Leeks N Bacon Recipes

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.

LEEK, POTATO & BACON BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the stock in a large pan, bring to the boil, then add the potatoes and the leeks. Bring back to the boil for 5 mins, then drain well, reserving the stock in a jug.
• Meanwhile, butter a large baking dish. Layer up the potatoes and leeks higgledypiggledy, seasoning as you go, then scatter the bacon over the top. Season well, pour over 200ml of the reserved stock, then spoon over the cream (if using) and cover with foil. Can be made up to 1 day ahead and chilled. Bake for 40 mins, uncovering halfway through so that the bacon crisps.

LINGUINE WITH SMOKED BACON, LEEKS AND CLAMS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, scrub the clams under cold running water with a stiff-bristled brush, then refrigerate.
• Place a large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the bacon and saute until the fat has rendered and the bacon starts to brown. Add the garlic and leeks and saute until the leeks have softened and released most of their liquid. Increase heat to high and add the wine, black pepper, cayenne and tomatoes; boil until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook until just before it is al dente. Meanwhile, add the clams and, if desired, the lemon juice to the saute pan. Cover and cook until the clams open completely, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
• Drain the linguine and add to the pan with the clams; it will continue to cook when added to the mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and pine nuts.

CREAMY PAPPARDELLE WITH LEEKS AND BACON

Steps:

• Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 5-8 minutes. Add leeks and season with salt. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until leeks begin to brown, 5-8 minutes. Add cream, thyme, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 5-8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
• Add pasta, Parmesan, and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce and stir to coat. Increase heat to medium and continue stirring, adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta.

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.

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.

LEEKS 'N' BACON

Steps:

• *NOTE: Can use pepper bacon instead in which case you would omit the black pepper seasoning as indicated in the recipe directions.
• Discard green parts of leeks and thinly slice the white parts.
• In large saute pan on medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. DO NOT burn! Set aside on paper towel. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
• Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds. Then add the leeks and celery sauteeing another 4-5 minutes or until softnened, stirring often.
• Crumble the bacon and stir into the leeks. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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.