This is our Check On best breakfast. Pick and choose what you fancy and make it your own. If you’ve got friends or family over, serve up at the table, buffet style, and let everyone dig in. Bacon, hash browns, tomatoes and sausages can all be kept warm in the oven until you’re ready to serve. Eggs can be fried at the last minute, and to save faffing about with toast—bring the toaster to the table and let people make their own!
BLOODY MARY BEANS
Here’s our quick way to jazz up your standard pan of baked beans: add some Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and a splash of vodka to taste.
BACON
Quality is key with bacon. We always go for a thick cut, but smoked or unsmoked is a matter of preference. Whack it under a hot grill until crispy and finish with a drizzle of maple syrup for a little sweetness.
EGGS
It always has to be fried eggs! The trick for perfect fried eggs is to use very fresh eggs and fry them slowly in a splash of olive oil in a good non-stick pan. Add a twist of freshly ground black pepper and cook until the whites are just set and the yolks still runny.
HASH BROWNS
You haven’t had proper hash browns until you’ve ordered them in an American diner. Here’s our recipe—simple but awesome.
SERVES 4
2 large potatoes, peeled and grated
1 small onion, grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Butter for frying
Mix the grated potatoes and onion in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to squeeze out the excess water, then shape into patties. Fry in a little butter for about 10 minutes, until golden and crispy, turning once.
BAKED TOMATOES
The key to great tomatoes at breakfast is to bake them slowly so that the excess water from the tomatoes evaporates—the less water the more intense the flavor. You can prepare these a day or so in advance and they are also great in salads, sandwiches or with a juicy steak.
Preheat the oven to its lowest setting (200°F). Halve some plum tomatoes and arrange on a baking tray. Add a thin slice of garlic to each tomato half. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle over some fresh thyme leaves and bake in the oven overnight. Alternatively increase the oven temperature to 250°F and bake for 2–3 hours, keeping an eye on them.
SAUSAGES
We love our classics; none of those apricot and Stilton sausages around our place. Keep it simple with some great quality pork sausages. Speak to your butcher and ask him what’s best.
