Potted cheese with bacon and shallot

Ingredients

• 125g/4½oz butter
• 100g/3½oz smoked back bacon, trimmed
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 125g/4½oz cheddar, grated
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp sherry or madeira
• ½ tsp mustard powder

Method

1. First clarify the butter. Put it in a small saucepan and melt. When it starts foaming, skim off the foam until you can see how it has separated into two distinct layers. Strain off the clear layer to a separate container, discarding the milky layer remaining in the pan.

2. Put one tablespoon of the clarified butter into a frying pan. Add the bacon. Cook until crisp and well browned in places, then remove. Add the shallot and fry on a medium high heat until softened and well caramelised. Remove from the heat.

3. Finely chop the bacon and reserve a couple of tablespoons – also reserve a teaspoon of the fried shallot. Put the remaining bacon and shallot in a food processor, then pulse until it has broken down to a paste.

4. Add the cheese, thyme leaves, sherry, mustard powder and 50ml/2fl oz of the clarified butter. Keep processing until you have a fairly smooth paste, stopping to scrape down the sides until it starts to churn properly. When you have a smooth paste, stir in the reserved bacon and shallot.

5. Transfer to a bowl or earthenware pot. Cover with the last of the clarified butter.