📝 About This Recipe
Experience the rugged beauty of the Welsh coast and valleys with this hearty, soul-warming breakfast. Distinct from its English cousin by the inclusion of savory laverbread (seaweed) and buttery cockles, this plate offers a unique balance of salty, earthy, and rich flavors. It is a true celebration of Wales' heritage, designed to fuel a long day of exploring Celtic landscapes.
🥗 Ingredients
The Welsh Essentials
- 150 grams Laverbread (boiled and pureed seaweed, often found canned or at fishmongers)
- 2-3 tablespoons Fine Oatmeal (to coat the laverbread)
- 100 grams Fresh Cockles (cleaned and shelled)
- 50 grams Caerphilly Cheese (crumbled, for topping the tomatoes)
The Traditional Grill
- 4 rashers Thick-cut Back Bacon (preferably Welsh-cured)
- 4 pieces Welsh Pork Sausages (high meat content)
- 2 thick slices Black Pudding (locally sourced if possible)
- 2 Large Free-range Eggs (at room temperature)
- 2 Plum Tomatoes (halved crosswise)
- 2 Large Flat Mushrooms (stems removed)
Pantry & Sides
- 2 tablespoons Salted Welsh Butter (for frying and spreading)
- 2 slices Thick-sliced Bloomer Bread (for making fried bread)
- 1 pinch Sea Salt and Black Pepper (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Preheat your oven to a low setting (around 100°C/210°F) to keep the components warm as you cook them in batches.
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2
Place the sausages in a large, cold frying pan and turn the heat to medium. Slow-cooking them ensures the skins don't burst and the centers are juicy. Cook for about 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally until golden brown.
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3
While sausages cook, prepare the laverbread. In a small bowl, mix the laverbread with the fine oatmeal until it forms a thick, moldable paste. Season with a touch of pepper.
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4
Add the bacon rashers to the same pan as the sausages. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side until the fat is rendered and the edges are crisp. Move sausages and bacon to a tray in the warming oven.
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5
Place the halved tomatoes (cut side up) and mushrooms in the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Top the tomatoes with crumbled Caerphilly cheese. Cook for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and the cheese is slightly melted.
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6
Add the black pudding slices to the pan, frying for 2-3 minutes on each side until a crust forms. Transfer the vegetables and pudding to the warming oven.
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7
Melt a tablespoon of butter in the pan. Shape the laverbread mixture into small patties and fry them for 2-3 minutes on each side until crisp on the outside. In the last minute, toss the cockles into the pan just to warm them through with a squeeze of lemon if desired.
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8
Remove the laverbread and cockles to the warming oven. Wipe the pan slightly if needed, add more butter, and fry the bread slices until golden and crunchy on both sides.
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9
Finally, fry the eggs. Crack them into the pan, basting the tops with the hot butter/fat until the whites are set but the yolks remain beautifully runny.
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10
Assemble the plates by arranging the sausages, bacon, black pudding, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Place the laverbread patties and cockles in the center, and crown the plate with the fried egg and bread.
💡 Chef's Tips
If you cannot find fresh laverbread, look for 'Welshman’s Caviar' (dried laver) and rehydrate it with a little water. Always start sausages in a cold pan to render the fat slowly and prevent the skins from splitting. Use high-quality salted Welsh butter; the salt content is crucial for the authentic flavor of the fried bread. Don't overcook the cockles; they only need a minute to warm through, otherwise they become rubbery. For a vegetarian twist, swap the meats for Glamorgan sausages made with leeks and Caerphilly cheese.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a steaming mug of strong Welsh breakfast tea and a splash of milk. A side of spicy brown sauce or Welsh ale chutney complements the salty bacon perfectly. Pair with toasted Bara Brith (Welsh speckled bread) spread with extra butter for a sweet finish. A glass of chilled apple juice from a Welsh orchard provides a crisp contrast to the rich fats. Serve on warmed plates to ensure the cockles and eggs stay at the perfect temperature.