Full English Breakfast Recipe

If you have been following the Olympics in London, tomorrow will most likely be a long morning of TV viewing for you so you need to make proper preparations for breakfast. I can't think of a more perfect selection for this meal than the Full English Breakfast. Also know as a "Full English" or a "Fry Up", this is an old school breakfast popular throughout the UK.

Ingredients:
2 eggs, sunny side up
2 strips of bacon
2 sausage links
baked beans
grilled tomatoes
2 pieces of toast
marmalade
orange juice
tea

Preparation:

1. Prepare the baked beans.
2. Make a pot of tea. Preferably English Breakfast tea.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage and bacon.
4. Remove the sausage and bacon from the skillet. Drain off the excess fat/oil and then cook the tomato slices on each side for about a minute.
5. Remove the tomatoes and set aside.
6. Cook two eggs in the skillet sunny side up or however you like them.
7. Toast the bread and apply butter. Serve with orange marmalade.

England  [ print this recipe for Full English Breakfast ]

Pumpkin Juice Recipe

What could be worse than missing the train and having to fly your father's car to school? Eating sweets for hours and then realizing you have nothing with which to wash it down, although crashing into a murderous tree probably ranks up there as well. After finishing the bag of toffees Harry and Ron find in the car, Harry is so thirsty he starts fantasizing about the pumpkin juice he could buy if he were on the Hogwarts Express(see Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 5).

Ingredients:
1 small pumpkin (sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin)
2 cups apple juice
1 cup white grape juice
1 cup pineapple juice

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the pumpkin in half pole to pole and scoop out the seeds. Don't worry about the stringy fibers; they are hard to remove and won't affect the results. Place the pumpkin halves face down on a baking sheet and roast 45 minutes to 1 hour until soft. Remove from the oven.
2. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. Place the cooked pumpkin in a large fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and push the pumpkin through using a rubber spatula. Scrape and mash as you push; it will take several minutes. Discard the pulpy mass left in the sieve. Stir the sieved pumpkin in the bowl to evenly distribute the juices, and then measure out one cup.
3. Place the cup of sieved pumpkin in a pitcher along with the apple juice, grape juice, and pineapple juice. Stir vigorously until the pumpkin is completely dispersed. Chill the juice for 3 to 4 hours.
4. Before serving, stir the juice well, as the pumpkin will settle to the bottom. Fill crystal goblets with ice cubes and pour the juice over the ice.

Makes 5 cups

Although this recipe was tested using freshly roasted pumpkin, it would probably work if you use canned pumpkin instead to save the bother of making it from scratch.

Recipe courtesy of The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Book by Dinah Bucholz.

Related Posts/Recipes:
Double Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe
The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Book

England [ print this recipe for Pumpkin Juice ]

Double Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

Do you sometimes wish you had a cook like Mrs. Weasley in your home? Imagine finishing off a weeknight supper with homemade strawberry ice cream. Harry enjoyed this dessert, the finish of a sumptuous meal, the night before going to see the fateful international Quidditch match (see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 5).

Ingredients:
1 pound of strawberries, chopped
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup strawberry jelly (not jam or preserves)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 egg yolks

Preparation:

1. Mix the strawberries and sugar together and let it sit for 1 hour to allow the juices to be extracted. Drain well and reserve the juice. Set aside.
2. Combine the strawberry jelly, milk, and heavy whipping cream in a medium saucepan and cook over high heat, whisking constantly, until the jelly has melded and the mixture is smooth -- do not boil. Temper the egg yolks by whisking in 1 cup of the hot mixture; then return the yolk mixture to the saucepan while whisking constantly. Cook until the mixture thickens slightly; again, do not boil. Pour the mixture through a sieve.
3. Stir in the reserved juice. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and cool to room temperature. In seperate containers, chill the custard mixture and chopped strawberries until completely cold, about 6 hours for the custard.
4. Freeze the custard mixture according to the manufacturer's instructions for your ice cream maker. Add the strawberries 2 minutes before the churning is over. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

Makes about 6 cups.

Recipe courtesy of The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Book by Dinah Bucholz.

Related Posts/Recipes:
Pumpkin Juice Recipe
The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Book

England

Caramel Apple Cranberry Trifle Recipe

I made up this recipe for Caramel Apple Cranberry Trifle last month for a recipe contest. I wanted to create a dessert that features some of the many great flavors of Autumn. The top layer is a miniature Waldorf salad which includes fresh apples. The next layer is butterscotch pudding which approximates the flavor of caramel. A layer of bread pudding is next with a rich vanilla flavor. At the very bottom is a layer of cranberry jello that provides a tart finish to this rich and creamy dessert.

Ingredients:
bread pudding
2 packets of Jello brand cranberry gelatin
2 packets of Jello brand butterscotch instant pudding
1 container of Cool Whip sugar-free topping
1 apple, diced (do not remove the skin)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup marshmallows (small)
1/4 tspn celery salt
1/2 tspn sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Preparation:

1. Prepare the bread pudding and then let it cool to room temperature.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the diced apple, 1 cup of Cool Whip topping, the mayonnaise, celery salt, marshmallows, and sugar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. In separate bowls, prepare the cranberry Jello and butterscotch pudding according to the directions on the box.
4. Assemble the trifles by adding the ingredients in the following order: First, add the cranberry Jello and refrigerate.
   
5. After the gelatin has become firm, add a layer of bread pudding to each trifle..
6. Next, add a layer of butterscotch pudding.
7. Next, add a layer of the apple, marshmallow, whip cream mixture.
8. Top each trifle with a layer of Cool Whip topping and fresh ground cinnamon. This recipe makes about 7 large trifles.
   

England

Fish and Chips Recipe

Fish and Chips is England's most famous dish. There is nothing better on a cold and cloudy day than a few pieces of deep fried whitefish on a bed of crispy chips (French fries) wrapped in a newspaper with a splash of brown vinegar.

Ingredients:
1 pound white fish (cod, haddock)
1 1/2 cups pancake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
club soda
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp Lawry's seasoned salt
kosher salt and pepper to taste
canola oil

Preparation:

1. Add the flour to a large bowl.
2. Wash fish and pat with a paper towel to remove excessive water. Fillets should still be slightly moist.
3. Lightly season fish fillets with salt and pepper.
4. In another bowl, add the pancake mix and add enough club soda so that the mixture has the consistency of a thick milk shake. Use a whisk to create air bubbles in the batter.
5. Whisk in the onion powder and the seasoned salt to the wet batter.
6. Dip the fish fillets lightly in the flour.
7. Dip the floured fish fillets into the batter so that all of the fillet is coated.
8. Drop fillet into the fryer at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 minutes. You will want to only cook 2 to 3 fillets at a time.
9. Fillets should not be touching one another when frying.
10. Remove fillet from fryer and allow to dry on a baking sheet covered with paper towels.
11. Keep in oven on warm until all fillets have been cooked.

England