Smoked Bacon and Cheese Pancakes

Ok, here’s a quick one to start the week – and a pointer if you’re stuck for a Pancake Day idea other than the usual to boot. This recipe will make about 6 Pancakes

The name of the game here is richness; rib-sticking cheese and bacon – so don’t make too much of this. You won’t need lots! Begin by getting your Pancake batter mixed and ready in a bowl; sift 4oz of plain flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Break two eggs into the middle, and begin to mix into a stiff batter. Slowly add milk until you get to the consistency of single cream.

You can leave that in the bowl as long as you like – overnight if needed – whilst you fry off smoked bacon lardons in a frying pan. Once done, drain on kitchen paper. Finally, make a cheesy béchamel sauce by simply melting butter in a pan, stirring plain flour into it until it becomes thick, and then again adding milk slowly until a rich silky béchamel is formed. To this, add a generous grating of strong cheddar cheese, and a small dollop of English mustard.

Heat your grill. Assemble the pancakes and then add more strong cheddar on top, and briefly grill. When everything is melty, you’re good to go. Like I said, don’t overestimate this – it’s a rich, rich dish.

Beer-wise, you want something malty and strong to go with the smokiness of the meat and creaminess of the cheese. Quantock’s Royal Stag (6%abv) is a good choice; plenty of firm, nutty, biscuity malt and sweetness in the body, finished with a medium-dry, floral finish. This dark-amber beer is robust enough to cope with all the flavour of the cheese and Pancake, yet drying enough to cleanse the palate.

A suitably unfussy beer for an unfussy snack.

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