Saturday, October 20, 2007

893. BACON and BEAN CHILI

serves 3


4 slices bacon
4 tablespoons sofrito
2 frozen ice cubes
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon chile powder ancho
14 1/2 ounces tomatoes chunky diced
15 ounces black beans canned
15 1/2 ounces kidney beans canned, light red
3/4 cup corn canned, drained
cheese cheddar — grated

Start by heating a large pot over medium-low heat. The 4 slices of bacon are held over the pot, without separating them, and sliced into about ½ inch slices with kitchen scissors. When all the bacon is in the pot, cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the bacon has rendered its fat and it is getting crispy, remove the pieces to a paper-towel-lined plate. Cover with another piece of paper towel and set aside. All but 2 teaspoons of bacon fat are poured out of the pot into an empty metal can. Add the sofrito. Start to break up the cubes with a wooden spoon. Cook for a couple of minutes until it is defrosted and fragrant.

Next, add the cumin and ancho chile powder and stir. Open the cans of tomatoes and beans and add the tomatoes to the pot. Strain and rinse the beans and add these to the pot along with the corn. Raise the heat to medium and bring the chili to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, lower the heat, partially cover it, and cook for about 15 minutes to meld the flavors.

Serve our chili with grated cheese, the bacon, and chips.


courtesy of: Triple "E" Cooks, a Family Cookbook, Chris and Robin Strom, Baltimore, Maryland

Friday, October 19, 2007

892. BACON-WRAPPED STUFFED MEXICAN-WASABI PRAWNS

serves 4


12 large prawns (16-20 per pound), peeled
6 slice(s) bacon, cut in half
1 tablespoon pre-mixed wasabi paste
4 oz. red enchilada sauce (Las Palmas works well)
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon granulated onion
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon white sesame seeds
2 cups corn salsa (see recipe)
1/4 cup baby spinach leaves, washed
1 tablespoon crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butterfly prawns by splitting each down the middle of the back, taking care to only cut 3/4 the way through each prawn. Open prawns at cut, stuff each with a small dab of wasabi, close, and wrap in a piece of bacon; secure with toothpick. Place each completed unit on foil covered cookie sheet so that they do not touch one another.

In a bowl, combine enchilada sauce, molasses, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, sugar, garlic, onion, oregano, and sesame seeds. Mix well. Carefully brush glaze mixture over each shrimp. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until bacon is lightly crisp.

To serve, carefully place prawns on large platter. Present corn salsa on a bed of baby spinach leaves and generously garnish salsa with crumbled goat cheese.


Corn Salsa

2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
1/3 cup chopped purple onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1-2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine corn, onion, pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and jalepeno in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Makes about 3 cups.


courtesy of: Chef Deborah Scott, Kemo Sabe, 3958 5th Avenue, San Diego, California 92103

Thursday, October 18, 2007

891. HONEY-GLAZED BACON with APPLE-WHISKEY SAUCE

serves 4 to 6


loin of bacon or smoked shoulder, about 3 pounds
2 celery stalks
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 to 2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon honey

Apple-Whiskey Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
3 apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
1/4 cup reserved liquid (above)
2 tablespoons Irish whiskey
3 tablespoons light cream or half-and-half
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
salt and freshly black pepper to taste

In a large pot of cold water, combine the bacon or smoked shoulder, celery, carrot, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until fork tender, 60 to 75 minutes, skimming the water occasionally to remove foam.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Transfer the bacon or shoulder to a roasting pan. Strain and reserve the liquid. Cut off the rind and score the fat. Combine the mustard and honey in a small bowl and spread over the meat. Add 2/3 cup of the reserved broth to the roasting pan and bake for 20 minutes. Add more broth if necessary during cooking. Transfer to a serving plate.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the apple slices and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved broth or stock, the whiskey, and cream, and boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tarragon and season with salt and pepper. To serve, slice the meat and serve with the sauce.


courtesy of: Margaret Johnson, Irish Abroad: Irish community and news worldwide, Digiserve Ltd., Unit 56, Guinness Enterprise Centre, Taylor's Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

890. ROAST PHEASANT with BACON and WHISKEY CUMBERLAND SAUCE

1/4 cup Scotch whiskey
2 oranges, cut into 1/8ths
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 (2 to 2 1/2-pound) pheasants
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 slices bacon, halved

Whiskey-Cumberland Sauce:
1 cup Scotch whiskey
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 cup red currant jelly
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne

Serving suggestion: Wild rice

For the pheasant: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, toss the oranges with 3 tablespoons of the whisky. Rub the pheasants with the remaining 1 tablespoon of whisky and lightly season with salt and pepper. Stuff each pheasant with the oranges and 1 sprig of fresh thyme, and close the cavities with skewers. Wrap the breast of each pheasant with the bacon and set in a roasting pan. Roast the pheasants until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees F., about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes.

