Mrs Hall’s Yorkshire Dales Cooked Breakfast

Instructions

1. Heat a flat griddle over a low heat, over the top of 2 rings if it fits, and brush sparingly with dripping or vegetable oil.
2. Sausages: Always buy sausages with a high meat content. Cook these first. Add the sausages to the hot griddle and allow to cook slowly for about 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden. After the first 10 minutes, increase the heat to medium before beginning to cook the other ingredients. If you are struggling for space, completely cook the sausages and keep hot on a plate in the oven.
3. Bacon: Choose between back or streaky, smoked or unsmoked bacon; generally, dry-cure has the best flavour. Snip a few small cuts into the fatty edge of the bacon. Place the bacon straight on to the griddle and fry for 2-4 minutes each side or until your preferred crispiness is reached. Like the sausages, the cooked bacon can be kept hot on a plate in the oven.
4. Mushrooms: Wipe your mushrooms, cleaning away any dirt and trim the stalk so it’s level with the mushroom top. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over a little olive oil. Place stalk-side up on the grill plate and cook for 1-2 minutes before turning and cooking for a further 3-4 minutes. Avoid moving the mushrooms too much while cooking, as this releases the natural juices, making them soggy.
5. Tomatoes: Cut the tomatoes across the centre/or in half lengthways if using plum tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place cut-side down on the griddle and cook without moving for 4 minutes. Gently turn over and season again. Cook for a further 3-5 minutes until tender but still holding their shape
6. Black Pudding: Cut the black pudding into 3-4 slices and remove the skin. Place on the griddle and cook for 1 to 2 minutes each side until slightly crispy.
7. Fried Bread: For ‘proper’ fried bread it’s best to cook it in a separate pan. Ideally, use bread that is a couple of days old. Heat a frying pan to a medium heat and cover the base with oil or bacon drippings. Add the bread and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until crispy and golden. If the pan becomes too dry, add a little more oil or bacon drippings.
8. Eggs: Break the eggs straight into a frying pan with the fried bread and leave for 30 seconds. Add a good knob of butter/oil or bacon drippings and lightly baste the egg with the fats when melted. Cook to your liking, season and gently remove with a fish slice.
9. Serving: Once all the ingredients are cooked, serve on warm plates and enjoy straight away with a good squeeze of tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce or brown sauce, and don’t forget the toast and marmalade with a pot of good English Breakfast tea.
10. Optional Extras: Fry the sliced cooked potatoes in a little butter/bacon drippings until crispy and golden brown. Season with a little salt and black pepper.