(for 4)
1 kg (2lb.) Piece Loin of Bacon
2 tbs. Grain Mustard
2 tbs. Honey
Juice and Grated Rind of 1 Orange
30g (1 oz.) Butter
30g (1 oz.) Flour
Cover the Bacon with cold water in a pot and bring to a simmer.
Simmer slowly for 45 mts until just cooked through.
Remove from the water and let it cool a little (reserve about a cupful of cooking liquid for the sauce) and then take off the rind from the fat (leaving on as much fat as you wish)
Mix the mustard with the honey and grated Orange rind and use half of it spread liberally over the fat of the bacon. (keep the juice and the other half for the sauce)
Put the oven on to 175C,350F,Gas 4.
Roast the joint at this temperature for 20 mts approx until the fat gets crisp.
Red Cabbage;
1 Red Cabbage about 500g (1lb.)
1 Large Onion
2 Eating Apples
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
Slice the cabbage thinly, peel and slice the onion, core and slice the apples (no need to peel)
Cook these in the olive oil in a lidded pot on a gentle heat until the cabbage starts to soften.
Add the vinegar and the sugar and continue to cook very slowly for another 45 mts.
Check it to make sure it doesn’t start to stick, you can add a little water to it if it starts to get dry.
Sauce:
Melt the butter and flour together.
Add the orange juice and the retained cup. of cooking liquid.
Bring this to a gentle boil stirring well to avoid lumps.
Add the remaining mustard ,honey and orange rind to make a thin coating sauce.
Carve the bacon and serve some cabbage on the plate, pour over the sauce.
This is good with mashed potatoes into which you have sprinkled some chopped chives.