In the end, in Britain, there are Heinz Beanz then there are, well, other brands and who eats those? As it says on the can ‘Beanz Meanz Heinz’
Baked Beans
Beetroot Sorbet
Works well as an accompaniment to both a plate of cold meats or a dish of sweetened red fruits, or just as a palate cleanser between courses.
Black Pudding
At the end of the year, from Fiesta de San Martín, 11 November, until February, licensed butchers roam the rural regions of Andalucía for the annual matanza, the slaughter and butchery of the villagers’ pig that has been fattening over the previous year. This is a most social occasion for all the neighbours, done with ritual and much libation of rough liquor from the early hours onwards.
Brains
It is strange how, even for lovers of offal, many find brains challenging. Strange, considering it has to be the most pure of any organ in the body and the most delicate.
Caviar and Blinis
For a real oligarch’s breakfast make it Caviar served on Blinis. No need for Russian sanction busting. Iran produces beluga caviar, considered some of the finest available, taken from sturgeon that swim in the Caspian Sea that it borders. What is it about repressive regimes and insanely priced fish eggs?
Chorizo and Prawns in Vermut
Often as not I have a couple of Chorizo knocking about in the fridge and a bag of frozen prawns in the freezer. I certainly have a bottle of Catalan Vermut in the house unless I drunk it the night before. Thereby I can knock a version of this up in 5 minutes when friends unexpectedly drop by, even if the coriander is missing. It is always well received though there is never any vermut left afterwards.
Cochinillo
As grand as it looks it really is quite difficult to cock up cooking a cochinillo. It is barely worth a recipe but try this.
Coronation Chicken
Supposedly devised by Constance Spry for the coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth II, her recipe bears a remarkable resemblance to Jubilee Chicken made for the silver jubilee of George V in 1935. And if she can plunder history then so can I.
Devilled Kidneys
A Victorian English classic but not for everyone, Devilled Kidneys make an offally good start to the day. Serve on thickly buttered toast or bread fried in lard or goose fat if you are feeling up for it.
El Celler de Can Roca, Girona
Very much a family affair, the Celler is run by the three Roca brothers. Joan, is head chef, Josep the sommelier and Jordi, the youngest, the pastry chef. They grew up in their parents’ modest restaurant, Can Roca, There, in 1986, they started their own place in an adjoining building, relocating to the current venue 20 years later. The year after they were awarded their third Michelin star.
Fennel Ice
This works equally well accompanying a salad, fish
or as a palate cleanser.
Ferran Adria’s Crisps Tortilla
The story goes that one of the chefs at El Bulli, Ferran Adrià’s now legendary restaurant in Roses, was tasked with knocking up a post service snack for the team. He was completely knackered so just grabbed a pack of crisps and a few eggs and made this in minutes.
Foie Gras Ice Cream
This is the most luscious ice cream ever made.
Try a little sharp blue cheese on the side to cut through the richness and a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem if you’re feeling very extravagant.
French Toast
French toast, Eggy bread, Torrijas, Bombay toast, Gypsy toast or The Poor Knights of Windsor, call it what you like, depending where you hail from; it is all much of a muchness, with just subtle regional differences.
Homemade Crisps
Packets of crisps, or chips as the Spanish and Americans confusingly call them, are the iconic pub snack, perfectly suited to accompany any cold beverage.
Kedgeree
This single-dish concoction works equally well as breakfast for an exasperated gang of troupers after a long cocaine-fuelled session banging out house tunes in the sweaty basements of Shoreditch who need immediate sustenance as it does for a delicate start to the day recovering from a long night in, bingeing on the latest Netflix series with a mug of Horlicks.
Lancashire Hotpot
Lancashire Hotpot is thought to have originated in the 19th century for the workers in the mills of the North. It could be put on at breakfast time to be ready for tea after work. It needs long slow cooking.
Laverbread
Laverbread or ‘bara lawr’, even known by some as Welshman’s Caviar, is prepared from laver, an edible seaweed (Porphyra umbilicalis). It is predominately found on the Welsh coast though also up the west coast of England and Scotland and on the East coast of Ireland. However don’t think you could go foraging to make your …
Marrow Rum
I cobbled this recipe together from various sources many years ago. I have never got around to trying it, but it has to be done and you are the one. It possibly sounds quite lethal and I take no responsibility for your subsequent blindness if you choose so to do.
Octopus Carpaccio
A most elegant party dish, easy to prepare in advance.
You will need a large octopus, about 2/3 kg.
You may be able to get the fishmonger to clean it.
If not get out your sharpest knife.