Posts Tagged ‘streaky bacon’

Steamed mussels with leeks, thyme & bacon

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

A bistro-style starter for two. Mop up the juices with crusty bread, or make it into a main with chunky chips

* 750g mussels
* 25g butter
* 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon , chopped into small pieces
* 2 small leeks , sliced on the diagonal
* handful thyme sprigs
* small glass cider or white wine

Method

1. Scrub and de-beard the mussels. Heat half the butter in a pan, then sizzle the bacon for 3-4 mins until starting to brown. Add the leeks and thyme, then sweat everything together for 4-5 mins until soft. Turn the heat up high, add the mussels and cider or wine, then cover and cook for 4-5 mins, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels have opened. Discard any that don’t open. Scoop the mussels and the other bits into a dish, then place the pan back on the heat. Boil the juices for 1 min with the rest of the butter, then pour over the mussels and serve with crusty bread.

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Leek, bacon & potato soup

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

Ingredients

* 25g butter
* 3 rashers streaky bacon , chopped
* 1 onion , chopped
* 400g pack trimmed leeks , sliced and well washed
* 3 medium potatoes , peeled and diced
* 1.4l hot vegetable stock
* 142ml pot single cream
* 4 rashers streaky bacon , to serve

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large pan, then fry the bacon and onion, stirring until they start to turn golden. Tip in the leeks and potatoes, stir well, then cover and turn down the heat. Cook gently for 5 mins, shaking the pan every now and then to make sure that the mixture doesn’t catch.
2. Pour in the stock, season well and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 mins until the vegetables are soft. Leave to cool for a few mins, then blend in a food processor in batches until smooth. Return to the pan, pour in the cream and stir well. Taste and season if necessary. Serve scattered with tasty crisp bacon and eat with toasted or warm crusty bread on the side.

Storing

This soup will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, but if you want to freeze it, don’t add the cream until you reheat it.

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Pork with black pudding & roasted rhubarb

Friday, January 14th, 2011

* 2 pork fillets , about 350g/12oz each
* 250g black pudding , skinned and cut into slices
* 12 thin rashers streaky bacon
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tbsp clear honey
* 300g rhubarb , cut into 5cm lengths on the diagonal
* 200ml vegetable stock
* 2 rounded tbsp crème fraîche

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Split the pork fillets lengthwise almost in half and open out like a book. Bash with a rolling pin to flatten, then sprinkle on all sides with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Fill the pork with the black pudding, folding the meat back over it to enclose it.
2. Stretch the bacon rashers with the back of a knife, then wrap around the pork fillets, tucking the ends under the pork where possible. Transfer to a large roasting tin, drizzle with the oil, then roast for 30 mins.
3. Meanwhile, heat the honey in a pan, then toss the rhubarb in the honey. Add to the roasting tin, then return to the oven for 10-12 more mins until the rhubarb is tender and the bacon nicely browned. Transfer the pork and rhubarb to a warm plate and keep warm while you make the sauce.
4. Set the tin on the hob and add the stock. Bring to the boil, stirring to scrape all the pan juices from the base of the tin. Bubble for a few mins, then stir in the crème fraîche and whisk until it has dissolved into the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
5. Cut the pork into slices and serve with the rhubarb and a little sauce poured over. Serve the remaining sauce separately.

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