBRUARY 2008