The Full Monty F E B Full English Breakfast Food

THE FULL MONTY - F E B - FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST

Steps:

• 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.
• For the sausages.
• 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.
• For the bacon.
• 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.
• For the mushrooms.
• 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.).
• For the tomatoes.
• 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 the fried bread.
• 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.
• For the fried eggs.
• 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.
• Optional Extras.
• 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.

FULL MONTY BREAKFAST

Steps:

• Line up tomatoes in a large roasting tray, scored sides up, with the mushrooms, the black pudding and the sausages. Let everything overlap so that the flavours really get in there. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with some salt and pepper, then place under a preheated medium grill.
• Prepare the scrambled eggs by whisking with the milk. Melt some butter in a non-stick pan and pour in the eggs. Keep the heat low and gently stir to scramble. Remove the tray from under the grill and drape the bacon across the tomatoes and black pudding. Place back under the grill. When the eggs are just about done, season them and serve on some thick slices of toasted bread with a bit of everything else on your plate too!

TRADITIONAL EASTER MARBLED PACE EGGS

Steps:

• Peel the outer skins away from red and yellow onions.
• Wrap the skins around the eggs in a random way - you do not need to cover the egg completely.
• Encase the eggs with the onionskins in a piece of aluminium foil - covering completely, OR tie pieces of non-coloured string around the eggs.
• Boil the eggs for about 5-7 minutes.
• Take off the heat and allow to cool in the water.
• Peel away the string, aluminium foil, onion skins and arrange the coloured eggs in a basket or egg holder - for the centre of the Easter Breakfast, Tea or Brunch table.
• You can "polish" the eggs with a bit of butter to deepen the colours and give them a gloss.
• Alternative dyes include, beetroot water and spinach water for red and green eggs!

FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST

Steps:

• Cook sausages under grill for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown.
• Slice tomatoes in half and place on grill pan together with bacon rashers to cook for 5 minutes with sausages.
• While sausages are cooking, using a non-stick frying pan, heat oil and cook eggs for 1 or 2 minutes according to preference.
• Remove eggs and replace with slices of white bread.
• Fry until bread is lightly browned on both sides, adding more oil if required.
• Serve fried bread with the eggs, sausages, bacon, and tomatoes.

LA GLéHIAS FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST

Steps:

• Turn on the grill and allow to heat up for about 10minutes. While you are waiting, line the grill-tray with tin-foil (aluminium foil). If you are lucky enough to have two grill-trays, line them both, otherwise, line an oven tray as well.
• Put the Sausages and halved Tomatoes (skin side down) on one of the lined trays and the Bacon Rashers on the other. Overlap each rasher slightly, fatty edge on top, in portions of 3. Note: Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature before cooking otherwise cooking times may be thrown out.
• Empty the Mushrooms into a saucepan and put on the hob on a very low flame, lid on.
• The grill should be hot enough to put the Sausages and Tomatoes under.
• Put the Oil in a frying pan and break the Eggs into the cold oil.
• Empty the Baked Beans into a non-metallic, microwavable bowl and microwave on full power for 2 minutes.
• Check the Sausages regularly and turn as necessary. They should take about 10 minutes in total. The Tomatoes should take the same time to cook.
• When the Sausages and Tomatoes are ready, remove the tray from under the grill and put Bacon under.
• Stir the Baked Beans and put on for another 2 minutes.
• Turn the flame on under the Eggs. Stir the simmering Mushrooms and turn the heat up a little for the last minute.
• Serve Tomatoes on the plates top-left and Sausages go straight across the middle. I always try to put the Sausages on the plate with the ends curling upwards like smiles. :).
• Check the eggs and turn down a little if necessary. Turn off the grill but leave the bacon under.
• Mushrooms go around the bottom edge of the plate.
• Check the Beans are hot and spoon on the plate top right next to the Tomatoes.
• Finish off the Eggs and sit them across the Sausages.
• Bacon should be done and goes over the eggs.
• Serve immediately, preferably with a cup of English Breakfast tea.
• Bon Appetite! :).

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST

Steps:

• Lay the bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes on a foil-lined tray. Brush the tops of the mushrooms with 3 tsp of the oil and both sides of the bread with the remaining oil. Set aside. Heat the grill to very hot. Lay the sausages on a small foil-lined tray (best not to prick good-quality sausages or they may lose moisture). Grill for about 10 mins until cooked, turning occasionally.
• Meanwhile, three-quarters fill a small pan, and a wide, deep sauté pan with water. Bring both to the boil. Lower an egg into the small pan and remove after 30 secs. Crack the egg into a cup. Add vinegar to the larger pan then, using a wire whisk, swirl the water around to create a whirlpool. Remove the whisk and slowly tip the egg into the centre of the whirlpool (see top picture). When the water comes back to the boil, remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave for 3 mins, then remove the egg. Place in a bowl of warm water while you cook the other egg - or cook both eggs an hour ahead, leave in a bowl of iced water, then reheat for 1½ mins in simmering water before serving.
• Meanwhile heat a griddle pan to very hot. Place the tomatoes, bacon and mushrooms under the grill for 3-4 mins without turning. At the same time, lay the bread on the griddle pan, cook until crisp, about 1 min each side. Drain everything on kitchen paper.
• Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on a cloth. Arrange everything on a plate and serve with the juice and fruit.