3770. CREAMY COURGETTE and BACON PASTA

Serves 4

1 tsp olive oil

150g diced smoked bacon lardons

4 courgette, coarsely grated

1 garlic clove, crushed

handful freshly grated Parmesan

1 small tub (200g) low-fat crème fraîche

300g tagliatelle

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sizzle the pancetta or bacon for about 5 mins until starting to crisp. Turn up the heat and add the grated courgette to the pan. Cook for 5 mins or until soft and starting to brown then add the garlic and cook for a minute longer. Season and set aside.

Cook the tagliatelle according to the pack instructions and scoop out a cupful of cooking water. Drain the tagliatelle and tip into the frying pan with the bacon and courgette. Over a low heat toss everything together with the crème fraiche and half the Parmesan adding a splash of pasta water too if you need to loosen the sauce. Season to taste and serve twirled into bowls with the remaining Parmesan scattered over.

bacon recipe source: Barney Desmazery, BBC Good Food, June 2012

3769. BOMBAY BACON CURRY

Serves 4

200 g (7 oz) sweet cured unsmoked back bacon rashers
15 ml (1 tbsp) oil
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
30 ml (2 tbsp) medium curry powder
30 ml (2 tbsp) ground cumin
1 courgette, thickly sliced
¼ (about 200 g) cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 potatoes, skin on and cut into small cubes
100 ml water
2 x (approx) 400 g can chopped tomatoes
30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh coriander, roughly chopped
2 large handfuls baby spinach

Place oil in large saucepan and heat, add the bacon, onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the curry powder and cumin, combine well together. Then add the courgette, cauliflower, potatoes and water. Stir well.

Next, add the tomatoes and bring to the boil, cover with lid and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

Just before serving, stir through the coriander and spinach and serve with warmed chapattis and a side order of chopped fresh tomato, red onion and coriander mixed together and drizzled with a little flavoured oil.

bacon recipe source: Paula Jones, Reveal Magazine (@RevealMag), March 22, 2013

3662. BACON, BORLOTTI BEAN and PASTA STEW

serves four


400 grams (~1 lb) of value tinned chopped tomatoes
250 grams (~8 oz) of value smoked back bacon, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
185 grams (~6 oz) of black olives, thinly sliced
2 small leeks, finely chopped
410 grams (~1 lb) of borlotti beans
1 medium courgette, thickly sliced
1 large carrot, thickly sliced
100 grams (~3.5 oz) of value pasta shapes
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons dried mixed herbs
4 teaspoons grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon tomato puree
800 ml vegetable stock, prepared according to the packet instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the bacon for 5 minutes, or until crispy. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and leeks and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until tender. Add the courgette and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the stock, tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, olives, beans, mixed herbs and the pasta. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and the stew develops a thicker consistency. Add a little water if it becomes dry. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the stew in bowls sprinkled with the Parmesan cheese.


bacon recipe source: The Resourceful Cook (@resourcefulcook)

3204. MUTTON and BACON POTJIE (SOUTH AFRICAN STEW)

serves six


1 kg neck of mutton (cut into pieces)
250 grams rindless bacon (chopped)
30 ml butter or margarine
2 medium onions (thinly sliced)
10 ml barbecue spice
salt & pepper to taste
300 ml dry white wine
150 ml water
3 large carrots (peeled and sliced)
5 medium potatoes (peeled and halved)
50 ml Worcestershire sauce
150 grams dried peaches or apricots (soaked in water for 1 hour and drained)
250 grams courgettes (sliced)
200 grams whole button mushrooms

Sauce
200 ml fresh milk
100 ml fresh cream
30 ml apricot jam
30 ml cornflour

Heat the pot and melt the butter in it. Fry the onions until tender remove and set aside. Fry bacon until crisp, remove and set aside. Season the meat with salt, pepper and spices and brown lightly on both sides. Mix the wine, water and Worcestershire sauce and add just enough to cover the meat. Cover and simmer gently for 1 and half hours. Add dried peaches or apricot, carrots, bacon and onions replace the lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Arrange the potatoes, courgettes and mushrooms in layers on top. Cover and simmer for further 15 minutes. Add the remaining liquid, replace the lid and simmer for approximately 1 hour. Mix the milk, cream and jam with cornflour. Simmer for 20 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Potjiekos World

2878. BEEF and BACON SATAY

makes eighteen


12 oz. lean beef

12 oz. unsmoked bacon rashers
1 onion, finely chopped
Finely grated peel and juice of 2 lemons
4 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cumin 

7 oz / ¾ cup crunchy peanut butter
4 fl oz / ½ cup groundnut oil
2 tablespoons clear honey
4 courgettes (zucchini)
Spring onion tassels, to garnish

Cut beef into 1 inch cubes. Put in a shallow dish. Trim bacon rashers; halve lengthwise. Stretch bacon rashers on a work surface with a round-bladed knife drawn flat along each rasher. Roll each up tightly along its length and add to dish with the cubed beef. Mix together the onion, lemon peel and juice, coriander, cumin, peanut butter, oil and honey. Pour over beef and bacon and marinate for at least 1 hour, basting occasionally. Soak 18 bamboo skewers in water for 1 hour. Peel courgettes (zucchini), cut in half lengthwise and then into ½ inch chunks. Alternately thread beef cubes, bacon rolls and courgette (zucchini) chunks onto skewers. Barbecue on rack over hot coals for about 20 minutes, turning frequently. Serve with boiled rice and garnish with spring onion tassels.

