BACON AND ONION PUDDING

This old traditional recipe is taken from the Gwinear Parish recipe booklet, although I have seen and heard of similar dishes used by our forebears. One alternative used mixed vegetables only, like carrots and swede, along with onion as a cheaper alternative. Still tasty, I am sure. Our ancestors knew how to feed a family and they did love bacon. When I served this to my husband he immediately recalled the taste from his childhood as a dish his mother and grandmother used to make, although he commented that the bacon was thicker then. His family were farmers and they would have cured their own bacon, then taken off slices to their own liking.

Make a suet pastry:

6 oz plain flour

3 oz shredded suet [our ancestors would have grated it from a whole piece]

Salt and fresh ground pepper

A little cold water to mix a soft, but not sticky dough

On a lightly floured surface, roll this out into a rectangle, approx ¼ inch thick, then trim any excess. 

Meanwhile, take a large ish onion and finely chop, then fry off until soft and browned on the edges, then cool.

Along the pastry, widthwise, [see pic on my Blog] lay slices of lean streaky bacon [about 8 oz], then cover with the cooled onion. Season well with lots of fresh ground pepper and add some chopped parsley if you wish. I am sure our forebears would have!

Dampen the edges and roll up loosely, like a swiss roll. Place on buttered or oiled foil, secure the top and twist the ends, to make it leak proof. [like a big, but loose, Xmas cracker], then place it in a large saucepan, with enough water to come halfway up the parcel.

Gently simmer for 2 hrs, or steam for 3 hrs, before serving with a green veg.

Taste test? My husband, unsurprisingly loved it, but I would only make this very rarely, because of the high fat content. He does love old traditional Cornish food. 

The above will serve about three or four.