streaky bacon

A classic Christmas combination – and it counts as two of your 5-a-day

Brussels sprouts with bacon &amp; chestnuts

¼kg Brussels sprouts,trimmed (or if buying pre-trimmed, buy 1 kg)

rashers smoked streaky bacon,cut into bite-sized pieces (or use more, if you like)

vacuum-packed chestnuts

butter

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then tip in 1 ¼ kg trimmed Brussels sprouts. Once back to the boil, cook for 5 mins. Drain, run under the cold tap until cold, then drain again.

Heat a large frying pan, add 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces, and gently fry for 10 mins until crisp and golden.

Tip out of the pan, leaving the fat behind, then add 200g chestnuts and fry over a high heat for about 5 mins until tinged. Tip out of the pan.

Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan with a splash of water, then cover and finish cooking over a medium heat for about 5 mins, stirring now and again, until just tender.

Uncover, turn up the heat, then add most of the 50g butter and sauté the sprouts for 2 mins more.

Tip in the bacon and chestnuts, season generously with salt and pepper, then serve with the last knob of butter on top.

"This beer-infused mac 'n' cheese is the ultimate weeknight comfort food. Serve any leftovers for breakfast with a fried egg," says Warren Mendes.

Beer and bacon mac ‘n’ cheese

smoked streaky bacon rashers, chopped

garlic cloves, crushed

tbs thyme leaves, chopped

Dijon mustard

(375 milliliters) beer (lager)

macaroni

(750 milliliters) milk

(40 grams) plain flour

(150 grams) grated cheddar

parsley

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A pasta dish that easily becomes a kid-friendly slice.

Carbonara slice

dried spaghetti

tbs extra virgin olive oil

streaky smoked bacon, chopped

garlic, crushed

eggs

(80 grams) grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

parsley,

zucchini,

(120 grams) ricotta

cherry tomatoes

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This is just what you need on a cold night. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes

Chicken & mushroom puff pie

vegetable oil

chicken thighs

rashers smoked streaky bacon,

onion,

baby button mushrooms

thyme

tbsp plain flour

chicken stock

milk

pack fresh puff pastry,

egg, beaten

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-non-stick-frying-pans">frying pan</a>. Season the chicken thighs and fry for 5-8 mins until golden brown, turning occasionally. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan.

Lift the chicken onto a plate and tip the bacon pieces into the pan. Fry for 5 mins until crisp. Add the onion, mushrooms and thyme sprigs, then fry on a high heat for another 3 mins until the onions start to colour. Tip the flour into the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 min.

With the pan off the heat, gradually stir or <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-whisks">whisk</a> in the chicken stock, followed by the milk, then add the chicken back to the pan.

Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins. Spoon the filling into a large pie or baking dish (approx 20 x 30cm) with a lip and leave to cool.

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. On a floured surface, <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-best-rolling-pins">roll</a> the pastry to the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut a long strip as wide as the rim of the pie dish and, using a little of the beaten egg, fix to the edge of the pie dish. Brush with beaten egg, then lift the rest of the pastry over the pie, using the rolling pin to help. Gently press the edges with your fingers and trim with a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-cooks-knives">sharp knife</a>.

Brush lightly with egg to glaze, then bake for 30 mins or until the pastry is risen and dark golden brown.

A classic in a flash, you can also use beef. Either way - it's a winner

Quick chicken chasseur

rashers streaky bacon, chopped into large pieces

chicken breasts,

pack baby button mushroom

plain flour

tin chopped tomato with garlic

beef stock cube

Worcestershire sauce

Heat a shallow saucepan and sizzle the bacon for about 2 mins until starting to brown. Throw in the chicken, then fry for 3-4 mins until it has changed colour. Turn up the heat and throw in the mushrooms. Cook for a few mins, stir in the flour, then cook until a paste forms.

