acting on Scarlette's excellent recipe share idea I'm going to post the breakfast I make for my Mr after a big fencing competition (like the Northern Irish Open). This recipe is inspired by a fantastic recipe in Jamie Oliver's 'Return of the Naked Chef', the midnight pan cooked breakfast on page 27. (the recipe is also available online at http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Eggs-Dairy/recipe.html?dishid=745 if anyone wants it!
My Al is a Yorkshire man, and is a huge fan of Yorkshire pudding, massive curly sausages, English mustard and pork pie's with mushy peas, so I have edited this recipe especially for him its sort of a cross between Jamie's recipe and toad in the hole!
This works best with a pan that can go into the oven or under the grill – with a handle on either side rather than a long handle.
For the base:
X quantity of sausages (if they are smallish sausages I do 3 per person – this is assuming that this recipe is being cooked for brunch and counts for 2 meals – it is NOT low fat )
x quantity of mushrooms cut into slices(the portabello ones are best for this, one massive mushroom is enough per person, or a handful of normal sized ones)
several tomatoes cut into slices (if desired)
several sliced onions if desired
*Jamie's recipe also calls for bacon and eggs but my variation works better with sausages than bacon and you will see where the eggs go!
For the batter:
100g of plain flour
2 eggs
a dash of milk
1 heaped tsp of wholegrain mustard
~ first make the batter, whist together the eggs and milk and then add the flour a few spoons at a time, beat with the whisk until fairly smooth and then beat in the mustard. Leave to rest while you do the rest.
~ if you are using onions, place these in the pan first over a medium heat with a little oil until they start to soften.
~ cut the sausages in half lengthways and then again across the middle and place in the frying pan. You shouldn't need extra oil here – I never have
~ when the sausages are just about cooked through, turn on the grill to a high temperature and add the mushrooms and tomatoes to the pan. cook on until the mushrooms are cooked through.
~ the key to a good Yorkshire pudding is to have the oil really hot, if the sausages you are using have not given up much oil add a tsp or two and heat through, you really don't need as much as you think.
~ when your oil is hot and the ingredients are cooked give your batter one last whisk and pour over the whole lot, and keep it on the heat until the whole thing moves as one piece when you shake the pan.
~ remove from the ring and place under the pre-heated grill, it should start to puff up – if your grill is like mine it only cooks at the back for some reason, but if your 'pudding' has come together you can turn the whole think around 180 degrees in the pan and put it back under.
~ when the top is starting to go crispy and is a goldy colour slice into portions and serve – and there's only one pan to wash up!
I have bought the new papremania breast cancer awareness stamp 'build-a-rose' - which is LOVELY, but I can get my hands on the poppy one that was out in november, no one seems to have any! I shall keep looking though, as this one is my new favourite stamp! I may make a few more purchases this month - there is a papermania font that i fancy (and i can never find stamps with the sentiments I want) and i also feel that i need the stamps with the chairs and things (chatsworth collection or something). I have been trying to convince myself that these stamps will be very useful, though i cant think for the life of me for what!
