Healthy but Tasty Full English Breakfast

Healthy but Tasty Full English Breakfast

An absolutely delicious and healthy alternative to a traditional Full English – such a tasty dish with a kick!

 

Serves 4

Prep time:  5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

 

Ingredients

8 rashers of smoked bacon

Few sprays of Fry light

6 pork sausages, cut into bite-size pieces

350g cherry tomatoes

200g button mushrooms

1 tsp chilli flakes (add more for an extra kick)

150g baby spinach leaves

4 free range eggs

Freshly ground pepper

 

Method 

1.  Remove the fat from the bacon and grill to your desired crispiness.
2.  Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and spray with Fry Light.  Add the sausage pieces and fry for 3-4 minutes until cooked through and golden.  Now add the tomatoes, button mushrooms and chilli flakes and fry for a further 3 minutes.
3. Heat another frying pan over a medium heat and spray with Fry Light and fry your eggs.  Season with pepper and a sprinkling of chilli flakes.
4. Whilst the eggs are frying add the spinach to the sausage, tomatoes and mushrooms and mix through until the spinach has wilted.  Season to taste.
5. To serve, divide the sausage mix amongst 4 serving plates and top with the bacon and eggs.  Enjoy!

   
   

   
   

   
   

the Best Cottage Pie Recipe

The Best Cottage Pie

A very homely and comforting meal that makes an extremely tasty supper! Delicious!!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

500g lean minced beef

Freshly ground salt & pepper

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled & finely chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled & finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato puree

200ml of Guinness beer

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

300ml chicken stock

1kg white potatoes, peeled and cut into even sizes

50g butter

100g mature cheddar cheese grated

1 large egg yolk

Freshly grated parmesan for the topping

Method

1.  Heat half of the oil in a heavy based large pan on a medium heat.  Season the mince and fry half until brown all over.  Put into a colander aside to drain the fat from the meat, repeat with the remaining mince. 

2.  Add the remainder of the olive oil to a large pan and place on a medium heat.  When hot fry the onions, garlic, carrots and thyme for 8-10 minutes until soft and golden.  Add the browned mince and tomato puree, stir constantly for 4-5 minutes.

3.  Add the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce and boil until the liquid has been reduced by half.  Pour in the stock and return to the boil.  Reduce the heat and let simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the mixture is thick and glossy. 

4.  Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas mark 6.  Meanwhile, add the potatoes to a pan of salted water bring the pan to the boil and cook until tender.  Dry out the potatoes in a hot pan for 15-20 seconds.  Pass the potatoes through a potatoes ricer or mash smoothly, mix in the butter, cheese and egg yolk.  Season to taste.

5.  Spoon the mince mixture into a 1.5 litre oven proof dish.  Spoon the mashed potato on top and rough the surface with a folk.  Grate some Parmesan cheese over the top and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

Cooks Tips

v  You can replace the Guinness with red wine.

The BEST Steak & Ale Pie Recipe

Steak & Ale Pie

This has to be one of the most Classic British pie fillings.  Season generously to give the pie extra flavour – keep tasting the filling until you are happy with it.

Serves 6
Ingredients

up to 4-5 tbsp sunflower oil

200g smoked streaky bacon rashers, cut into 1cm strips

2 medium onions, peeled, halved & sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled & finely chopped

850g good quality braising steak, fat & gristle removed, cut into 2.5cm cubes

500ml bottle of real ale (I use Newcastle Brown Ale, but I am a Geordie)

500ml good beef stock

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp creamed horseradish sauce (optional)

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stalks & finely chopped

2 bay leaves

250g small chestnut mushrooms, wiped & halved or quartered

2 tbsp cornflour

500g ready-made puff pastry

1 egg, beaten to glaze

Method

1.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan.  Fry the bacon and onions until pale golden in colour and then add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes, stirring regularly.  Transfer the contents into an oven proof casserole dish using a slotted spoon.

2.  Season the steak with salt and pepper and heat 1-2 tbsp of oil to the frying pan and add the steak, you may have to do this in batches.  Fry the meat until it is well browned all over.  Add more oil if necessary.  Transfer the steak to the casserole dish.

3.  Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.  Deglaze the frying pan with half of the ale.  Bring the ale to the boil and stir hard to remove all the sediment from the base of the pan.  Pour this over the steak and then add the remaining ale, stock, tomato puree, horseradish and herbs to the dish.  Bring to the boil and then cover and place in the oven, cook for 1 ½-2 hours or until the meat is very tender.  Mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp of cold water and add to the casserole.  Put the dish back in the oven uncovered for a further 5 minutes or until the juices are thick.  Season to taste and allow to cool.

4.  In the meantime turn the oven up to 200°C/Gas 6.  Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms over a high heat for about 5 minutes until golden and add to the meat.  Spoon all the contents of the casserole dish into a 1.2 litre pie dish.

5.  Roll out the pastry on a well-floured board and brush the edge of the pie dish with egg.  Place the pastry gently over the filling and press the edges firmly to seal.  Trim the pastry neatly and decorate the top with the excess pastry and brush with the beaten egg to glaze.

6.  Place the dish in the centre of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.