Tip in the tomatoes, stir, then crumble in the stock cube. Bubble everything for 10 mins, splash in the Worcestershire sauce, stir through the parsley, then serve with mash or boiled rice.

A twist on the classic ricotta hotcake, this updated version is a savoury hotcake with maple bacon and rocket.

Ricotta hotcakes

bacon

maple syrup

vine-ripened cherry tomatoes

(240 grams) ricotta

(40 grams) grated parmesan

(125 milliliters) milk

eggs, separated

self-raising flour

unsalted butter

rocket leaves

tbs balsamic vinegar

olive oil

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Intimidated by quiche and all that pastry making? Try this beginners guide and you'll be surprised how simple it can be

Quiche Lorraine in 4 easy steps

flour,

block ready-to-roll shortcrust pastry

smoked streaky bacon, chopped

medium cheddar,

eggs, lightly beaten

tub double cream

grated nutmeg

Roll out pastry and lift into tin: Leave pastry to soften at room temperature so it doesn’t crack when rolling. Lightly flour rolling pin and work surface. Gently press top of pastry, from the end closest to you outwards, a few times, turn 90°, then repeat until 1cm thick. Now roll out pastry in one direction only, turning every couple of rolls, to a circle the thickness of a £1 coin. Use the rolling pin to lift pastry up and over tin, floured side facing up.

Line the tin and trim the pastry: Smooth pastry over the base of the tin to remove any pockets of air. Gently ease pastry into the inside edge of tin and against the sides. Trim overhanging pastry with kitchen scissors so pastry rises 1cm above the rim. Roll excess pastry into a small ball and use to press pastry into the fluted edges. Chill for 30 mins, covered with cling film. Any left over can be chilled and reused, or frozen for up to a month.

Bake the pastry case blind: Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut a large piece of baking parchment, then scrunch into a ball. Open it out and use to line chilled pastry case, then tip in baking beans with more against the sides, to support pastry wall when baking. Bake on a baking sheet for 15-20 mins until the sides are crisp and set. Remove from oven and carefully lift paper and beans out. Return pastry to oven and cook for another 5 mins or until the base and sides are golden and crisp.

Fill pastry case and bake Lower oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Heat a pan, then fry the bacon until golden. Scatter over the pastry base, discarding excess fat, followed by the cheese. Mix eggs, cream and nutmeg together, then half-fill the case. Rest baking sheet on an oven shelf, then pour in the rest of the mixture. Bake for 30-35 mins or until just set. Remove and allow to cool for 10 mins.

Forget fiddly stuffing balls, this clever roll tastes delicious, plus its practical shape makes it ultra-simple to slice

Chestnut & cranberry roll

onion, finely chopped

Bramley apples, approx 140/5 ounces each, peeled

x 450 grams/1lb packs good-quality pork sausage

parsley, leaves

sage, leaves

thyme, leaves

white breadcrumb

cranberry

rashers streaky bacon

butter,

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then gently fry the onion for 5 mins until softened. Finely chop the apples either by hand or in a food processor.

Squeeze the sausagemeat from the sausages into a large bowl, then add all the other ingredients, except the cranberries and streaky bacon. Season generously, then get your hands in and mix well. Weigh out 450g of the stuffing and mix a handful of the cranberries into it. Use to stuff the neck of the turkey (see 'Goes well with').

To assemble, butter and season a large sheet of foil. Stretch out the bacon rashers slightly with the back of a kitchen knife, then overlap 12 rashers on the foil. Spoon half of the stuffing mix evenly over the bacon, leaving a border of about 3cm. Scatter with half the cranberries, then pat them in. Tuck the long edges of the bacon over the stuffing; then, using the foil to help, roll the stuffing up into a log shape. Repeat to make a second roll.

Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the foil-wrapped rolls onto a roasting tin and roast for 45 mins. Unwrap, draining off any juice, then finish roasting for 15 mins until the bacon is crisp.

