Baked Fore-hock of Bacon Recipe:
1. Soak the bacon overnight in cold water
2. The next day, put the bacon in a large pan and cover it completely with cold water
3. Add the peppercorns, cloves and bouquet garni
4. Bring the mixture to the boil over moderate heat
5. Remove any scum from the surface of the pan and cover the pan with a lid
6. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1 and 1/4hours
7. Remove the meat from the pan and leave it to set
8. Remove all the string from the meat
9. Cut away the rind with a sharp knife
10. Score the fat in a diamond pattern at half inch intervals and press the dimerara
sugar firmly all over the fat
11. Put the meat in a roasting dish
12. Heat the cider or apple juice and pour it over the meat without disturbing the sugar
13. Skin the peaches, cut them into halves and remove the stones
14. Enlarge the halves by slightly pressing them with a spoon
15. Blend the butter, honey and sugar (or honey) and a pinch of cinnamon until the mixture is creamy
16. Spoon the creamy mixture into the peach halves
17. Bake the meat in the preheated oven for about 1/2 an hour while frequently basting it with the juices
18. Place the peaches around the meat and raise the temperature to 400F (205C) and bake for a further 15minutes or until the top of the bacon is golden and shiny
19. Serve the bacon whole or sliced, garnished with the peaches
List of ingredients required:
(serves 8 people)
4 lb boned, rolled fore-hock of bacon
8 peppercorns
3 cloves bouquet garni
2 to 3 oz Demerara sugar
1/4 pint medium dry cider or unsweetened apple juice
4 peaches
3 oz unsalted butter
1 and 1/2 honey or dark brown sugar
Cinnamon
The oven should be preheated at a temperature of 350F (176C)
