Potato, Cheshire and Black Grape Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 12 thin rashers smoked streaky bacon
- 20ml maple syrup
- 400g baking potatoes
- 2 medium size free range egg yolks
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 120g Butlers Farmhouse Cheshire cheese
- 1tbsp virgin olive oil
- 200g white onions, finely sliced
- 400g seedless black grapes
- 40g hazelnuts, roasted
- 1 pinch freshly chopped rosemary
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300F / Gas 2
- Brush eight rashers of bacon with a little maple syrup and cook in the oven until crispy
- Use the remaining bacon to line four well buttered moulds and chill
- Increase the oven temperature to 200°C / 400F / Gas 6 and bake the potatoes for about 45 minutes or until cooked
- Reduce the oven temperature slightly
- Peel the potatoes and sieve
- Incorporate the egg yolks and season
- Spoon the potato mixture into the moulds to come three quarters of the way up
- Mix the cheese to a paste and divide into four
- Roll into four balls and gently press into the centre of the potato until covered
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown
- Cook the sliced onions in oil until transparent
- Meanwhile, set aside 32 grapes and juice the remainder
- Add about two thirds of the grape juice to the onions and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated, adjust the seasoning
- Cook the roasted hazelnuts in a pan with the remaining maple syrup and the rosemary until sticky
- Peel the reserved grapes and slice thinly
To serve:
garnish four plates with the sliced grapes and the hazelnuts. Spoon the warm onion compote into the centre of each plate and top with the potato back. Arrange the crispy bacon on top and drizzle with a little grape juice
