To serve 2 you will need: a teaspoon of vegetable oil 5 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, cut into halves 100g Merchant Gourmet 1 minute Polenta 400ml of water 100g grated Parmesan cheese 2 small handfuls of spinach, washed, drained and patted dry with kitchen paper salt and pepper to taste a few mixed salad leaves for serving How to do it: Add the tiny amount of vegetable oil to a frying pan and heat it up. Add the bacon and fry until it starts to go nice and crispy. When it's done leave the bacon in the pan and turn off the heat. Don't bother to wash the pan, you will want to use the small amount of fat from the cooked bacon later. Meanwhile in a medium sized saucepan, pour in the water and bring to the boil. Soon as it's boiling steadily, pour in the polenta stirring all the while with a wooden spoon. Stir in the grated Parmesan and add a little salt and pepper to taste. Cook over a low heat - stirring all the while for about 3 minutes. Now stir in the spinach and cook for a further 2 minutes. You're looking for a firmly cooked Polenta. When that's done and you're happy with the seasoning, heat up the pan with the bacon in and move the bacon to one side of the pan. Shape the cooked Polenta into two patties. Fry both patties on each side for about 2 minutes till they colour nicely. Serve straight away topped with the crispy bacon and a side salad of mixed leaves. |