Bacon Jam....A Culinary Must

Bacon jam and goats curd pop tarts

Can I make a culinary suggestion? Just a small unobtrusive one?

Bacon jam.

It truly is the gift that keeps on giving. Its variations, uses and ability to give the most every day of dishes a touch of phwoar are endless. It goes well slathered on poached eggs, in a tart, a frittata, on pancakes, over roasted vegetables, slathered on a burger or a croissant, hell, it even makes a wonderful gift if you are the sort who have mastered even a bit of self control. Need I go on? I’ll prove it and take it one step further nestling it with some goats curd in the comforting hug of puff pastry is truly glorious. These may not look amazing (they do taste it) but lets be honest, superbly good food rarely does.

 Ingredients

Bacon jam

400g bacon, diced

3 eschallots, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp smoked sweet paprika

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp tarragon leaves, very finely chopped

pinch cinnamon

2 tbsp instant coffee granules, dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water

1 cup tomato passata

3 tbsp dark molasses

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 cup bourbon

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

Dash of fish sauce

Salt and pepper to season

150g goats curd, crumbled

Good quality puff pastry

1 egg lightly whisked for

Method

Fry the bacon in a deep-sided fry pan over medium heat for five to 10 minutes, or until coloured. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the eschallots and garlic to the pan and sweat until translucent. Add the sugar and spices and cook for an additional two minutes or until fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients and return the bacon to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook for one to 1.5 hours or

until thickened and reduced by half. Allow to cool, then add to a food processor and pulse briefly or until desired jam consistency is achieved.

Preheat the oven to 190C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Using a 10cm cookie cutter, cut circles from the sheet/s of puff pastry. Place a heaped teaspoon of bacon jam and a teaspoon of goats curd in the centre. Fold the edges together to create a moon shape and press gently around the edges. If the pastry isn’t sticking, use some egg-wash to help it seal. Repeat with remaining pastry, bacon jam and goats curd. Place on the baking tray and bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve warm and be careful not to burn the roof of your mouth – that jam can take some heat.