Cafe Owner Reveals 'Sponge Method' for Ultimate Full English Breakfast
There is absolutely nothing that compares to beginning a weekend morning with a classic fry-up. However, for many people, a homemade Full English breakfast never quite matches the quality and flavor of the version served at their favorite local greasy spoon cafe.
Rouz G. Jabibi, the proprietor of More Munchies in Acton Vale, West London, possesses more than two decades of experience operating a cafe. He has mastered numerous cooking techniques for crafting the ultimate breakfast plate, featuring scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, and other traditional components.
The Secret to Perfect Scrambled Eggs
According to Rouz, the key to creating delicious scrambled eggs revolves around the specific type of butter utilized during the cooking process. 'It has to be real butter, and it has to be unsalted,' he explained to SumUp, a payment solutions provider for cafes. 'Salt interferes with the cooking process, so we avoid salted butter entirely.'
The culinary team at More Munchies combines eggs with full-fat milk, then microwaves the mixture briefly for approximately ninety seconds before completing the cooking in a pan. Rouz emphasizes that either English or French butter can be used, but he insists that the two-stage process is absolutely essential for achieving the ideal texture and taste.
The Sponge Method for Tasty Bacon
Bacon is considered a core product at More Munchies, and Rouz states that they treat it with the utmost seriousness. Their unique cooking method involves 'sponging off' every single rasher to clean the surface of the meat. This technique might sound unusual, but it reportedly makes a significant difference in the final result.
'Most catering bacon, and some supermarket bacon, is frozen in brine, which is why it holds its shape so neatly. But when you cook it, that salt and water rise to the surface as a white residue. A lot of places ignore it. We don't,' explains the West London cafe owner.
'We bake the bacon first, then sponge off every rasher individually, essentially cleaning the surface of the meat. Then we leave it to cool completely, which stops the edges curling and keeps each rasher long and flat.'
An employee arrives at 5:30 am each morning specifically to sponge off the bacon, preparing around ten kilograms before the establishment even opens for business. When an order for a Full English breakfast is placed, the bacon is fried dry on both sides. Rouz notes that no additional oil is necessary because 'the fat does the work' to make it extra crispy.
Beyond Heinz Baked Beans
In a controversial stance, Rouz expresses that he is not a fan of Heinz baked beans, claiming they are 'watery and expensive.' Instead of using the classic brand, More Munchies employs a mixture of three different tins: Bid Food, Branston, and tinned tomato juice to provide a bit more depth and richness to the bean component of the breakfast.
The Ketchup Mistake Everyone Makes
If you are accustomed to putting ketchup on your sausages, Rouz asserts that you are committing a culinary error. 'Brown sauce should go with sausages, because it complements their flavour,' he says. 'Our sausages have cumin and cinnamon; it's a Cumberland sausage with some extra herbs, so ketchup would overwhelm the flavour.'
'Brown sauce, being fruitier, complements what's already in the sausage. Ketchup is more suited to bacon and egg, while brown sauce belongs with hash browns, bubble and squeak, and sausage sandwiches.'
Simplifying Poached Eggs
If you prefer poached eggs to scrambled, that is perfectly acceptable, but Rouz advises against overcomplicating the preparation process. He claims you do not need to use vinegar, swirl your water, or fuss with egg poaching cups; instead, you can simply 'freestyle it.'
To accomplish this, he recommends using room temperature eggs and bringing a pan of water to a rolling boil. Simply drop the eggs straight into the water and allow the heat to do the work for you.
'It might take a couple of attempts to get the feel for it, but once you do, the result is soft in the middle, set on the outside, and perfect,' he adds, encouraging home cooks to embrace a more straightforward approach to this breakfast staple.
