Bacon & Leek Hash

Yesterday I was trying to use up stuff I have in my fridge and kitchen, and decided to make a kind of bacon and leek hash, as I had those bits to use up !

I didn't measure anything - just tossed it in. So I hope I can explain how I made it as it was very tasty.

So...

Bacon and Leek Hash

4 slices unsmoked Back Bacon
Half a medium Leek
2 medium Potatoes (cut into small cubes - 1.5cm across)
Olive Oil
Fresh Chives (chopped)
Salt & Pepper

1. Put the chopped potatoes into a saucepan of cold salted water, and bring to the boil. Simmer them for about 5 minutes, no more. Less if they look like they are cooked.

2. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. This will allow them to dry a bit.

3. Next chop about half a medium sized leek - roughly the same as one of the two below. It needs to be chopped thinly, like the next photo.

4. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and heat. Fry the leeks and chives until they are soft.

5. Add the bacon chopped into pieces. Fry in hot oil until starting to crisp, leaving the leeks and chives in the pan.

6. Put the fried veggies and bacon in a dish for now.

7. Add 3 more tablespoons of olive oil to the hot frying pan.

8. Add the cooked, dried, chopped potatoes to the pan and fry them until they are nicely browned.

9. Add the veggies and bacon back into the pan with the potatoes and heat them back up.

10. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Leek & Bacon Gratin (or just Leek Gratin)

This is a favourite 'throw it all together' dish of mine, and I have had to concentrate to work out the quantities so that I can share it with you !

You can make it with bacon or without, so it is great for both carnivores or vegetarians... everyone's happy !

I often make it as a main meal as I am a leek freak, but it also makes a great vegetable side dish for a roast dinner or any main meal really.

Leek and Bacon Gratin / Leek Gratin

4 large Leeks (and I mean large - if not huge then use a lot more to make up - the leeks are important!)
10 slices unsmoked Back Bacon (rashers in Ireland and bacon in the UK - I haven't a clue what you call it in the states)
4 ozs (1 cup) grated Cheddar Cheese
1/2 pint (1.25 cups) Milk
1 Egg (beaten)
1/4 pint (150ml or 2/3 cup) single Cream (light or pouring cream)
1 tablespoon English Mustard (ready made)
Sea Salt & fresh ground Black Pepper

1. Chop the leeks into good sized pieces, about an inch each roughly.

2. Poach the leeks in the milk with salt and pepper to taste (place both in a pan, boil and then simmer for 15 minutes).

3. Remove the leeks from the liquid (but keep the milk for later). Put the leeks in a shallow oven proof dish (a lasagne style dish is perfect). Make sure the dish is well buttered.

4. Miss this bit out if you are vegetarian. Slice the bacon into strips and fry gently until the fat runs out of them. Once that has happened, fry on a hotter heat until they are nice and crispy.

5. Place the bacon strips on top of the cooked leeks and mix in a bit.

6. In a bowl, beat together the egg, the single cream and the mustard.

7. Add the beaten mixture to the left over milk in the saucepan, and mix in well.

8. Heat this gently. DO NOT let it boil please. Just let it thicken a bit.

9. Pour this sauce over the leeks.

10. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top. (If you have one) slice a fresh tomato and lie the slices over the top to decorate.

11. Place in the oven at 180c for about 20 minutes, or until the top starts to colour. Alternatively for more speed, you can just brown it under a grill.

As a variation you can sprinkle fresh ground nutmeg on the top before putting it in the oven.

Leek, Potato and Cheese Bake

I have been sat here this evening trying to decide what to make for dinner tomorrow from the bits and bobs I have around the kitchen and want to use up.

I have a love of leeks and today I managed to buy a whole bunch of the most gorgeous baby leeks at the Ballyvaughan Farmer's Market (Saturdays 10am-2pm).

So... something yummy to make with them.

I have concocted this recipe from one that uses tomatoes, and I have substituted leeks and tweaked it a bit to make the best of the tastes.

I am going to serve it with a couple of fresh salmon steaks.

Hence -

Leek, Potato and Cheese Bake

5 medium sized Potatoes
3 Leeks (sliced in rounds)
2.5 ozs Butter
2 ozs plain Flour (all purpose)
350 ml Milk
175 ml Chicken Stock
1.5 teaspoons chopped fresh Thyme
4 ozs Mature Cheddar Cheese

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices, about 1/4 inch thick.

2. Slice the leeks into rings of about the same thickness, 1/4 inch.

3. Steam the potatoes and leeks (or boil them) until tender, being very careful not to cook too much or they will disintegrate.

4. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and stir it in. Heat it until it is bubbling then remove the pan from the heat.

5. Very slowly, bit by bit, stir in the milk and the chicken stock. Once it is blended, return the pan to the heat until the sauce boils and thickens.

6. Remove from the heat and stir in the thyme and half of the cheese.

7. In the bottom of a largish greased pie dish, overlap the half the potatoes and half the leeks to cover the bottom of the dish.

8. Pour over 2/3 of the sauce evenly over the potatoes and leeks.

9. Make a second layer of the remaining potatoes and leeks, overlapping them as before.

10. Pour over the remaining sauce and sprinkle the remaining cheese on the top.

11. Cook in an oven at about 180C for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is lightly browned on the top, no more.

Leek & Potato Soup (My Fav)

I have had a couple of days from hell !

Thomas and Aoife went to play with the pony in the field next door this morning....

Both kittens are now pretty sick and need loads of TLC and touchy feely nursing...

And I'm feeling pretty exhausted physically... so house is a tip and the garden is growing too fast !

So, tomorrow I am going to make my favourite soup... I adore this soup and it always cheers me up. It is also very easy to make.

Leek & Potato Soup

2 large Leeks (washed and sliced)
1 large Potato (diced)
1/2 oz Butter (I often also use extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 pint Chicken Stock (or vegetable stock but make sure its a tasty one with garlic)
1/2 pint Milk (full is best, but skimmed is great too if you want to do the slimming/health thing)
Sea salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Fresh Chives (snipped small as the garnish)

1. Fry the sliced leeks in the butter/oil, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about 3 minutes. Just until they are soft, but not brown.

2. Add the diced potato and cook for another minute.

(I often do not peel the potato as a lot of the vitamins are in the skin. If you do this and it isn't organic, make sure that it is very well washed).

3. Add the stock, and then the salt and pepper to taste.

4. Bring it to the boil.

5. Once boiling, cover it partially and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer like this for 20 minutes.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes, then blend the soup in a blender, or in the pan with a hand blender (I use a hand blender, much faster and less washing up).

7. Return the soup to the saucepan and add the milk.

8. Reheat without boiling and then serve sprinkled with the chopped chives to taste.

This soup freezes beautifully. But it freezes best if you freeze it as a soup before you add the milk. You can defrost it and add the milk when you use it.