Bring home the bacon (+ recipe)

Diane Davidson (insert) and her bacon and wasavo hero sandwhich. Photos / Richard Robinson

The day Diane Davidson went shopping for a pack of tasty bacon, she didn't think the recipe she created using it would end up on the menu of top chef Peter Gordon's new London restaurant.

Diane spotted the recipe competition on the wrapping of the Beehive Craft Series bacon that Peter had helped develop and put his name to, but the closing date was that day. She swiftly sent off her take on the traditional BLT, which included "wasavo" - a combination of wasabi and avocado.

"I just submitted it for fun, I didn't think it was something Peter Gordon would want in one of his special restaurants," says Diane.

But Peter thought Diane's wasavo idea was "lovely, and goes well with the savoury aromatic bacon. The maple flavours in the bacon bring it all together. Plus it was good to see bacon being treated as an ingredient and not just as bacon."

Peter adapted Diane's recipe to turn her big "hero" sandwich into crostini, which is now included in the tapas menu of his restaurant Kopapa in Covent Garden. The day Life visited, Diane had just received the Kopapa menu in the mail, with an asterisk by the tapa called "Maple & nutmeg glazed bacon crostini with 'wasavo' and pickled bean sprouts".

The Glen Innes librarian, who looks after the cookbook section, regularly organises food events for the multi-cultural community and would love to become a food writer, is delighted with her win, which included a basket of Beehive products and a chat with Peter Gordon over the phone from London.

"I grew up in America and Fiji and my mother made a lot of spicy food, so I've always enjoyed trying different things," says Diane. "This was just a little idea that's turned into something wonderful."

Bacon & wasavo hero sandwich
This makes two hearty "hero"-type sandwiches, or it can be divided and served to four "dainty" eaters.

It's an update on good old BLTs - just the thing for munching on while watching sport, or as a tasty bar-snack with a beer.

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

Juice of 1 lime or lemon

Salt to taste

1-2 tsp wasabi paste (depending on your heat-tolerance)

1Tbs finely chopped parsley

Olive oil

250g Beehive Craft Series Maple & Nutmeg Middle Bacon

1 loaf ciabatta bread

Sundried tomato pesto or tomato paste

Mixed bean sprouts or lettuce leaves A librarian's take on the traditional BLT now graces the menu at a Peter Gordon restaurant

1 Make the wasavo: Mash the deseeded and peeled avocado with lime or lemon juice and a little salt. Add the wasabi paste and parsley and mash again.

2 Heat a little olive oil in a heavy pan. Stir-fry the bacon until crisp. Scissor-snip into biteable chunks.

3 Slice open the ciabatta and brush sparingly with olive oil. Toast lightly under the grill. Spread with a little tomato pesto or paste.

4 Spread wasavo generously on the toasted bread and layer on the warm bacon and beansprouts or lettuce leaves.

5 Wrap a paper towel or serviette around both ends of the filled loaf and cut in half to serve.

Be in to win

Beehive has given us one pack of its Craft Series products by Peter Gordon to give away. The pack includes Maple & Nutmeg Middle Bacon, Cajun Spice Marinated Pork Ribs, Honey Soy Marinated Pork Ribs, Twice Cooked 5 Spice Pork Belly, and Juicy Smoked Bacon Lardons.

To enter the draw, email your details to life@nzherald.co.nz with "Beehive Craft Series" in the subject line, by Thursday February 24.