This is an adaptation recipe that, while it is done rather differently with some truly Southern twists, I still felt the original deserved to be credited.
The original is actually itself an American (Californian) twist on classic Welsh pub fare.
Honestly, the original is much lighter and healthier in comparison — but in this case those Southern roots (along with waking up one morning last month hungry enough to swallow a whole hog alive and squealing in one gulp) won the battle over having anything even remotely healthy. I also had other hungry, hard working, young adult mouths to feed — helpers while major sub-flooring replacement and other repairs were underway.
My twisted recipe version is an open faced and hearty breakfast sandwich made with either toasted English muffins, onion bagels, or Texas toast, with sausage and eggs, which is then smothered in a sauce made either with Corona Mexican beer or with strongly brewed coffee. The Texas toast can just be toasted or made into French bread.
You can make the sauce as spicy as you’d like, but may want to go on the lighter side of spicy for some guests and just add more hot sauce individually after serving.
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Honestly, with complete transparency, on that fateful morning, I made French toast from Texas toast (just dipped in a bit of beaten egg and a splash of milk before cooking it) then smothered it with a thick spread of cream cheese before actually topping it as indicated in the recipe below. I also ate two servings and probably blew my recommended cholesterol limitations for a whole year. It was worth it! Although, I stuck to eating fresh fruit, garden salads, and fish afterwards for awhile.
To quote Oscar Wilde: “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”
Just not too often with the guilty pleasures!
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The following recipe was adapted from:
Recipe: Welsh Rarebit
Restaurant: Cock ‘n Bull restaurant in Los Angeles
Cookbook: LA’s Legendary Restaurants
Chef: George Geary
Hearty Breakfast Welsh Rarebit with Sausage and Poached Egg
Think of this as the offspring (twins) — resulting after the shot gun wedding of country red eye gravy to city cheese sauce — with a choice of having either the bold son (Mexican beer) or the willful daughter (strong brewed coffee) over for breakfast. ~ T. K. Fried
1 lb. ground pork sausage, browned
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1/4 cup heavy cream or Half n Half
1 lb. Extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. Spicy Brown Dijon mustard
a small pinch to 1/8 teaspoon (to taste) cayenne pepper or ground red pepper
1/2 to 1 cup Corona Mexican beer or strong brewed coffee
2 Tablespoons Lee & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco or Tiger Sauce
6 English muffins or onion bagels, halved and toasted; OR 6 slices of Texas toast, plain or fixed as French toast
12 eggs, poached (may make eggs over easy if preferred)
Yield: 6 servings
Brown the ground sausage in a medium skillet. Using slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl or colander lined thickly with paper towels and set aside to drain.
In the top of a double boiler with simmering water underneath, heat the milk and cream or Half n Half, add the cheeses, and whisk continuously until melted.
If you do not have a double boiler, simply seat a metal or other oven safe (microwave safe doesn’t count as and is different from oven safe) mixing bowl over the top of a pot of boiling water. The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.
Heat the milk and cream or Half n Half until hot enough to melt the cheese — but do not let the it boil.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter; add the flour, mustard, cayenne or ground red pepper. Stir until it forms a thick paste.
Gradually whisk in the milk/cheese mixture and cook for 10 minutes, whisking or stirring constantly.
Stir in beer or coffee, Worcestershire sauce, half of the browned pork sausage, and hot sauce. Reduce the heat. Keep warm on very low heat setting stirring occasionally until serving time.
Split the English muffins or onion bagels and toast. If using Texas toast, either toast — or prepare as French toast dipping in plain, unseasoned, beaten eggs with a splash of milk before cooking in skillet.
Poach the eggs (or fry over easy).
Place 2 toasted muffin or onion bagel halves on each of 6 dinner plates — deep enough to prevent any accidental run off the sauce and egg yolk.
Another twist is to make 6 slices of French toast from the Texas toast.
Spoon the remaining sausage on top of each of the toasted English muffin or onion bagel halves, or on the Texas toast or French toast.
Top each with a poached egg. If using Texas toast place two eggs on each slice of toast.
Burst the egg yolk by poking with a dinner fork, allowing the yolk to run.
Pour the sauce generously over top and serve (if desired, serve with a side of hash browned potatoes — or with hash browned Potatoes O’Brien which includes diced onion and bell peppers. Condiments to be served on the side include ketchup and additional hot sauce).
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