Leek Bacon Bake Recipes

BACON AND LEEK PASTA BAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Start by boiling a pan of water and then cook the pasta for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, sieve and run under the cold tap to stop it cooking further. Then set it aside in the baking dish.
• At the same time fry the bacon until the majority of fat has rendered and it is crispy. Then put it aside on a plate until cool, and chop into small 1cm size pieces and place in the baking dish.
• Before chopping the leeks make sure you have cleaned them properly by running a knife length ways and running them under a cold tap to get rid of any dirt that may be inside them. Then chop them laterally into 1cm thick pieces. I use the leek up to about half way up from the transition from white to green, so there is a mix of white and green.
• Next melt 25g of butter in a pan and use it to sweat the leeks on a low heat until they are soft. Do not burn them. When done, add to the pasta and bacon.
• At the same time make the white sauce: melt the 50g piece of butter in a saucepan and add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add the flour and mix together and cook for another minute.
• Then slowly add the milk bit by bit, whisking with a hand whisk to get rid of any lumps. Cook until it starts to get thick, then add the cheddar cheese to the sauce, stirring all the time. Finally add the cream, the cream cheese and the nutmeg, and season to taste, mixing all the time.
• Then mix all the contents of the baking dish and add the sauce to the contents and stir properly to make sure the sauce settles to the bottom and covers the pasta.
• Then cover the top with breadcrumbs, (not too much) and sprinkle the Parmesan on the top.
• The mix can now be covered with tin foil and put into the fridge until ready to cook. To cook, place uncovered in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 40 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and the sauce is bubbling away.

LEEK, POTATO & BACON BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the stock in a large pan, bring to the boil, then add the potatoes and the leeks. Bring back to the boil for 5 mins, then drain well, reserving the stock in a jug.
• Meanwhile, butter a large baking dish. Layer up the potatoes and leeks higgledypiggledy, seasoning as you go, then scatter the bacon over the top. Season well, pour over 200ml of the reserved stock, then spoon over the cream (if using) and cover with foil. Can be made up to 1 day ahead and chilled. Bake for 40 mins, uncovering halfway through so that the bacon crisps.

PASTA WITH BACON AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings from the skillet.
• Add the leeks to the drippings in the skillet. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook until it begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
• Add the pasta to the skillet along with the parmesan, half of the bacon and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat, adding enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen. To serve, top with the remaining bacon, more parmesan and parsley.

CHEESY PASTA, LEEK AND BACON BAKE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in boiling water until al-dente and drain.
• Meanwhile saute the leeks, bacon and mushrooms in a pan until soft and cooked. Put to one side. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Melt the butter in a pan and add the garlic clove taking care not to let it.
• start to burn. Add the flour bit by bit to create a roux (paste).
• Bit by bit add the milk stirring all the time (you might want to change to a whisk) until you have a smooth white sauce. Add 3/4 of the grated cheese and the mustard and stir until melted.
• Stir the leek mixture and the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour into a baking dish, top with the remaining cheese and sliced tomatoes and spinkle with herbs.
• Bake in the oven for 20-30 mintues until hot and bubbling.

LEEK, POTATO, AND BACON CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven 325 degrees F.
• Butter an 8-by-8-inch square flameproof casserole dish. Halve the leeks lengthwise, and then cut them crosswise into half circles (There should be about 1 3/4 cups.). Put the cut leeks in the basket of a salad spinner, or a colander set in a bowl, and fill with water. Swish the leeks around to flush out any grit. Lift the basket from water--don't pour the water off or you will pour any grit right back over the leeks.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and fry the bacon until crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool, then crumble. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the pan drippings, add the butter and leeks, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a small saucepan with the garlic, thyme, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and water, to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drain. Discard the thyme and garlic and add potatoes to the leeks.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and half-and-half, then stir in the leek mixture, 1 cup of the cheese, the bacon, and nutmeg. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, cover with foil and bake until just set but still moist, about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Position a rack in the upper part of the oven and preheat the broiler. Scatter the remaining 1 cup cheese over the casserole and broil until the cheese browns, about 3 minutes. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Unmold or serve from baking dish.

