I remember reading somewhere (although Google fails me in finding a source) that the fighting spirit of the British Jolly Jack Tar (sailor) was due to intestinal discomfort - caused on the morning of battle by a breakfast of herring and onion (and no doubt a mug or two of grog).
I don’t mind herring and onion myself - there was a tin of herring in the cupboard - and I was making congee (rice porridge, basically) this morning and decided to put this story to the test. Would eating herring and onion for breakfast make me fit to fight on a rolling deck? Or would it make me ill? 
The recipe was:
200gm tin Herring in Tomato Sauce
1 cup rice
1 Massel™ stock cube (chicken)
3 small-ish pickled onions, chopped roughly
water
A handful chopped baby English spinach
I boiled the rice with the stock cube until it was falling to bits (just over 30 minutes), turned the heat down, then threw in the spinach and onion. A couple of minutes later I added the herring (broken up in the tin into smaller pieces). Left to warm through for 5 or so minutes, and served shortly thereafter.
The result? I think it tastes great - Donna less so. I’ll make it again (depending on how rambunctious and bellicose it actually makes me feel later ). I do feel warmer for it.
Some notes:
- I kept the water up to it to stop it glugging up and burning.
- I probably wouldn’t add a lot more onion.
The following recipe is from Kelley of Magneto Bold Too fame - there are no proportions given as this is a “to taste” recipe (and the amounts depend entirely on how many people you need to feed).
- Chuck some diced tomatoes, cumin, garlic, onion, diced capsicum, coriander, chilli salt and pepper in the bottom of the crockpot. You can add beans to add bulk
- Put a FROZEN beef roast on top.
- Cook for 4 hours on low.
- Take roast out and shred
- Put back in, mix, add more spice to taste and cook for another couple of hours
- Then place in tortilla, fold and bake with salsa and cheese on top.
- Serve with honey and lemon salad.
As promised - the Faux Pho recipe 
You will need:
- 4 cups water
- Chicken stock powder to taste
- handful shallots
- Finely chopped onion
- Five spice powder, cumin and cinnamon to taste
- Pho (flat rice noodles)
- 400gm thinly sliced beef
- two handfuls of fresh basil
Throw chicken stock powder into hot water - taste carefully to check if you need to add more. Add shallots and onion. Add five spice powder, cumin and cinnamon to taste. Cook over slow heat until the onion starts to soften. Add half a packet of pho (flat rice noodles) and a handful of holy basil. When the noodles are nearly cooked, add beef. Add more basil to serve and consume while it is still warm.
This is definately not as good as a proper stock made by boiling beef bones for hours and hours. But it is good enough for a lazy slightly hung over brunch.
This recipe is adapted from one originally posted on Facibus Reviews.
