Bacon and Black Pudding Salad with Croutons
This salad is my twist on a classic combination, black pudding and apple. Black pudding is such good value for money – buy the best quality you can find; Clonakilty is stocked in most supermarkets or better still get one from a butcher who makes their own. Choose any firm, crisp eating apple and make sure you coat them well in all the wonderful buttery juices when turning them under the grill – using a good quality tongs will make this considerably easier.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4oz / 100g white bread, crusts removed (1 day old)
7 tablespoons olive oil
8oz / 225g black pudding, cut into 3/4in / 2cm slices
2 tablespoons apple juice
1 crisp eating apple, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges
1oz / 25g butter, at room temperature
icing sugar, to dust
2oz / 50g smoked streaky bacon, cut into small dice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1 tablespoon golden syrup
5oz / 150g mixed baby salad leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and preheat the grill to medium. To make the croutons, cut or tear the bread into small pieces and then toss the pieces with three tablespoons of the olive oil until they are all well coated. Spread them out on a baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove and leave to cool completely.
Brush the black pudding with the apple juice and arrange on the grill rack with the apple slices. Smear the apple slices with the butter and dust with the icing sugar. Grill to 1-2 minutes on each side until the black pudding is crisp and lightly golden and the apple wedges are caramelised.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the oil a frying pan, add the diced bacon and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes until crisp and golden, stirring.
Tip on to some kitchen paper and leave to cool.
To make the dressing, whisk the remaining three tablespoons of the oil with the vinegar, mustard and golden syrup in a small bowl. Season to taste.
To serve Divide the salad leaves among serving plates. Scatter over the croutons, black pudding slices, caramelised apple wedges and bacon and then drizzle over the dressing.
Tip
If you are not keen on black pudding this salad can also be made with strips of chicken that are pan-fried in a little oil and butter in the same pan as you have used for the bacon.
Summer Barbeque
Chicken Drumsticks
Serves 4
This dish can be cooked in the oven at any time, but there's no doubt that the drumsticks taste fantastic when they've been cooked outdoors on a barbeque. So get some in next time you hear the temperatures are set to rise.
Ingredients
16 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 oz / 50 g brown sugar
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1 orange, rind and juice
1 tablespoon Golden Syrup
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish
Seasoning
Method
Mix all the ingredients, except the chicken and garnish, in a large bowl and season. Place the chicken drumsticks in the marinade making sure to coat them well. Cover and leave for at least 3 hours or, better still, overnight in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 190ūC / Gas 5.
You can cook these drumsticks in a preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes or cook them outdoors on the barbeque.
To Serve Pile them high on a big plate, garnish with some parsley and watch them disappear!
*Tip
Always take care when cooking chicken on the barbeque. It must be cooked right through and not just on the outside.
Take extra care when handling raw chicken especially in the summer heat. Always wash your hands after working with it and clean down any surfaces or utensils used in the preparation of the meat.
