Breakfast & Brunch

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For breakfast or brunch, can't beat bacon

By GRAHAM HAWKES - The Southland Times | Thursday, 18 August 2011


NATURALLY GOOD: The most popular and versatile accompaniment for bacon for either brunch
or breakfast would have to be free-range eggs. — ROBYN EDIE/The Southland Times.

MUM always said breakfast was the most important meal of the day and she was probably right. Breakfast (from the expression "to break fast") gives you the energy to get going after a night's sleep.

It should provide at least one quarter of the calories and nutrients consumed during the day.

Sadly, breakfast is often an on-the-go, rushed experience, hence the popularity of takeaways, of breakfast-style sandwiches, jumbo muffins and coffee.

Brunch, on the other hand, is that wonderful leisurely experience combining breakfast and lunch into a great social occasion.

Brunch menus often include traditional breakfast foods along with almost anything else. Unlike breakfast, brunch is often accompanied by Champagne or other alcoholic beverages and concludes with a pastry or sweet meat. Brunch can be quite a grand affair.

Weekends, public holidays and really any day off offer the perfect opportunity to move away from breakfast and enjoy a satisfying brunch.

And what would any brunch, or breakfast, for that matter, be without some great New Zealand-grown pork turned into bacon?

With the 100% New Zealand Bacon 2011 competition results now available, we know where we can get the best bacon in New Zealand.

Bacon of the Year winner is Corey Winder, of Ashby's Butchery in Christchurch, who took home the Supreme Award for his gold-winning Dry Cured Middle Bacon, and won gold in the Middle Bacon category.

"I still can't believe we won two gold medals. To be honest, it's just the boost we needed. After the Christchurch earthquake, we lost customers, including a number of restaurants. Hopefully, winning these awards will remind people that we're still here, creating traditional, quality, New Zealand-grown product," he says. The bacon competition had five categories:

• Middle: bacon from a whole loin (including the belly).

• Dry cured middle: bacon from a whole loin, including the belly of the pig, that has been cured by means other than injecting brine. The bacon must be raw. It can be either non-smoked or smoked.

• Shoulder: bacon from the shoulder of the pig.

• Streaky: bacon from the tail end of the loin or belly of the pig.

• Middle eye: bacon from the loin with the skin off.

I was lucky enough to be one of the judges at this year's competition, held in Wellington, and it is great to realise we now have lots of options when it comes to buying bacon made from 100 per cent New Zealand pork.

The results are interesting, with 11 medals presented to South Island butchers and just eight to North Island butchers. Also interesting to note is that the South Island entries received five gold medals, while the North Island entries reached only silver-medal status.

The winning bacon was described by the judges as having all the attributes required of great bacon, with a fantastic balance of curing and delicate smoke.

The first thing I noted when I opened a pack of the winning bacon was the clean, fresh aroma of light smoke. When cooking, the bacon was crisp, leaving no watery residue in the pan.

Let's make a very simple, great-tasting brunch dish using Corey's now-famous bacon. The most popular and versatile accompaniment for bacon for either brunch or breakfast would have to be free-range eggs. So we will put the two together for a stunning breakfast dish.

Using a dry-heat method, we will bake the eggs (better known as shirred). You make these as individual portions or sufficient for all in a single dish. Once ready for enjoying serve alongside some fresh, crusty ciabatta bread.

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STREAKY BACON WITH SHIRRED EGGS

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 50g melted butter
• 16 slices of dry-cured middle bacon
• 8 free-range eggs
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 60ml cream
• 60g grated tasty cheese

Method:

• Brush the interior of a 180ml ramekin (single-serve dish) with the melted butter. Line the ramekin with 2 slices of bacon.

• In a non-stick pan, cook the remaining bacon rashers until nice and crisp. Roughly chop ready for their next step.

• Break the eggs into a cup to check they are all good, then pour them carefully into the ramekin on top of the bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

• Sprinkle with the roughly chopped rashers of bacon. Bake in an oven at 160 degrees Celsius until the eggs begin to set. This will take about 8-10 minutes.

• Remove from the oven, add the cream and grated cheese and return to the oven until the eggs and bacon are cooked and the cheese has melted.

• Serve immediately from the oven with some crusty baguette (great for dipping).

www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/life-style/food-wine/5468343/For-breakfast-or-brunch-can-t-beat-bacon

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Eggs with caramelised red onion tarts

Cuisine | Monday, 22 August 2011


BREAKFAST TREAT: These tartlets are best served with
soft-poached eggs so that the runny yolks meld into
the onion filling — Photo: AARON MCLEAN.

THESE tartlets are best served with soft-poached eggs so that the runny yolks meld into the onion filling. Use the best-quality balsamic vinegar you can, as it helps to provide a balance between sweet and sour.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 red onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 350g puff pastry
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 4 eggs

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C. Heat the oil in a frying pan then add the onions, sugar and a good pinch of sea salt. Fry gently for 30 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the thyme and balsamic vinegar and cook for a few more minutes. Set aside to cool (this can be done a few hours in advance if necessary).

• Roll out the pastry to 3mm-thick then cut into 4 x 10cm rounds. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes to allow the pastry to rest.

• Prick each pastry round with a fork. Place spoonfuls of the onion mix on top of each round, leaving a small border, then bake for 20 minutes or until the base of the pastry is crisp.

• Five minutes before the tartlets are ready, fill a large, wide saucepan with water. Bring to the boil and season generously with salt. Add the white vinegar to the water. Break each egg into a saucer. Stir the water to create a whirlpool then slide in the eggs, one at a time. Cook for 3 minutes over medium-low heat for soft-poached eggs then use a slotted spoon to remove to a clean tea towel to drain. Cut off any loose egg-white strands. While the tartlets are hot, top with the eggs.

• Serve with a green salad.

Serves 4.

www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/5485487/Recipe-Eggs-with-caramelised-red-onion-tarts

[jody]

I tend to be fussy with Bacon. It is the only form of pork I eat. It has to be rind and fat free and cooked perfectly.