serves
4
prep
10 minutes
cook
17 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
17
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
- 70 g (⅓ cup) popcorn kernels
Honey-mustard bacon
- 2 rashers bacon, rind removed, halved
- 1½ tbsp honey, warmed
- 1½ tbsp mild mustard powder
- 1 tbsp picked thyme leaves
- 1 tsp fine salt
Makes 7 cups
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Brush the bacon with honey on both sides and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cover the bacon with a sheet of baking paper and place a baking tray on top to weight down. Bake for 15 minutes or until caramelised and crisp. Cool and slice into thin batons.
Combine the mustard powder, thyme leaves and salt. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a 3-litre saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat until just before it smokes. Add a popcorn kernel to the oil to test if it is hot enough; if it spins, then the oil is ready (see Note).
Add all the popcorn kernels, swirl to cover the kernels with the oil, cover with the lid and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, for 1 minute 45 seconds or until the popping sounds have stopped.
Tip the popcorn in a large wide bowl and immediately toss with half of the mustard-thyme mixture until all the popcorn is well coated, then add the remaining mixture and the bacon and toss again until well coated.
Note
• The oil shouldn’t be smoking; if it is, remove from the heat until it stops smoking, then return to the heat.
Photography by Amanda McLauchlan, styling by Aimee Jones.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
