“What I’m doing here is very traditional, we’re having bacon and cabbage, but it’s with a twist. The bacon’s been in [the slow cooker] a while because it takes forever to cook. It’s smoked and salted so the brine is really salty – I’ll use it to cook the potatoes in, and the cabbage. It’ll be pretty delish.”
– Louise McGuane, whiskey bonder, Co Clare
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
750g hock (loin) of bacon
Butter
Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
A head of cabbage, roughly chopped
Floury potatoes, enough for 4-6
Mustard
METHOD
Add the bacon to a large pot (or slow-cooker, if you have one), cover it with water and bring it to the boil, then drop to the lowest simmer and cook for 5 or 6 hours, until the hock is tender and beginning to fall apart.
Heat some butter and olive oil in a wide frying pan or wok, add the chopped onion and fry gently for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cooking water from the bacon. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are soft, then drain.
As the potatoes are cooking, put the cabbage in a separate pot and add a couple of ladles of bacon cooking water, bring it to the boil and simmer for 5 or 6 minutes, then drain.
When the onion is melting and golden-brown, add the chilli for a couple of minutes, then turn the heat up and add the cabbage. Fry for a few minutes, tossing and stirring, then remove from the heat.
Drain the bacon and serve with the potatoes and cabbage, with mustard for the bacon and lots of butter for the potatoes.
