Bringing home the bacon

I read somewhere the other day that bacon was bad for us! My father a dairy farmer, sat down after milking to a fried breakfast of bacon every day of his life and it never did him any harm. What is more he used to rear the odd pig and take it live to a factory and back came plenty of bacon joints and rashers which he shared amongst his neighbours. What is more his bacon never left a milky substance in the frying pan, which I’m sure was due to the way it was cured. Most of it sat on a marble slab in the larder or hung from some hooks. Smaller batches sat in a meat safe outside the back door, as in those days most farmers didn’t own a fridge.

I make an effort to source good quality smoked bacon rashers and sometimes I’m lucky enough to find “off-cuts” that look so good that you won’t realise they aren’t the real thing!

BACON AND CIDER HOTPOT

I prefer to use smoked bacon for this dish and the cider seems to complement the fat. If you prefer, you can use all chicken stock instead of the cider, or even a tin of mushroom soup.

Ingredients

8oz bacon cubes

2 large onions, sliced

2 cooking apples, sliced

½ teaspoon sage, chopped

3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ pint stock

¼ pint cider

Some butter for dotting on top

Seasoning

1 tablespoon mustard

Method

1. Grease with butter an ovenproof dish. Slice the potatoes very finely and lay half on the base. Add a layer of onion followed by the apples, sage, bacon cubes, mustard and seasoning. Pour in the stock and cider. Place the rest of the potatoes on top and dot with butter.

2. Cover and cook in a moderate oven (Gas Mark 4/180ºC/350ºF) for 45 minutes.

3. Remove cover and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp.

MY SPANISH OMELETTE

This can be served, hot, warm or cold. The Spanish serve slices of this with a glass of sherry. They also gently cook the potatoes in oil but I prefer to parboil them.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 large onions, thinly slices

4 rashers bacon, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, seeded and sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 lbs floury potatoes, and very thinly sliced

10 eggs

½ teaspoon paprika

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC / 300ºF / Gas Mark 2.

2. Grease a deep 12x 9 in baking tin with a little of the oil.

3. Heat the rest of the oil in a large pan, fry slivers of bacon with the onion, pepper and garlic, and cook until softened. Place in the baking tin.

4. Lightly beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl with the paprika and seasoning; mix together. Pour into the baking tin, and cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until the egg is set, cut into small squares.

BACON AND LEEK BAKE

This recipe can be cooked in a microwave but I think it’s better cooked in a hot oven as then it gets a crispy topping. Use streaky bacon that you have made thinner by stretching with the blade of a knife.

Ingredients

4 slices streaky bacon.

4 large leeks

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 teaspoons made mustard

5 fl oz milk

4 tablespoons grated cheese

Method

1. Place the leeks in a dish with a little water, and cook until just tender. Drain and allow to cool slightly before wrapping them in the bacon.

2. Melt the butter in a bowl and stir in the flour, mustard and cook for a few minutes more before adding the milk.

3. Cook on a medium high heat until the sauce has thickened, stirring every so often. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.

4. Grease an ovenproof dish and place the leeks seam side down in a shallow dish.

5. Pour the sauce over and sprinkle the cheese on top. Cook on medium high heat until the bacon is cooked and the cheese is golden.

FROZEN PEA AND BACON SOUP

This is a simple soup which I always make as I hate to throw away the liquid in which I boiled a ham. Once you have taken out the joint give the liquid a rapid boil as this intensifies the flavour.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, chopped

1½ pints bacon stock

8oz frozen peas

2 tablespoons cream cheese

1 tablespoons mint

Salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, and cook the onion until soft but not coloured, pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then add the peas and mint.

2. Bring back to the boil and cook for five minutes.

3. Liquidise in a food processor or blend until smooth

3. Stir in the cream cheese, and season to taste.