164. DEVILLED COCKLES with BACON

serves 4 for tea-time or as a starter to a meal


4lb (1kg 800g) fresh cockles, soaked in water for several hours
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large or 6 small, spring onions, chopped and roughly separated into green and white parts
4 rashers smoked, rindless, back bacon, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large or 2 small, dried chilis, finely chopped (with seeds)
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 heaped teaspoon sugar
freshly ground black pepper

First scrub the cockles, if required, and discard any that are open. Then, using your largest saucepan, heat the olive oil and cook the white parts of the spring onions gently for about 2 minutes. Add the bacon and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring in the garlic and chilli for the last 30 seconds. Now add the soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, sugar and a generous amount of black pepper. When the ingredients are simmering, tip in the cockles and give a quick stir.
Cover and cook over a medium, high heat. After a couple of minutes, give another quick stir, replace the lid and cook until all the cockles are open. Cooking any that refuse to open. Cooling will take about 3-6 minutes depending on the heat and size of cockles. Garnish with the green of the onions. Serve immediately in warmed bowls with bannocks or crusty bread.


courtesy of: Alan Bichan, "What's Cooking," The Orcadian, Hell's Half Acre, Hatston, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland