3778. SCALLOP TARTARE with PICKLED BEETROOT, BACON and APPLE

serves four

For the mayonnaise

3 free-range eggs, yolks only

1 tsp English mustard

½ lemon, juice only or 2 tsp white wine vinegar or cider vinegar

300ml/10fl oz light rapeseed oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the beetroot

200g/7oz raw beetroot

2 tsp red wine vinegar

pinch salt

3 tsp sherry vinegar

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tsp chopped thyme

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp olive oil

For the scallops

4 rashers smoked streaky bacon

12 scallops, cleaned and corals removed, the scallop meat diced into 5mm/¼in pieces

1 apple, peeled, cored, cut into 5mm/¼in dice

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 tsp finely chopped gherkin

2 tsp finely chopped chives

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

4 slices sourdough bread

handful rocket leaves

lemon wedges

½ quantity mayonnaise, from above

For the mayonnaise, put the egg yolks, mustard and lemon juice or vinegar into a bowl and whisk together for one minute. Now gradually add the oil, drop by drop to begin with, then in a steady stream, whisking constantly, until the mixture is emulsified and thick.

Alternatively, you can make the mayonnaise in a blender or food processor, blending the egg yolks, mustard and lemon juice or vinegar for one minute and then adding the oil slowly through the funnel with the motor running.

Season the mayonnaise with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. It will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

For the beetroot, place the beetroot in a saucepan, pour on water to cover and add the wine vinegar. Bring to a simmer, add a pinch of salt and cook for 25 minutes.

Leave the beetroot to cool in the water until you are able to handle it, then remove and peel off the skin. Cut the beetroot into 1cm/½in dice, using a sharp knife.

Place in a bowl with the sherry vinegar, shallot, garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over the olive oil. Mix well and then cover and leave to marinate for at least two hours.

For the scallops, preheat the grill to high.

Lay the bacon on a grill tray and grill on both sides until very crispy. Allow to cool down and then chop the bacon into small pieces.

Put the scallops and apple into a bowl with the shallot, gherkin, bacon and chives. Add two teaspoons of mayonnaise and mix well. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required.

To serve, toast the bread on both sides and place on four serving plates. Spoon the scallop tartare neatly on top. Spoon some of the marinated beetroot with a little of its dressing alongside. Scatter over the rocket and serve with lemon wedges and mayonnaise in a bowl on the side for guests to help themselves.

bacon recipe source: Nathan Outlaw, Saturday Kitchen, BBC Food

3666. PUMPKIN, BACON and CHICKEN NORI ROLLS

pureed pumpkin
bacon
cooked chicken
grated vegetables (beetroot, carrot, for example)
mint leaves
nori

To puree the pumpkin, simple chop and peel the pumpkin and boil or roast until cooked. Then either mash or use a whiz to make it smooth. Cook bacon, and shred chicken, grate carrot and beetroot Using a sushi kit, line the nori sheets with pumpkin, then the top up with other ingredients. If you find the pumpkin was a bit wet and the sheets ripped, use to sheets.


bacon recipe source: Nicola Smith, Foreverfit.tv (@ForeverfitTV),  New Zealand

3124. SPUDS, BACON and BEETS

serves 2-3


2 beetroot

8 new potatoes

4 rashers smoked streaky bacon 

groundnut oil, for frying

2 tablespoons grated fresh horseradish 

handful mint

Place the beetroot and new potatoes into a steamer for 10 minutes. Cut the bacon into postage stamp-sized shapes and fry in a little groundnut oil until crisp. Add the horseradish into the pan. Peel the skin from the beetroot, then cut into quarters. Add to the bacon pan. Cut the potatoes in half and add to the bacon pan. Add a handful of mint to the pan and stir them into in the bacon oil. Mix together and serve.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Nigel Slater, Nigel Slater's Dish of the Day, BBC Food

3100. BEET ROOT, BACON and SPRING ONIONS

serves 6 with leftovers 


900 grams cooked and peeled beetroot
1 bunch spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
100 grams diced streaky bacon rashers
1 teaspoon olive oil
200 ml tub crème fraîche
2-3 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish, or horseradish sauce from a jar
juice ½ lemon

Cut the beetroot into quarters and toss in a serving bowl with the spring onions. Fry the pancetta or bacon in a little oil until just golden. Remove from the heat and immediately tip over the beetroot. At this point the dish can either be served or chilled. If making ahead, remove 1 hr or so ahead of time.

