COMFORT FOOD

Tomato and Bacon Stew

A rustic tomato and bacon stew made for crusty buttered bread.

EASY

1 HOUR 10 MINS

SERVES 4

ABOUT THE RECIPE

Tomato and bacon stew is the sort of food I grew up with, and still want when I need something simple that tastes like home. Tomatoes, bacon, onion, garlic and butter cook down into a rich, rustic sauce, best eaten with crusty bread and plenty of butter.

THE RECIPE

Ingredients

2kg ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered

300g shoulder or middle bacon, chopped

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garilc, crushed

2 Tbsp butter

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Serve

Crusty bread, such as french baguette

Butter, for spreading

Method

1.

Place a large, heavy-based pot or casserole dish over medium heat and melt the butter.

2.

Add the bacon and cook for 6–8 minutes, until golden and the fat has rendered. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.

3.

Add the onion to the bacon fat. Cook for 4–6 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, being careful not to let it brown. Remove the onion and garlic from the pot and set aside with the bacon.

4.

Add the quartered tomatoes to the pot, stirring well to coat in the butter and rendered fat. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down into a chunky sauce.

5.

Return the bacon, onion, and garlic to the pot. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then simmer with the lid on for another 10–15 minutes, until the mixture has a rich, stew-like consistency.

6.

To serve, ladle the tomato and bacon stew into bowls, finish with a grind of black pepper, and serve hot with plenty of buttered crusty bread for soaking up the juices.

SAMANTHA'S NOTES

Choose the tomatoes

Keep it for later

Serve with bread

This stew keeps well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days and tastes even better the next day. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.

Do not skip the crusty bread and butter. A French baguette, generously buttered, is exactly what you want for scooping up the tomato-bacon sauce.

Gourmet tomatoes work beautifully because they cook down soft, rich and savoury. Roma tomatoes are a good backup, but I would skip truss here.

KEEP COOKING

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