Farmhouse Breakfast

2010 sees a change in inspiration as I concentrate on recipes that correspond with food celebration days.

The eleventh annual Farmhouse Breakfast Week in 2010 ran from 24 - 30 January and helps celebrate the wealth of breakfast foods found across England. You may recall there has been quite a furore in the Press over the serving of full English breakfasts. When the Government told us how bad bacon and ham were for us, farmers who had been encouraged to diversify and as a result had set up bed and breakfast businesses, were told that there own produce should not been served for this traditional meal. OK, I agree that eating a full English every morning, especially if you are not doing a hard manual job, is not recommended. But how many of us enjoy the treat once in a while? Breakfast is a very important start to the day and eating a healthy balanced breakfast can benefit our energy levels, mood, concentration and, yes, weight control.

Although our own breakfasts normally consist of cereal, oats, toast and fruit, once in a while it is great to have a bit of a treat. This recipe is good for clearing up leftovers of that odd rasher of bacon left in the fridge.

Ingredients - serves 4

12oz (325g) cold leftover potatoes (roast or boiled), sliced 3 rashers of smoked bacon, cut into half inch strips
1 large onion, chopped 5oz (125g) mushrooms, sliced
3oz (75g) cheddar cheese, coarsely grated ½ red pepper, chopped
Tablespoon vegetable oil 4 large eggs, beaten and seasoned with freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark
  2. Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan (cast iron is ideal) and fry the onions and bacon until golden brown.
  3. Add the red pepper and mushrooms and fry for a further couple of minutes and mix well.
  4. Lay the slices of potato over the top of the mixture.
  5. Pour the beaten egg over the mixture and allow it to drain through the mixture.
  6. Once the egg begins to set in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle the grated cheese over the mixture and put into the centre of the oven
  7. Cook for around 20 mins or until the mixture is set and the cheese is nicely browned.
  8. Remove from the oven. You can either ease the “oven omelette” out of the pan with a fish slice or turn out on to a plate. The former is better as you get full advantage of the crispy topping.

My ‘Official Taster’ and I usually cut this in half and share it. However, this would easily serve 4 people if you used it as an accompaniment to other breakfast delicacies such as sausage, baked beans or black pudding. Oh dear! I’m dribbling on the keyboard now!

Images

Full English Breakfast

Where's the Black Pudding!? [Ed]