Saturday 8 January 2005

Full English Breakfast


'Heavy, man' is what I said the first time I saw it. Similar in heaviness to the Pinoy breakfast of tosilog (tocino, sinangag, and itlog) it fills you up bigtime and guaranteed to curb your lunchtime appetite. Unless of course your job is very physical as in farming or fishing or hauling heavy things on your back then this should be normal for you. Served in every cafe up and down the country and like the tocilog served any time of the day, thus the "all day breakfast" in the menu. It is also what you will encounter in bed & breakfast establishments here. No puny croissants or painted boiled eggs for brekkie, you're given this huge loaded plate every morning until you cry 'Enough!' which is probably why B&B rates here are high. ;)

The full english breakfast consists of (but not limited to): eggs (fried or poached), sausages, bacon, haggis (sometimes), toasted bread, grilled tomatoes, fried or grilled mushrooms, hash browns (optional), and of course baked beans. We (actually just my husband since I can't finish one) indulge in this very occasionally at home since it's not so heart and cholesterol friendly. We'll try to keep the acquaintance distant.

I know you all know how to fry but the following is more for my kids in case they forget how to fry eggs. :)


English Breakfast
  1. Preheat oven grill to medium.
  2. Slice tomatoes in half crosswise. Grill sausage, bacon, and tomatoes. Cook sausage in the grill about 8-10 minutes; bacon and tomatoes until browned. Turning all of them from time to time.
  3. Slice mushrooms and fry in a pan with a knob of butter. Cook until limp.
  4. Open can of Heinz's Baked Beans and heat in a saucepan or microwave until heated through.
  5. Pan fry or deep fry hash browns until cooked (see instructions on the bag).
  6. Toast 2 slices of bread in toaster. Slice diagonally before serving.
  7. Fry or poach 2 eggs.
  8. Put all the above in a big plate and serve.

*To fry eggs with the yolk intact: (usual way)
  1. Heat up about 2 Tablespoon oil in a pan (preferably non stick).
  2. Break an egg onto the pan. (Optional) Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the egg.
  3. Cook egg while continually spooning some of the hot oil on the yolk. If you want it 'sunny side up' then don't spoon any oil on it just let it cook for about a minute.
  4. Dish up and serve.

* To fry eggs with the yolk intact: (healthy way)
  1. Heat up 1/2 tsp olive oil in a pan (preferably non stick).
  2. When the oil is quite hot, break an egg onto the pan. (Optional) Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the egg.
  3. Immediately cover the pan. Let cook for about 30 seconds - 1 minute. The steam rising up from the cooking egg is enough to cook its top when it is covered.
  4. Remove cover, dish up and serve.

No comments: