Mark Hix recipe: Bacon rib with Waldorf salad

Serves 4

Marks' bacon rib with Waldorf salad is perfect for the summer barbecue season (Jason Lowe)

Bacon rib is perfect for the summer barbecue season.

What I use here is basically a slab of sweet-cure smoked, streaky bacon which is left on the bone. A good butcher should be able to get hold of a piece of it for you, and if you don't want to barbecue it, you can slow-cook it in the oven.

1-1.5kg piece of sweet-cure smoked, streaky bacon on the bone

For the Waldorf salad

1 firm red or green dessert apple, cored
3-4 sticks of celery, peeled if necessary and cut into rough 1cm squares
Any leaves from the celery, washed
20 walnuts, lightly toasted
2-3tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3. Put the bacon rib in a roasting tray and cook in the oven for about 3-4 hours, basting as often as is necessary to keep it nice and moist.

When you are almost ready to serve the rib, cut the apple into chunks about the same size as the celery (around 1cm). Then mix the apple, celery and walnuts in a bowl with enough mayonnaise to bind the mixture together; now season to taste.

Cut the bacon ribs into slices and serve with the salad on the side.