Bacon bonanza - recipes

BACON AND APPLE STRUDEL

Serves 8-10

4x250ml cake flour

10ml salt

60ml castor sugar

10g sachet of instant yeast

80g butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

about 250ml warm milk

Filling

250g wood-smoked streaky bacon

4 green apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

45ml maple syrup

30ml Amaretto liqueur

60ml cinnamon sugar

beaten egg for glazing

flaked almonds

glace icing to decorate

Combine the flour, salt, castor sugar and yeast in a bowl and mix to combine.

Add melted butter, eggs and enough warm milk to make a dough that is soft but not sticky.

Knead well until smooth and elastic. Put the dough into an oiled plastic bag and leave to rise in a warm place until double in size.

FILLING: In a frying pan, cook the bacon until crispy but not too brown. Drain on a paper towel and chop when cool.

Add the apple slices to the pan of bacon fat and fry until tender. Add the maple syrup and cook until well coated.

Add the Amaretto and cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove and cool.

When the dough has risen, remove it from the bag and knead gently. Roll out on a floured surface into a rectangle about 30x40cm.

Spread the apples over the surface and sprinkle over the chopped bacon.

Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.

Roll up from the long side like a Swiss roll and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.

Cover and leave to rise for 20 minutes.

Using scissors, snip the top of the log to expose some of the filling inside.

Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

Bake at 180ºC for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove and cool.

Drizzle with glacé icing before serving in slices.

BACON AND CHIVE SCONES

Makes 12-14

10ml olive oil

6 rashers of back bacon

1 onion, finely diced

500ml self-raising flour

15ml castor sugar

80g butter

180ml grated Parmesan cheese

45ml snipped chives

about 250ml milk

beaten egg for glazing

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the bacon until cooked. Remove and drain on paper towel. Chop the bacon finely.

To the pan, add the onion and cook over a gentle heat until soft. Remove and set aside to cool.

Put the flour and sugar into a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your finger tips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Stir in the cheese, chives, chopped bacon and onion. Add enough milk to make a dough that is soft but not sticky.

Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Roll out the dough to 2cm thickness and cut out to the desired shape.

Place on a greased baking tray and brush with egg glaze. Bake at 200ºC for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Remove and cool.

These are delicious served with butter and extra grated cheese.

BACON AND CORN FRITTERS

Makes 10-12

400g can of sweet corn kernels, drained

1 red pepper, finely diced

2-3 spring onions, finely chopped

6 rashers of back bacon, cooked and chopped

375ml self-raising flour

5ml salt

45ml chopped parsley

2 eggs, beaten

200ml milk

oil for frying

Put the sweet corn into a bowl and add the pepper, spring onion and bacon. Mix to combine.

Add the flour, salt and parsley.

Mix in the egg and milk to make a batter.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on a paper towel.

Serve with extra slices of bacon and sliced avocado pear if desired. Also delicious served with a sweet chilli dipping sauce.

CHILLI, BACON HASH BROWNS

Makes 10-12

5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

250g streaky bacon

1 red onion, finely chopped

10ml chopped garlic

2-3 red chillies, de-seeded and chopped

250ml grated cheddar cheese

60ml chopped parsley

1 egg, beaten

salt and pepper

250ml dried breadcrumbs

olive oil for frying

Boil the potatoes until tender but not disintegrating. Drain and mash roughly.

Fry bacon until crisp then drain on paper towel. Chop roughly.

To the bacon fat in the pan, add the onion, garlic and chilli and fry over a gentle heat until soft.

Remove and cool. Add to the potatoes with the cheese, parsley, egg and seasoning.

Shape the mixture into patties and coat with the breadcrumbs.

Place on a board, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours until well chilled and firm.

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry the patties until they are golden brown on both sides.

Serve them warm with poached or fried eggs.