PEARL BARLEY, BACON & LEEK CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat a large pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and cook the leeks for a few mins, then add the garlic and cook for just 1 min more.
• Add the pearl barley, carrots and mustard, then pour over the chicken stock. Season with plenty of ground black pepper and simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the cabbage with the bacon, and cook for 5-10 mins until cabbage is wilted and tender. Serve with extra Dijon mustard on the side.

LEEKS 'N' BACON

Steps:

• *NOTE: Can use pepper bacon instead in which case you would omit the black pepper seasoning as indicated in the recipe directions.
• Discard green parts of leeks and thinly slice the white parts.
• In large saute pan on medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. DO NOT burn! Set aside on paper towel. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
• Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds. Then add the leeks and celery sauteeing another 4-5 minutes or until softnened, stirring often.
• Crumble the bacon and stir into the leeks. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

BLT PASTA BAKE: BACON, LEEKS, AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Place a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. When the water reaches a boil, add some salt and the pasta, and cook until al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and chopped bacon and cook until crisp.
• While bacon is cooking, split the trimmed leeks in half lengthwise, lay the leeks cut side down and thinly slice into half-moons. Fill a large bowl with water and mix the leeks into the water.
• Allow the water to settle and the dirt and the grit to settle to the bottle of the bowl. Using your hands, draw the leeks from the water, taking care not to unsettle the dirt.
• Drain the cleaned leeks on a kitchen towel, pat dry and, and then add to the pan with the bacon. Season the leeks with salt and pepper. Cook until leeks are tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• To start the cheese sauce, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the butter and melt, then add the flour, cayenne, and paprika and whisk together over the heat until the roux bubbles; cook for 1 minute more.
• Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a little. Bring the sauce to a quick boil and simmer to thicken, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in 3 cups of the grated cheese and the mustard. Set aside.
• Add the cherry tomatoes to the leeks and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Drain the pasta and add it back to the pasta pot. Combine the reserved leek mixture and the cheese sauce with the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer the pasta to a baking dish. Combine the remaining ½ cup of grated cheese with the bread crumbs.
• Top the pasta with the mixture. Place the dish under the broiler until the cheese melts and the bread crumbs are brown.

LEEKS WITH BACON & MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan, then add the bacon and fry for a few mins until golden. Add the thyme, mushrooms and leeks with seasoning (remember bacon can be salty), cover pan and cook on a low heat for 20-25 mins until leeks are tender.

LEEK, POTATO, AND BACON CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven 325 degrees F.
• Butter an 8-by-8-inch square glass casserole dish. Halve the leeks lengthwise, and then cut them crosswise into half circles (There should be about 1 3/4 cups.). Put the cut leeks in the basket of a salad spinner, or a colander set in a bowl, and fill with water. Swish the leeks around to flush out any grit. Lift the basket from water--don't pour the water off or you will pour any grit right back over the leeks.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and fry the bacon until crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool, then crumble. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the pan drippings, add the butter and leeks, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a small saucepan with the garlic, thyme, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and water, to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drain. Discard the thyme and garlic and add potatoes to the leeks.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and half-and-half, then stir in the leek mixture, 1 cup of the cheese, the bacon, and nutmeg. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, cover with foil and bake until just set but still moist, about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Position a rack in the upper part of the oven and preheat the broiler. Scatter the remaining 1 cup cheese over the casserole and broil until the cheese browns, about 3 minutes. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Unmold or serve from baking dish.

CHEESY LEEK & BACON PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the leeks and 2 tbsp water, and cook for about 10 mins until very soft. Add the bacon, turn up the heat and fry until cooked.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain and reserve a mug of the cooking water.
• Spoon cheese into the leek and bacon mix, adding some of the reserved cooking water. Season and stir gently over a low heat until melted. Toss through the cooked pasta, adding a little more cooking water, if needed, to help the sauce coat the pasta.

OVEN-BAKED LEEK & BACON RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Tip the oil into an ovenproof casserole dish. Add bacon and fry for 2 mins. Add the leeks and cook until soft, but not coloured, for about 4-5 mins. Tip in rice and cook for 1 min more. Pour over stock. Cover and place in the oven for 20 mins, stirring halfway.
• When rice is just tender and all liquid is absorbed, remove from oven and stir in peas. Place back in oven for 2 mins more. Remove and stir in cheese. Add zest and season.