Category: bacon

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bacon cheese leeks parmesan

cheese, leek and ham pasta

cheese leek and ham pasta 'n' sauce

“I bet I could make that.”

I was referring to a guilty pleasure of mine, Pasta ‘n’ Sauce. Packed with rubbish yet oh-so-moreish on a cold day, I can get real cravings for this horrendous muck. Can’t help it though. I was trying the cheese, leek and ham one and thought I’d have a go at my own version. It ended up tasting not like it at all, but still a very tasty lunch. It is fast though – about as quick as the packet version. And you know where everything comes from.

Cheese, leek and ham pasta ‘n’ sauce:

2 leeks, halved and sliced

100g bacon lardons

50g grated parmesan

250ml creme fraiche

300g penne

  1. Get the pasta on to boil in plenty of salted, boiling water. Cook according to the packet instructions (irony!).
  2. Fry the lardons in some garlic oil, or just regular olive oil if you haven’t got that. When browned on one side add the leeks.
  3. Mix the creme fraiche and parmesan together and when the leeks are tender and the bacon cooked, chuck this in the pan with a few scoops of the pasta water to loosen it. Check for seasoning and toss with the pasta until well combined.
Categories
bacon bread chicken food lettuce onion

chicken and bacon salad

It’s a real mothership this one, a monster among salads. I’ve piled it here on to a huge plate so everyone can help themselves. The name undersells it somewhat. The brining of the chicken is not vital, but will give lots of moisture to the final dish.

Chicken and bacon salad (serves 4 – 6 with no other accompaniments):

4 chicken breasts, sliced into fingery pieces

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1 star anise

3 cloves

1 red onion, diced

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

4 rashers of bacon, sliced into strips

Half a french stick

2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

2 little gems lettuces, broken up

Handful of other interesting leaves, something bitter is good

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

Splash of milk

Heavy-handed dash of Worcestershire sauce

Couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

  1. Prepare a brine of 8% salt solution, adding the syrup, star anise and cloves. Plop the chicken in and soak for at least 4 hours. Drain well and rinse under cold water.
  2. Cover the onion in vinegar and a sprinkle of salt and leave to marinate while you get on with the rest. Get the oven on 180°C.
  3. Begin to fry the bacon in batches so the pan isn’t crowding until browned and crisp, draining on kitchen roll as you go. Once this lot’s done make a start on frying the chicken until cooked through.
  4. Tear up the bread, and toss in a baking tray with salt, pepper, oil and the pumpkin seeds. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
  5. Mix the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and oil together, adding milk if necessary to make a gloopy dressing. Check for seasoning too.
  6. Scrunch up the onions to drain the liquid off, then combine the chicken, bacon, bread and seeds with the lettuce. Drizzle over the sauce and toss well to combine.
Categories
bacon chestnuts food pork

meatloaf / stuffing

meatloaf with red cabbage and bramble gravy

Jamie’s Family Christmas featured a recipe for stuffing which, as soon as I saw it, thought would make for a comforting and nourishing meatloaf. I wasn’t far off but I roasted it too quickly – a slower roast next time, so the juice doesn’t get wringed from it.

Meatloaf:

500g pork shoulder

Grated nutmeg

Grated zest of an orange

handful of sage leaves

1 onion

Handful of breadcrumbs

Good pinch of salt, pepper

  1. Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor. Pile into a baking dish and top with bacon. Roast for 45 minutes at 180°C.

To make his stuffing Jamie blitzes pork shoulder, sea salt, pepper, lemon zest, nutmeg, orange, sage and smoked bacon before adding onion and breadcrumbs.

Categories
bacon brussels sprouts chestnuts food maple syrup

maple sprouts with lardons and chestnuts

maple sprouts with lardons, chestnuts and maple syrup

Yet another ode to the sprout. This one is my king of sprout recipes, decreeing that anything inedible to some can be rendered palatable if paired with bacon. I wouldn’t be without these on Christmas day; salty, sweet, chewy, with the greenery providing an excellent foil for all that indulgence.

Merry Christmas!

Maple sprouts with lardons and chestnuts:

About 20 sprouts

200g bacon lardons, pancetta or streaky bacon

1 vac pack of chestnuts, bashed up

1 tablespoon maple syrup

  1. Parboil the sprouts until just tender. Drain.
  2. In a frying pan cook the bacon in a little butter until turning crisp. Add the chestnuts and sprouts and cook for a couple of minutes, then season – watch for the saltiness of the bacon here.
  3. Add the maple syrup, stir briefly and serve alongside a lovely fat roasting joint.
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