For the Whiskey Cumberland Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the whisky, orange juice, and orange zest, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by 50 percent in volume to about 3/4 cup. Add the currant jelly, salt, and cayenne, and stir well.

Cook until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a decorative bowl. Cool slightly before serving.

Remove the bacon from the pheasant breasts, if desired, and cut each bird in half. Discard the oranges and thyme in the cavity. Serve hot with Whisky-Cumberland Sauce and wild rice.


courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, "Single Malt Whiskey," Emeril Live,, 2001

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

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

Monday, October 15, 2007

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

Sunday, October 14, 2007

887. LIGHT & CREAMY OYSTER CHOWDER with BACON and SALSIFY

makes 6 1/2 cups


juice of 1 lemon
3/4 pound salsify or Jerusalem artichokes
1/4 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
1 large white onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups clam juice
1 cup water
4 thyme sprigs
1 cup heavy cream
2 dozen freshly shucked oysters, oyster liquor reserved
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley


Fill a medium bowl with cold water and add the lemon juice. Peel the salsify and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Add the salsify to the lemon water.

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the saucepan.

Add the onion to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain the salsify. Add it to the saucepan and season with salt and black pepper. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the salsify is almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add the wine to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the clam juice, water and thyme. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the salsify is tender, about 10 minutes longer.

Add the cream, oysters, oyster liquor and cayenne and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the oysters are just cooked through. Discard the thyme sprigs. Season the chowder with salt and black pepper and ladle into warmed bowls. Top with the bacon and parsley and serve.


courtesy of: Mary Ellen Carroll and Donna Wingate, "Extreme Entertaining," Food & Wine, March 2006

Saturday, October 13, 2007

886. BARBECUE SCOTCH FILLET with BRUSSEL SPROUTS, SMOKY BACON and ANCHOVY SAUCE

serves 4


2 scotch fillet
500 grams brussels sprouts
4 rashers smoky bacon, cut into 3cm-long strips
1 garlic clove
sea salt
8 anchovies
Cabernet vinegar
extra virgin olive oil

Season the scotch fillets, splash with olive oil and BBQ to medium rare. Rest. Blanch the brussel sprouts and cut into four. BBQ the sprouts together with the bacon until caramelised and just soft. In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with a pinch of salt. Add the anchovies and pound until smooth. Add a splash of red wine vinegar and slowly drizzle in the oil to form an emulsion. Serve the sprouts on a large serving platter. Slice the beef and arrange over the top and finish with the anchovy sauce.


courtesy of: Neil Perry, Food Source, New Zealand

Friday, October 12, 2007

885. BACON-WRAPPED SCALLOPS with PINEAPPLE RELISH

makes 4 servings
12 strips apple-wood smoked bacon
12 jumbo diver scallops
olive oil, as needed
1 cup barbecue sauce
pineapple relish, see note

Blanch bacon by plunging in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Arrange on a baking sheet to cool. Wrap a slice of bacon around each scallop and secure with wooden pick. Arrange on baking sheet; lightly brush top of each scallop with oil. Broil until bacon is browned and scallops cooked, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush with sauce and glaze under broiler 1 minute. Serve with relish.

To make pineapple relish, combine diced flesh of 2 small pineapples with 1 each: finely diced red and green bell pepper, a small red onion, finely diced, 1/2 bunch minced cilantro, 2 oz. cider vinegar and 2 oz. canola oil. A minced hot chili may be added as desired.


courtesy of: Birch River Grill, Arlington Heights, Illinois

Thursday, October 11, 2007

884. PINEAPPLE RUM BAKED BEANS with BACON and COFFEE

makes 10-12 servings


4 lbs. canned baked beans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup strong coffee
8 slices thick-sliced bacon; cooked, crumbled
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 cup rum
8 1/4 oz. can pineapple tidbits; drained

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 8x12-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Combine beans, brown sugar, coffee, bacon, and mustard. Pour into baking dish. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Stir in rum and place pineapple on top. Bake, uncovered, 25 until thickened and top is browned.


courtesy of: Recipelink.com

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

883. CABBAGE and BACON GOULASH

serves 6


2 tablespoon butter
2 potatoes, cut into smallish cubes
4 carrots, sliced
several whole small onions
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 bay leaf
3 cups water
1 1/2 lb. bacon, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 cabbage, cut into chunks
salt and pepper
2 cups milk

Melt butter in a heavy pot. Add veggies, (but cabbage) and saute over medium heat for five minutes. Add bacon and bay leaf, and stir for a couple more minutes. Add water, seasonings, and simmer for an hour. Add cabbage, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add milk and bring to heat.


courtesy of: YumYum.com

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

882. PANZANELLA SALAD with BACON, TOMATO and BASIL

yields 6 servings


3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups coarsely chopped tomato (about 1 1/3 pounds)
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1 (8-ounce) loaf day-old French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Cooking spray
2 cups torn romaine lettuce

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Add tomato, onion, basil, and bacon; toss well. Set aside.

Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat bread with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until toasted; cool. Add bread and lettuce to tomato mixture; toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Cooking Light, June 2006

Monday, October 08, 2007

881. MUSTARD BREAD with BACON

1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons horseradish mustard
4 green onions, chopped
1-2 tablespoons poppy seeds
16 ounce loaf Italian bread
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
12 ounces Swiss Cheese slices

Stir together first 4 ingredients. Slice bread in half lengthwise; spread butter mixture on cut side of bottom half. Sprinkle with bacon, top with cheese. Replace top bread half; wrap in aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.


courtesy of: Spice Barn, 8852 Whitney Drive, Lewis Center, Ohio 43035

Sunday, October 07, 2007

880. GOOSE LIVER and BACON PATE and PORT SYRUP

1 2-lb. pack goose livers
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 large spanish onion, sliced (or other sweet yellow onion)
8 oz. Ruby port
8 oz. mayonnaise

Render bacon in pan until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, reserving bacon grease. Saute sliced onion in reserved bacon grease. When onion slices are golden add port and cook for 3 minutes. Set aside. Saute livers in reserved bacon grease to medium doneness (slightly pink inside). Set aside. Puree livers, bacon, and onions while still warm in food processor. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste, and chill immediately (spread into a shallow pan for best chilling). When chilled, spoon or pipe with pastry bag onto crackers, brioche, crostini, etc. Garnish with snipped chives or Port Syrup.

Port Syrup: Heat 8 oz. of Ruby Port in a sauce pan over medium high heat until reduced by two thirds. This thickens the port and intensifies the flavor, making a wonderful syrup for garnish.


courtesy of: Chef Jeffrey Trujillo, Tweeds Restaurant and Buffalo Bar, Riverhead, New York

Saturday, October 06, 2007

879. GRILLED PEAR SALAD with BACON, ROQUEFORT and PORT VINAIGRETTE

makes 6 servings


1 cup walnut halves, toasted
8 ounces sliced bacon
3 Bosc pears, sliced
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups ruby Port
1 shallot, sliced
1 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

12 cups mixed baby greens
3/4 cup crumbled Roquefort cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread walnuts on baking sheet. Bake until toasted, about 5 minutes. Cook bacon in heavy medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Coarsely chop bacon. Prepare barbecue (medium heat) or preheat broiler. Cut pears into 1/4-inch slices and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Grill or broil pear slices until brown in spots, about 2 minutes per side.

Bring Port and shallot to boil in heavy medium saucepan; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Strain into large bowl; cool. Whisk oil and vinegar into Port. Season with salt and pepper.

Add greens, cheese, walnuts, bacon and pears to dressing in bowl and toss to coat. Divide among plates and serve.


courtesy of: Al Biernat's, 4217 Oaklawn Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75219, (214) 219-2201 / Bon Appétit August 2000

Friday, October 05, 2007

878. ZUNI ROLLS with RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE SAUCE SMOKED TURKEY, CHEESE and BACON TORTILLA ROLLS

serves 2


For chipotle sauce:
1 cup fresh raspberries or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Ruby Port
1 drained canned whole chipotle chile in adobo

For Zuni rolls:
2 scallions
two 9- to 10-inch flour tortillas
2/3 cup coarsely grated Jack cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/4 pound thinly sliced smoked turkey breast
6 slices crisp-cooked bacon

Make chipotle sauce:
In a small saucepan combine sauce ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. In a blender or food processor puree sauce and strain, if desired.

Make Zuni rolls:
Finely chop scallions. Arrange tortillas on a work surface and divide Jack, turkey, bacon, and scallions evenly between them. Drizzle some chipotle sauce over filling and gently roll up tortillas.

