If you’re short of time you could serve the pea and potato mash with pan-fried bacon chops, which take no more than 15 minutes to cook. For a really smooth mash, use a potato ricer; or a sieve also works well it just takes a lot more elbow grease!
Ingredients
- 750 g loin of bacon or ham joint
- 675 g floury potatoes (cut into chunks)
- 175 g frozen peas
- 2 tsp good quality mustard
- 50 g butter
- 1 tbsp. demerara sugar
- 100 ml milk
- salt and freshly gound white pepper
- good pinch of ground cloves
- baby leeks, to serve
Method
- Place the loin of bacon in a pan of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes per 450g.
- Set the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Drain the loin of bacon and then score the fat in a diamond pattern.
- Spread over the mustard. Mix together the sugar and cloves in a small bowl and sprinkle all over the mustard in an even layer.
- Roast for 20 minutes until the top is nicely glazed and the joint is completely cooked through. Leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.
- As soon as you have popped the bacon into the oven, steam the potatoes for 15-20 minutes until just tender. Cook the frozen peas in a separate small pan for 3-4 minutes.
- Drain the peas and then return to the pan. Season and then add the butter and milk. Blitz with a hand blender until you have a smooth puree.
- Mash the potatoes until very smooth, then fold in the pea puree until well combined. Season to taste.
- Carve the loin of bacon into slices and arrange on warmed plates with the pea and potato mash.
Recipe courtesy of Bord Bia.
