Pieds bleus aux lardons

A really good warming autumn dish that’s easy to make
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 600g pieds blue (bluets)
- 150g smoked lardons (if you can’t find these finely chop some smoked bacon)
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 4 shallots finely chopped
- a good handful of chopped parsley
- 20cl of creme fraiche
- salt and pepper to taste, always if possible use a high grade sea salt, it makes all the difference.
Directions
- Before starting wash the pied bleus wel.
- Cut the pied bleul into four and in a large saucepan fry them gently in 2 tablespoons of the oil for around 15 minutes, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon.
- Pour off any excess water created by the cooking then cook gently for another 5 minutes.
- With a spoon remove the pied bleus from the pan and put to one side.
- Add to the saucepan the remaining spoon of oil, add the shallots and cook until clear (don’t allow to brown)
- Add the lardons and chopped parsley and cook for just a few minutes before adding once more the pied bleus put to one side earlier.
- Mix well and cook for for a further 5 minutes before adding the creme fraiche. Heat through and serve.
N.B. This dish is paticularly good served with pasta and in France is often served as part of a roast .Personaly I prefer it as a dish on its own.