3873. BACON-WRAPPED DATES with QUINCE MARMALADE

makes 24


24 medjool dates
12 slices streaky bacon, halved
200g linguica sausage or cooking chorizo, skins removed
1 tbsp soft cheese
manchego finely grated to make 5 tbsp
50g cooked chestnuts, crushed, plus some extra to decorate
salad leaves to decorate
250 g quince paste
1 tbsp sherry vinegar

To make the marmalade, put the quince, vinegar and a splash of water in a small pan. Simmer until melted together. Cool.

Heat the oven to 200C/400F. Mix all the stuffing ingredients together and shape into 24 balls. Open each date and remove the stone. Flatten the date by pressing slightly. Put 1 ball inside each date. The dates won’t be big enough to hold the ball but wrap with bacon and fix with a cocktail stick to hold it in. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve with the marmalade on the side and chestnuts and salad leaves to decorate.


bacon recipe source: olive magazine (@olivemagazine)

1150. BACON BRAISED with RED WINE and FRESH CHERRIES

serves six


250ml red wine
150 grams fresh cherries
115 grams dried sour cherries
8 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
40ml extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic clove, crushed
125ml sherry vinegar
8 teaspoon quince paste
6 bay leaves
1 x 750g piece of fresh, organic bacon with rind

Place the red wine, cherries, sour cherries, sugar, salt, olive oil, garlic, sherry vinegar, quince paste and bay leaves in a large bowl. Add bacon and toss well to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Preheat oven to 200°C/gas 6. Transfer bacon to a roasting tin and pour over the marinade. Cover with foil and bake, for 35 minutes, then remove foil and bake for a further 20 minutes, or until bacon is cooked through. Slice the bacon, arrange on a platter and spoon over the cherries, bay leaves and pan juices.


courtesy of: Kylie Kwong, Kylie Kwong Heart and Soul, UKTV