The trick with this classic one-pot is to use a cheaper cut of meat, which means you’ll skimp on price but not quality

Irish stew

sunflower oil

smoked streaky bacon,

stewing lamb,

onions,

carrots,

bay leaves

pearl barley

lamb stock

potatoes,

spring onions, finely sliced

Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole. Sizzle the bacon for 4 mins until crisp. Turn up the heat, then cook the lamb for 6 mins until brown. Remove the meats with a slotted spoon. Add the onions, carrots and herbs to the pan, then cook for about 5 mins until softened. Return the meat to the pan, stir in the pearl barley, pour over the stock, then bring to a simmer.

Sit the chunks of potato on top of the stew, cover, then braise in the oven, undisturbed, for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are soft and the meat is tender. The stew can now be chilled and kept in the fridge for 2 days, then reheated in a low oven or on top of the stove. Remove from the oven, dot the potatoes with butter, scatter with the spring onions and serve scooped straight from the dish.

This warming cobbler is impossible to resist on a winter's day, but is so delicious you'll be cooking it up all year round

Herby lamb cobbler

lamb neck fillets,

baby onion, peeled

small button mushroom

red wine

350 milliliters lamb or beef stock

chilled butter, grated

lemon

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. In a flameproof casserole, heat the oil, then sizzle the bacon for 5 mins until crisp. Turn up the heat, then cook the lamb for 10 mins until brown. Remove meats with a slotted spoon, turn the heat up to maximum, then add the onions, carrots and mushrooms. Cook for about 5 mins until starting to colour, then stir in the flour. Return the meat to the pan with the herbs, and pour over the wine, stock and Worcestershire sauce. Season, then cover and braise in the oven, undisturbed, for about 1 hr 20 mins.

After about 1 hr, make the topping. Tip the flour and herbs into a large bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Add the butter and mix using a fork. Make a well, then add the lemon juice and 3 tbsp water. Gently bring together to make a soft dough. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 1.5cm thick, then cut into rounds using a 7.5cm pastry cutter. Re-roll the trimmings, then cut out more rounds until the dough is used up. After 1 hr 20 mins, take the casserole from the oven, remove the lid, then arrange the circles of dough, overlapping, around the edge of the dish, sticking bay leaves between them. Brush with egg and bake for 45 mins until golden.

Grate potatoes into a hash brown-style patty and cook in the oven for a convenient and tasty side dish

Oven-baked rösti cake

½kg Maris Piper potato

onion

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Dry-fry the bacon in a pan for 5 mins until crisp, then chop into small pieces. Boil the whole potatoes for 5 mins, drain, then place in a bowl of chilled water.

When cool enough to handle, pat the potatoes dry and roughly grate into a large bowl. Toss with the oil as you go, to stop them from sticking. Roughly grate the onion and squeeze out any excess juice, then stir into the potatoes along with the bacon.

Place a baking sheet in the oven for 5 mins to warm through. Liberally grease a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin with butter. Scatter the potato over the tin, trying not to pack it down, then dot all over the top with butter. Place on the hot baking sheet and bake in the oven for 1 hr 20 mins until the potatoes are cooked through and crisp on top.

There is no set recipe for this thick Italian soup – it’s usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season. I use a mix of greens, but you could just use savoy cabbage. I love borlotti beans in this recipe, as they add a slightly sweet taste and creamy texture to this easy minestrone recipe, says Jamie.

Minestrone soup recipe by Jamie Oliver

rashers (140 grams) streaky bacon, finely chopped

onions, chopped

carrots, chopped

celery stalks, trimmed, chopped

butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped

tbs finely chopped rosemary leaves

sage,

vacuum-packed chestnuts (from delis

can chopped tomatoes (we used Woolworths Macro)

can borlotti beans, rinsed, drained

1.5L (6 cups) vegetable stock

seasonal greens (we used savoy cabbage, kale

wholemeal pasta

Basil leaves, to serve

Extra virgin olive oil,

Crusty bread, to serve

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Chicken & bacon Caesar salad

rindless streaky bacon rashers

bag ready-to-eat Caesar salad (which includes croûtons, dressing)

avocado

chicken breasts

Stir fry the bacon in a frying pan for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove, then sprinkle the croûtons into the fat in the pan and toss over a medium heat for a minute or two to give them flavour and crisp them up.

Divide the leaves between 2 plates. Halve the avocado and dig out the stone; peel and cut into chunks and scatter over the leaves. Tear the chicken into pieces on top. Finally, snap the bacon into chunky pieces over the chicken and top with the croûtons.

Drizzle the dressing over the whole salad and finish with a good dusting of parmesan and a grind of pepper.

Thought pigs-in-blankets couldn’t get any better? Think again. We've turned everyone’s favourite Christmas trimming into a glorious toad-in-the-hole

Pigs-in-blankets toad in the hole

mustard powder (optional)

rashers smoked streaky bacon

sausages

Tip the flour and mustard powder, if using, into a bowl, and beat in the eggs until smooth. Whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until all of it has been incorporated and the batter is lump-free. Season and set aside. Wrap a bacon rasher around each sausage. The batter and the pigs in blankets will keep covered and chilled, separately, for up to 12 hrs.

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Drizzle the oil into a large, deep roasting tin or enamel baking dish, and put in the oven for a few minutes to heat up. Carefully add the pigs in blankets and tip back and forth to coat in the hot oil. Roast for 15-20 mins, turning over halfway through, until sizzling and browned.

Carefully remove the tin from the oven and, working quickly, pour the batter around the pigs in blankets. Return to the oven and bake for 25 mins without opening the oven door. When the toad in the hole is ready, it should be puffed up and deep golden brown. If you prefer it darker brown, bake for 5 mins more. Serve with gravy and green veg.

Our June cover star is a lovely, light dish ideal for al fresco dining

Summer chicken one-pot

stock

bag baby new potatoes

pack full fat soft cheese

broad beans

sweetcorn (frozen, fresh or

Dust the chicken in the flour and some seasoning. Heat the oil in a lidded pan and brown the chicken, in batches if needed, then transfer to a plate. Throw in the bacon and fry for 5 mins, until crisp.

Return the chicken to the pan. Add the stock, cover and simmer for 30 mins, adding the potatoes after 10 mins.

Make sure the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are tender, then stir in the cheese, the rest of the vegetables and some seasoning. Simmer for 5 mins more, uncovered, then serve.

This sumptuous, step-by-step recipe for slow-cooked stew from Gordon Ramsay makes a great winter supper

Top 16 streaky bacon recipes from across the web

The most viewed streaky bacon recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Brussels sprouts with bacon & c...

Beer and bacon mac ‘n’ cheese

Carbonara slice

Chicken & mushroom puff pie

Quick chicken chasseur

Ricotta hotcakes

Quiche Lorraine in 4 easy steps

Chestnut & cranberry roll

Irish stew

Herby lamb cobbler

Oven-baked rösti cake

Minestrone soup recipe by Jamie Oli...

Chicken & bacon Caesar salad

Pigs-in-blankets toad in the hole

Summer chicken one-pot

Beef bourguignon with celeriac mash

Top 16 streaky bacon recipes from across the web

The most viewed streaky bacon recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Brussels sprouts with bacon &amp; c...

Beer and bacon mac ‘n’ cheese

Carbonara slice

Chicken & mushroom puff pie

Quick chicken chasseur

Ricotta hotcakes

Quiche Lorraine in 4 easy steps

Chestnut & cranberry roll

Irish stew

Herby lamb cobbler

Oven-baked rösti cake

Minestrone soup recipe by Jamie Oli...

Chicken & bacon Caesar salad

Pigs-in-blankets toad in the hole

Summer chicken one-pot

Beef bourguignon with celeriac mash

The most viewed streaky bacon recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Brussels sprouts with bacon & c...