Ingredient:
1×750 g (1 ½ lb) bacon joint
A few parsley stalks, plus extra to garnish (optional)
6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
4 potatoes cut into large chunks
4 carrots, thickly sliced
4 celery stalks, thickly sliced
Cheese sauce
45 g (1 ½ oz) butter
45 g (1 ½ oz) plain flour
200 ml (7 fl oz) milk
90 g (3 oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and black pepper
Method:
Put the bacon joint into a large pan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Drain, rinse, and cover with fresh cold water. Add the parsley stalks, peppercorns, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer very gently for 45 minutes.
Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery and bring back to a boil. Cover and simmer very gently for 20 minutes or until the meat and vegetables are tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and allow the bacon to cool slightly.
Remove the rind and fat from the bacon, cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, and place in a shallow baking dish with the vegetables. Keep hot.
Make the cheese sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan, sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually blend in the milk and 250 ml (8 fl oz) of the reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the three-quarters of the cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 180℃ (160℃ fan, Gas 4) for 30 minutes or until the cheese topping is bubbling. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving, if you with.
1×750 g (1 ½ lb) bacon joint
A few parsley stalks, plus extra to garnish (optional)
6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
4 potatoes cut into large chunks
4 carrots, thickly sliced
4 celery stalks, thickly sliced
Cheese sauce
45 g (1 ½ oz) butter
45 g (1 ½ oz) plain flour
200 ml (7 fl oz) milk
90 g (3 oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and black pepper
Method:
Put the bacon joint into a large pan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Drain, rinse, and cover with fresh cold water. Add the parsley stalks, peppercorns, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer very gently for 45 minutes.
Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery and bring back to a boil. Cover and simmer very gently for 20 minutes or until the meat and vegetables are tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and allow the bacon to cool slightly.
Remove the rind and fat from the bacon, cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, and place in a shallow baking dish with the vegetables. Keep hot.
Make the cheese sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan, sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually blend in the milk and 250 ml (8 fl oz) of the reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the three-quarters of the cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 180℃ (160℃ fan, Gas 4) for 30 minutes or until the cheese topping is bubbling. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving, if you with.