In a lightly oiled skillet toast rolls, starting with seam sides down, over moderately high heat, turning them, until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Alternatively they can be baked in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes. Diagonally halve tortillas crosswise and serve remaining sauce separately.


courtesy of: Coop Food Stores, Hanover & Lebanon, New Hampshire / Hanover Co-op Food Store, 45 South Park Street, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, (603) 643-2667 / Lebanon Co-op Food Store, 12 Centerra Parkway, Suite 75, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03766, (603) 643-4889

Thursday, October 04, 2007

877. VEAL KIDNEY with ONION, SMOKED BACON and CEPS

makes 4 servings


1 very white veal rognon
2 large onions
2 slices of smoked bacon
6 tablespoons cream
3 tablespoons cognac
3 tablespoons chicken stock or water
6 tablespoons butter
3 1/2 oz. ceps (porcini)
flat leaf parsley
salt and pepper

Peel and wash the onions; hollow them out as you would for a stuffed tomato. Reserve the top and trimmings. Cook the onions in lightly salted simmering water for 6 minutes. Drain and sauté gently in a skillet with butter, salt and pepper for 5 minutes. Peel and wash the ceps (porcini); slice them and sauté them in butter. Keep warm. Sear the kidney in butter for 6 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Degrease the pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the cognac. Add the onion trimmings; deglaze with chicken stock or water. Cook for 3 minutes and add the cream. Cook the smoked bacon in an ungreased pan; set aside. Spoon some sauce onto the plates; place an onion in the center and fill with the ceps. Halve the kidney lengthwise and place on the onion along with the bacon; replace the top of the onion. Garnish with flat leaf parsley.


courtesy of: Henri Charvet, Le Comte de Gascogne, Boulogne sur Seine

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

876. BACON and CHEESE MELTS with GARLICKY WATERCRESS

makes 4 sandwiches


32 thin slices of lean bacon (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 large garlic cloves, sliced 1/8 inch thick
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper
8 slices pumpernickel bread (1/3 inch thick)
1/4 pound Comte or Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced
2 ounces watercress, large stems discarded (4 cups)

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large skillet, cook half of the bacon over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining bacon. In a medium skillet, bring the water and olive oil to a simmer. Add the garlic in an even layer, cover and cook over moderate heat until the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderate heat, undisturbed, until the garlic begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes longer. As the garlic colors, transfer it to a plate. Pour 1 tablespoon of the garlic oil into a medium bowl. Whisk in the mustard and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and top each slice with 4 slices of bacon. Cover the bacon with the cheese. Bake for 4 minutes, until the bacon is sizzling and the cheese is melted. Add the watercress and the garlic slices to the dressing in the bowl and toss well. Mound the watercress on 4 of the cheese melts and close the sandwiches; cut in half and serve.


courtesy of: Marcia Kiesel, "Captain Bacon," Food & Wine, May 2003

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

875. SHREDDED SWEDE with BACON

2 rashers of bacon, chopped
1 small swede, grated
1 tablespoon butter
Olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup water
salt and lots of black pepper for seasoning
pinch of sugar
watercress to serve

Heat olive oil in a pan and fry bacon until nice and crisp. Remove half and set aside. Add butter and the grated swede to the bacon still in the pan. Add 1/4 cup of water, cover tightly and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes or until the swede is tender. Remove lid and cook until liquid has evaporated, adding 1/4 cup of chopped parsley, lots of freshly ground black pepper, salt and sugar to taste. Serve sprinkled with the remaining bacon, a layer of water cress and the whitebait morsels, drizzled with a little lemon mustard sauce.


courtesy of: Television New Zealand

Monday, October 01, 2007

874. CULLEN SKINK with BACON

serves 4-6


1 oz. butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
cold-pressed rapeseed or olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 rashers of cured streaky bacon, cut into ½in strips
2 sticks celery, thinly sliced
½ swede, finely chopped
2 medium potatoes, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
3 buckling
1¾ pints vegetable stock
15fl oz. whole milk
generous dash cream
4 spring onions, sliced, to serve

Heat the butter in a pan and fry the onion until softened. Add a touch of rapeseed or olive oil to prevent the butter from burning. Season with some salt - this helps to soften the onion. Once the onions have picked up some colour, add the bacon and the celery. Keep stirring over a low heat until cooked. Add the swede, potatoes and the carrot. Stir and keep cooking for about 10 minutes so that all the flavours develop. Meanwhile, prepare the fish. Remove the heads, tails and peel off the skin. Delicately fillet the fish by removing the bones and roe. If the roe is soft you can add it to the soup later on. If not then discard. Add the stock to the vegetables and stir well. Bring to the boil and simmer until the potatoes and swede are just tender. Add the milk, a dash of cream and gently bring back to a simmer. Flake the fish and stir it into the pan with any soft roe kept aside. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, garnish with spring onion and serve.


courtesy of: Oliver Rowe, Urban Chef, BBC Food