bacon recipe courtesy of: A Chefs Help

1521. PROVENCAL BEAN SOUP with BACON and a BASIL PISTOU

serves 6


For the soup
900 grams bacon
500 grams fresh haricot beans
500 grams fresh red kidney beans
500 grams large runner beans or large flat green beans
4 large courgettes (zucchini), diced (but not peeled)
4 medium-sized potatoes, diced
1 tomato, skinned and pipped, and cut into pieces
1 thinly sliced white onion
salt and pepper from the mill

For the pistou
2 to 4 cloves of garlic (according to taste)
leaves and tender shoots of 3 sprigs of basil
1 tomato, skinned and pipped, and cut into pieces
80 grams gruyère, finely grated
80 grams matured Dutch cheese, finely grated
olive oil

Shell the haricot and kidney beans and prepare and trim the flat green beans into inch-length sticks. Prepare the other vegetables. In a large pan put 2 litres of water to heat. If you have opted for the recipe with smoked ham or bacon, remove the rind from the bacon and cut into 6 or 12 equally-sized portions. Place the rind and the meat into the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove any scum.

Add the three varieties of beans and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If you have added ham or bacon, take into account the salt which the meat will bring to the preparation. Then add the courgettes, potatoes, onion and tomato and cook for a further 20 minutes. At the end of this period, the soup should be nice and thick.

During this time, pound the garlic and basil leaves and shoots using a mortar and pestle. When thoroughly blended, add the tomato and continue the process, and then add the cheese. Finally, slowly blend in sufficient olive oil to obtain a smooth rich sauce. (This operation can be done in a blender if you prefer).

When you are ready to serve, check the seasoning of the soup and remove the bacon rind. Add the pistou to the soup, mix in thoroughly, and cook gently for another 2 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Philippe Broad, Culturekiosque, Euromedia Group Ltd., 164 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10016-5411

1044. COURGETTE, BACON and BRIE GRATIN

serves 4


3 tablespoons olive oil
600 grams courgettes, sliced on the diagonal
4 rashers of smoked back bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 small garlic clove, crushed
200 grams risotto rice
150ml dry white wine
850ml hot vegetable stock made with bouillon powder
160 grams pack blue or plain brie

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy saucepan, tip in the courgettes and fry for 10-12 minutes until tinged golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the bacon, onion and garlic. Cook over a low heat for about 6-8 minutes or until softened and lightly golden. Tip in the rice and stir until the grains start to pop.

Pour in the wine and stand back while it sizzles and absorbs into the rice. Stir well, then pour in about one third of the hot stock and increase the heat to moderate. Cook, stirring frequently, until the stock is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining stock, in two batches. This should take about 20 minutes, and the rice should be tender.

Preheat the grill on its highest setting. Remove the rice from the heat, gently fold in the courgettes and season to taste. Tip everything into a big flameproof dish. Slice the brie and lay on top of the rice. Put the dish under the hot grill for 3-4 minutes until the brie is bubbling.


courtesy of: Good Food magazine, August 2003

889. BACON, COURGETTE and BLUE CHEESE SOUP

serves 4-6

a little olive oil
5-6 streaky rashers of bacon, chopped
1 onion or 2-3 shallots chopped
1-2 large courgettes, sliced
2-3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 pints stock, homemade if possible
3 oz blue cheese, crumbled
¼ pint cream
black pepper
2-3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Sauté the bacon for a few minutes in a little oil. Remove a few pieces of bacon for final garnish. Add the onion, courgette (reserve some slices for final garnish), and potatoes. Cover the pan and allow to cook until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Process the soup. Return to the saucepan. Stir in the cheese and cream and just heat gently. Add the reserved bacon pieces and courgette slices for final garnish.

Finish with lots of black pepper and parsley.


courtesy of: Bord Bia, Irish Food Board, Dublin Head Office: Clanwilliam Court, Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, Ireland, +353 1 668-5155

888. BACON HASH BROWN CAKES with QUICK HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

makes 10-12 servings


For the hash browns
6 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 green or red pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
300 grams potatoes, peeled and grated
1 small courgette, grated
1 tablespoon plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground salt and pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
200 grams bacon, finely chopped

For the quick hollandaise sauce
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
175 grams melted butter
mixed salad, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery and pepper and fry for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the potatoes, courgette, flour and eggs. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Add the parsley and bacon and mix again. Using your hands, shape the mixture into small round cakes. Dust the rounds in flour and arrange on a large plate. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the hash cakes over a high heat for about 2 minutes on each side, until brown. Transfer to the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, make the hollandaise sauce. Fill the blender with hot water, set aside until warm and then pour out the water and shake dry. Place the egg yolks and lemon juice into the blender and whiz for 10 seconds. Keeping the machine running, add the butter in a thin, steady stream (through the hole in the lid), until the sauce is thick and emulsified. Serve the hot hash cakes with the hollandaise and a mixed salad.


courtesy of: Silvena Rowe, Great Food Live