Leeks N Bacon Food

PASTA WITH BACON AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings from the skillet.
• Add the leeks to the drippings in the skillet. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook until it begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
• Add the pasta to the skillet along with the parmesan, half of the bacon and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat, adding enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen. To serve, top with the remaining bacon, more parmesan and parsley.

SAUTEED LEEK WITH BACON

Steps:

• In a skillet over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until done. Add the leek and butter and saute until the leek is tender, about 7-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

LEEKS WITH BACON & MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan, then add the bacon and fry for a few mins until golden. Add the thyme, mushrooms and leeks with seasoning (remember bacon can be salty), cover pan and cook on a low heat for 20-25 mins until leeks are tender.

LEEK AND BACON QUICHE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour with butter, egg, salt and 1 tablespoon of the water. Mix lightly with your fingertips until pastry forms peasized pieces. You should be able to see chunks of fat, and the pastry should be moist enough to begin to stick together. If the pastry is too dry, add up to 2 more tablespoons of water.
• Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured work surface, dust with flour, and knead it until the pastry is smooth, about 3 to 4 times. Transfer to a plastic bag and form pastry into a disk. Refrigerate a minimum of 30 minutes, or as long as 3 days.
• Cook bacon in a skillet over low heat until tender, not crisp. Add leeks, salt and pepper, and saute until leeks are soft and bacon is crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain off excess fat, if any. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and arrange the rack in the middle of the oven. On a generously floured surface, roll pastry from center out, lifting pastry, turning it slightly, and occasionally flipping to prevent sticking. Roll pastry to 1/8inch thickness. Lightly butter and flour a 9inch pie pan and line with pastry, leaving about 1/4inch overhang for shrinkage. Pinch up excess pastry to form a rim and flute the edges. Prick the bottom all over with a fork.
• Line pastry with a sheet of parchment or aluminum foil larger than the pan, and fill with pie weights, rice, or beans. Bake about 20 minutes, until the edges begin to color. Remove the paper and weights, and spread the mustard over the bottom of the pastry. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• In a bowl, beat the eggs lightly with the milk. Stir in bacon and cheese mixture. Pour the custard into the pie shell to within 1/4inch of the top of the crust. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until custard puffs. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or room temperature.

ONE PAN CREAMY CHICKEN WITH BACON AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
• Pat the chicken dry with paper towels then season generously with salt.
• Place the chicken, skin-side down, in a large, deep pan or braised.
• Place the pan over medium-high heat and allow the chicken to brown, rendering its fat, for 8-10 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 5 minutes then remove from the pan.
• In the same pan, add the bacon and cook for a few minutes until it's starting to crisp.
• Add the leeks and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the leeks are starting to soften.
• Add the garlic, thyme and mustard and cook for a minute.
• Pour in the white wine and lemon juice and allow to reduce for a few minutes.
• Pour in the cream and chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken back to the sauce then place in a preheated oven and allow to bake for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced slightly.
• Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more salt, pepper and lemon.
• Serve the chicken and sauce over rice or mashed potatoes.

LEEK & BACON RISOTTO

Steps:

• Keep the stock hot in a saucepan. Heat the oil in another large pan and fry the bacon until crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Stir in the leeks and soften for 5-7 mins. Add the rice and cook for 1 min. Pour in the wine and keep stirring until it is absorbed. Add the stock, one ladle at a time, stirring and waiting for the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more. Continue for about 20 mins until the rice is just cooked and the risotto has a creamy consistency. Season, then stir through the bacon along with most of the Parmesan and chives, saving a little of each to scatter over before serving.

CHEESY LEEK & BACON PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the leeks and 2 tbsp water, and cook for about 10 mins until very soft. Add the bacon, turn up the heat and fry until cooked.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain and reserve a mug of the cooking water.
• Spoon cheese into the leek and bacon mix, adding some of the reserved cooking water. Season and stir gently over a low heat until melted. Toss through the cooked pasta, adding a little more cooking water, if needed, to help the sauce coat the pasta.

LEEK, BACON & POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large pan, then fry the bacon and onion, stirring until they start to turn golden. Tip in the leeks and potatoes, stir well, then cover and turn down the heat. Cook gently for 5 mins, shaking the pan every now and then to make sure that the mixture doesn't catch.
• Pour in the stock, season well and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 mins until the vegetables are soft. Leave to cool for a few mins, then blend in a food processor in batches until smooth. Return to the pan, pour in the cream and stir well. Taste and season if necessary. Serve scattered with tasty crisp bacon and eat with toasted or warm crusty bread on the side.

LEEK & BACON SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan, then fry the leeks and bacon over a medium heat for 5 mins, until the bacon is crisp and the leeks have started to soften. Pour in the stock and stir in the rosemary with some seasoning. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins.
• Tip in the pasta of your choice and continue to cook for about 10 mins until the pasta is 'al dente'. Serve with warm, toasted ciabatta.

BACON AND LEEK QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble when cool enough to handle.
• Saute leeks in the bacon fat over medium heat until soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Place pie crust in a glass, deep-dish pie pan. Spread leeks over the bottom of the crust, then sprinkle bacon crumbs over top.
• Whisk half-and-half and eggs together in a medium bowl. Toss Cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and flour together in a small bowl. Mix cheese mixture into the egg mixture, then pour into the pie crust. Top with tomato slices and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

CREAMED LEEKS WITH BACON & THYME

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the bacon for 5 mins, then turn down the heat, add the white wine and simmer to a glaze. Add the double cream and reduce by half. Add the leeks and simmer for 10 mins, then stir in the thyme leaves, cheddar and season.