Ingredients
150g smoked bacon lardons or pancetta cubes
2 slices sourdough, cut into cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
6 Little Gem lettuce, 4 cut in half and 2 torn into leaves
75g mangetout, trimmed and finely sliced
for the salad cream
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp plain flour
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp English mustard powder
1 egg
40ml double cream, whisked to soft peaks
10 mint leaves, finely chopped
Method
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To make the salad cream, put all of the ingredients, except the cream and mint, into a small mixing bowl. Season and whisk over a simmering pan of water for 5 mins until thick. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little. Fold in the cream and mint, then set aside.
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Tip the bacon into a frying pan with a little oil and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 mins or until the bacon is starting to brown. Add the sourdough and gently fry everything for 8-10 mins, adding a little oil if the pan becomes dry. Cook until the bacon and the bread are golden and crisp. Remove from the heat and set aside.
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Lay the lettuce halves on a baking sheet, cut-side-up. Drizzle with a little oil and season with sea salt. Use a blowtorch to scorch the cut side. If you don’t have one, just flash the lettuce under a hot grill.
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Put the torn and charred lettuce into a bowl along with the mangetout, bacon and croutons, then toss through 3 tbsp salad cream. Serve with extra salad cream on the side.