To serve, mix the crème fraîche with the freshly grated horseradish, lemon juice and seasoning. Taste and adjust to be as fiery as you like. Spoon a little of the dressing over the beetroot and serve the rest on the side.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Matt Tebbutt, Good Food Magazine, December 2009

2674. SALAD of ROASTED BEET ROOT, BITTER LEAVES, BACON and SPICED YOGHURT

serves four


4-6 medium beetroot, scrubbed well
olive oil
2 lemons
sea salt & freshly ground pepper
2-3 rindless bacon rashers, sliced
3 heaped tablespoons plain yoghurt
a good pinch of ground cumin
a good pinch of ground coriander
1-2 handfuls frisee lettuce leaves (or curly endive)
1-2 radicchio, very finely sliced

Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced (220°C normal). Individually wrap each beetroot in kitchen foil and cook in the oven for about 30-45 mins until tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Cool a little and then peel. Whilst still warm, toss the beetroot with a splash of oil, the juice of ½ lemon and seasonings. Set aside. Heat a little oil in a pan and sauté the bacon until crispy, tossing with a squeeze of lemon juice when ready. Then combine the yoghurt with the cumin, ground coriander and a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Toss the lettuces and bacon with any cooking juices and a splash of fresh oil, if needed. Arrange the beetroot in individual bowls or on small plates and mound the leaves on top. Then flick the spiced yoghurt over. Serve as a starter or as an accompaniment to a simple meat dish.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Huey's Kitchen, Channel 10, 1 Saunders Street, Pyrmont, NSW 2009, GPO BOX 10, Sydney, NSW 2001 Australia

1868. SMOKED TROUT FISHCAKES with TREACLE-CURED BACON

serves four


For the fishcakes
1 large smoked trout
100 grams mashed potato
100 grams plain flour
1 egg
10 grams breadcrumbs
vegetable oil, for deep-frying

For the roasted beetroot
8 baby beetroot
1 sprig thyme
1 dash of olive oil

For the dressing
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons grain mustard
1 dash of cider vinegar
1 pinch white sugar
1 dash of vegetable oil

To serve
8 rashers treacle cured bacon, griddled
200 grams rocket

For the beetroot: roast in foil with thyme and olive oil for 20-25 minutes until soft. Leave to cool then peel.

For the dressing: whisk all of the ingredients together.

For the fishcakes: flake the fish into a bowl, then mix with just enough warm mashed potato to bind. Roll into balls the size of a large hazelnut. Coat the balls in the flour, egg and bread crumbs. Just before needed, heat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 180C then deep fry the fishcakes for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.

Serve the fishcakes with the roasted beetroot, bacon and the rocket drizzled with the dressing.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Paul Merrett, Market Kitchen, UKTV-Food

1229. BACON-LINED MUTTON, ONION and MINT TERRINE with BEETROOT CHUTNEY and CRUSTY BREAD

serves 8


For the terrine
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, finely sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
11oz streaky bacon
1lb 11oz leg of mutton, thinly sliced

For the beetroot chutney
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
¾in piece fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
11oz ready-cooked beetroot, chopped
2oz caster sugar
3fl oz sherry vinegar

To serve
1 baguette, thickly sliced


Preheat the oven to 365F. Heat a frying pan until hot, then add the olive oil and onions. Fry the onions for 3-4 minutes, until just beginning to soften, then season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the mint. Stir well, then remove from the heat and set to aside to cool. Use the bacon to line the base and sides of a 1 litre/2 pint pudding basin, leaving some of the bacon slices hanging over the top of the bowl. Place a little of the sliced mutton into the bottom of the bacon-lined bowl, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top the layer of mutton with some of the onions, then repeat with alternate layers of mutton and onions, until the bowl is three-quarters full. Fold the excess bacon over the filling to cover and press down firmly. Cover the top with aluminium foil and place the bowl into a deep baking dish three-quarters-filled with hot water (this is a bain-marie). Transfer to the oven to bake for two hours, then remove and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Place a couple of cans of tomatoes or beans (or any reasonably weighty objects) on top of the foil over the terrine and place into the fridge until cold.

Meanwhile, for the beetroot chutney, heat a frying pan until hot, then add the olive oil, red onion, garlic and ginger. Fry for 2-3 minutes, until just softened. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they pop. Add the beetroot, sugar and vinegar and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the chutney has thickened. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and allow to cool.

To serve, turn the terrine out of the basin. Cut out wedges of terrine and place onto plates with a spoonful of chutney and a hunk of crusty bread alongside.


courtesy of: James Martin, Saturday Kitchen, BBC Food

453. WARM BEETROOT SALAD with ORANGE, BACON, and CARAWAY

Serves: 4


300 grams beet root trimmed
4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 oranges skinned & sliced
2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 clove garlic crushed
5 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Place the beets in a baking dish with ½ cm of water, cover and bake until they are tender. This will take about 45 minutes depending on size.

Skin the beetroots, trim the ends and slice into thick batons or wedges.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan; fry the bacon until starting to brown and remove from the pan. Whilst pan is still hot add caraway seeds and garlic. Fry for a few minutes but before the garlic browns, add the orange juice and sugar.

Mix thoroughly and bring to the boil. Tip in the beetroot and coat with the hot dressing. Season well. Stir in the orange pieces and then sprinkle with bacon pieces.


courtesy of: Riverford Organic Vegetables Limited, Wash Barn, Buckfastleigh, Devon, TQ11 0LD