The Full English Breakfast

I stayed at pretty nice hotel on one of my trips to London, and it came with a breakfast. So the Wife and I had high hopes as we walked toward the restaurant in the morning and saw the makings of a Full English Breakfast laid out on a serving table-for 15 pounds each.

The free breakfast consisted of all the toast you could eat-and it was mounded up in the center of the table like a small Everest. There was also several of those small little tubs of jams and jellies. Not wanting to spend 30 dollars for breakfast, we ate a lot of toast.

But just because I didn't eat a Full English Breakfast doesn't mean I don't know what one is-it's the kind of thing you can make at home if your a mind to.

The Full English Breakfast

Ingredients

2 links good quality sausage
2-3 slices bacon
2 flat mushroom
1-2 ripe tomato
1 large egg
1 slice bread

Optional Extras

1 slice black pudding (optional)
baked beans (optional)
cooked potato, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions

Heat the flat grill plate over a low heat, on top of 2 rings/flames if it fits, and brush sparingly with light olive oil or vegetable oil.

Always buy sausages with a high meat content. Cook these first. Add the sausages to the hot grill plate/the coolest part if there is one and allow to cook slowly for about 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden. After the first 10 minutes, increase the heat to medium before beginning to cook the other ingredients. If you are struggling for space, completely cook the sausages and keep hot on a plate in the oven.

Choose between back or streaky, smoked or unsmoked bacon; generally, dry-cure has the best flavour. Snip a few small cuts into the fatty edge of the bacon. Place the bacon straight on to the grill plate and fry for 2-4 minutes each side or until your preferred crispiness is reached. Like the sausages, the cooked bacon can be kept hot on a plate in the oven.

Brush away any dirt using a pastry brush and trim the stalk level with the mushroom top. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over a little olive oil. Place stalk-side up on the grill plate and cook for 1-2 minutes before turning and cooking for a further 3-4 minutes. Avoid moving the mushrooms too much while cooking, as this releases the natural juices, making them soggy. (Alternatively, you can slice your mushrooms, as shown in my photo.).

Cut the tomatoes across the centre/or in half lengthways if using plum tomatoes , and with a small, sharp knife remove the green 'eye'. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place cut-side down on the grill plate and cook without moving for 2 minutes. Gently turn over and season again. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until tender but still holding their shape.

For 'proper' fried bread it's best to cook it in a separate pan. Ideally, use bread that is a couple of days old. Heat a frying pan to a medium heat and cover the base with oil. Add the bread and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until crispy and golden. If the pan becomes too dry, add a little more oil. For a richer flavour, add a knob of butter after you turn the slice.

Break the egg straight into the pan with the fried bread and leave for 30 seconds. Add a good knob of butter and lightly splash/baste the egg with the butter when melted. Cook to your preferred stage, season and gently remove with a fish slice.

Once all the ingredients are cooked, serve on warm plates and enjoy straight away with a good squeeze of tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce or brown sauce, and don't forget the toast and marmalade with a pot of good English Breakfast tea.

Black Pudding.
Cut the black pudding into 3-4 slices and remove the skin. Place on the grill plate and cook for 1½-2 minutes each side until slightly crispy.

Baked Beans.
Heat up the baked beans in a saucepan and serve on top of the fried bread, or on the side.

Fried Potatoes.
Fry the sliced cooked potatoes in a little butter until crispy and golden brown. Season with a little salt and black pepper.

Enjoy and then go for a brisk walk-pretend your in London and in really big hurry.