Something For The Weekend: A Full English Breakfast

Vegetarians, look away now.  It's a meat feast.

A full English typically contains: bacon, sausage, fried egg, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes, and beans.  Served with tea and toast it really is true to it's name; if you're not full afterwards, you've got problems.

 
Making this at home can be quite a challenge for the first timer.  Save it for the weekend - it takes some time.  Planning is key.  You need to have enough pans, know what your going to cook in each and where and get the timing right.  The microwave can come in handy for beans and tomatoes (if using plum from a tin).  I think I got it right last weekend when I cooked the bacon, sausage, black pudding and tomatoes together in my grill pan, beans in one saucepan and mushrooms in another.  I also threw a few hashbrowns in the oven, which is not exactly British tradition but it's sometimes included in cafe breakfast which makes the Irish in me very happy.  The husband thinks potatoes for breakfast are a no-no.

This breakfast has taken me a few years to get right - and it's by no means perfect.  But everything is ready nearly on time and most importantly tastes great - yes, even the black pudding (admittedly I can't eat the whole thing - it tastes great but then I begin to think about what I'm eating and I'm easily put off).  Now if I could just figure out a way to minimise clean up...

Oh yeah - go to the cafe! 

Beans beans the magical fruit...

Well, you get the idea.

Heinz baked beans are a staple in this house and probably in just about every home in England.  The fella first introduced me to beans on toast when we were living in New Zealand.  As backpackers, we saved most of our money for snowboarding, travelling, a little wine and once in a while, a fancy pants meal at one of their superb restaurants (I never would have guessed it but New Zealand has some of the most amazing food) but basic fuel for living was just that, basic!  It was all about cheap, cheap, cheap - though not so cheap that we would buy generic baked beans.  They had to be Heinz (the slogan don't lie)!  In NZ they were labelled "English Recipe" and they were the only beans allowed through the front door. 

A few months ago I spotted these at the end of the supermarket aisle:

They were on sale so I grabbed one of each flavour to have a try at home - there was also a chili flavour but that was eaten before I took this photo.  Not bad - I had never thought to spice up my beans like this before.  These are great if you fancy a different flavour but this can easily be achieved by adding a teaspoon of your desired spice or a few shakes of hot sauce or barbeque sauce.  For cheesy beans, uh... add cheese.  I'm not a convert.  I will be sticking to the original beans.

When I moved to England in 2007 , we upgraded to having beans on baked potatoes, but had never been anymore adventurous than that!  I then spotted this book in a shop and just had to get it for W.  Or rather, for him to have a skim through (lots of facts about beans - riveting stuff) and for me to get cooking with all the creative bean recipes - which you can check out here.  I haven't followed anything to the letter but the book has been a source of inspiration.  A can of beans is now my not-so-secret, secret ingredient in many of my favourite recipes.

I'm going to try and come up with some different recipes all centered around one common ingredient: (you guessed it) baked beans.  I'll share my favourites and staples around this house but also get creative and let you know what works and what doesn't.  I'll start with a time tested favourite around here: chili.

On Saturday night we had a few friends over and I made a big pot of chili (and one veggie chili for the non-meat lover; basically my regular chili without the meat and beef stock).  Not knowing how everyone liked to eat their chili; over rice or chips or in a bowl with some chunky fresh bread, I made everything.  I even threw in chili nachos for good measure.  Needless to say, we were stuffed.  I then cleared away the dishes and let everyone enjoy the evenings entertainment, which consisted of letting the 7 puppies loose around the living room and watching the madness that ensued. 

Slow-Cooker Chili (serves 4-6)

500 grams of beef mince
1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 415g tin of baked beans
1 400g tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped into large chunks (optional)
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced (optional)
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
1 red chili, chopped (deseeded for less spice)
1 cube of beef stock dissolved in 100ml of boiling water
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
splash of red wine (optional)

Brown the meat in a frying pan and then add to the slow-cooker.  Fry the onions until browned and add to the slow-cooker.   Toss everything else into the slow-cooker, stir, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4.  Cooking time will really depend on what type of slow-cooker you have.  Serve over rice, or chips or nachos (or all three!) add  grated cheese and enjoy!

How do you eat your chili?  Until moving here it was always in a big bowl, covered in cheese and mopped up with fresh bread.  Now the possibilities are endless!  Anyone care to share their not-so-secret secret chili ingredient?   Or will you be taking it to the grave?

One Potato Two Potato

England gets a bad rap for its food.  But this isn't true.  Throughout this blog I will feature some fantastic English cuisine - I'm not promising "pretty, piled up on your plate in tower form" food but the stuff will taste gooood!  The food is here is very much traditional, simple, filling and comforting.  Over the years, I have had to replace many of my favorite comfort foods.  I think I took for granted what was available in Canada and this has resulted in a few friends and family members having to leave room in their suitcase to bring me a few of my favorites - Skor Chippits, Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup, KRAFT DINNER!! (Though I really only ever have that now for nostalgia sake)  Slowly I have found items to replace my loves and adopted new ones.

One of my not so new faves is the jacket potato.  I love any potato product really - mainly because I can put Ketchup on it.  Yes, and I'm not ashamed to say it, I looooove Ketchup.  I don't put it on everything, nothing you wouldn't ordinarily put ketchup on, mainly anything made with potato.  So before moving to England the only thing I had ever had on a BAKED potato back home was sour cream and chives, maybe some bacon bits.  I even did a little research to see if maybe I had lived in a baked potato bubble back home and the most daring filling I found was salsa, or if you really live on the edge - a mix of sour cream and salsa.  The jacket potato here is a meal plan staple and more than just a side dish.  There are so many different fillings that it can appeal to anyone.  And - its cheap as chips ;)  Super easy too.  Wrap your spud in foil and bake in the oven for 1-2 hours at about 200°C or 425°F.  Once its baked I cut it cross ways and push down on the corners to fluff it out but I have since read that there are many ways to slice a baked potato so as long as its sliced, it'll do.  The important part is the filling!  I happened upon my favorite filling by accident.  I was attending a conference (I know that sounds all businessy but it wasn't, it was a Girl Guide Leader conference - see I can't be businessy, I call it businessy!) and I was a bit shy (I know, hard to believe!) so I just ordered whatever the person in front of me did with an "I'll have what she's having".  I watched the woman behind the counter put a jacket potato on the plate and begin to load it with tuna mayo, baked beans (a staple in our house - and it's gotta be Heinz!), and finally some grated cheese.  I know what you're thinking because I thought it too "there's fish, fish on my potato" but it was DE-lish!  And so on Friday, when after a long day, I didn't feel like cooking this is what I rustled up. 

Best bit - The beans count as a vegetable so I have all the food groups in there!  You could add a side salad to fancy it up a bit and get a green leafy veg in there too.  I'm all about a balanced diet!

The possibilities are endless...
beans and cheese
any type of cheese including cream cheese or cottage cheese
tuna mayo and red onion
prawn and seafood sauce
chili, spaghetti sauce or curry (perfect use of leftovers)
coleslaw
egg mayo
ham, cheese and pineapple
sauteed mushrooms
chicken, pesto and melted cheese
chicken and bacon mixed with mayo
And the list goes on and on.

And it looks like the Jacket Potato is already making its way across the pond...

http://www.thestar.com/article/958910--bain-jacket-potato-required


If JP's are already a part of your meal plan, what's your fave filling? Or what's the strangest topping you've heard of?  How about a filling that didn't sound to appetising but once you tried it you were hooked?  If you haven't already had a JP, which one are you going to try?