Bacon, pea and goat’s cheese salad

Ingredients

• 12 rashers goat bacon
• 200g sugar snap peas
• 250g fresh (or frozen) shelled peas
• 4 big handfuls pea shoots
• 125g fresh goat’s cheese or goat’s curd
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
• 100ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus an extra splash
• 25g fresh goat’s cheese or goat’s curd
• 1 small banana shallot, peeled and finely sliced
• 30 fresh mint leaves, finely shredded, plus a few extra for sprinkling
• 4 bushy fresh tarragon sprigs, leaves picked and roughly chopped

Method

1. Arrange the bacon rashers in a single layer in a roasting tray, put in a cold oven and set the heat to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Cook for 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper (alternatively, fry slowly in a large frying pan).
   
2. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the sugar snaps and peas for about 2 minutes until just tender. Drain and tip into a bowl of cold water to cool, then drain again.
   
3. For the dressing, put the mustard in a small mixing bowl with the lemon zest and juice. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the mixture thickens and emulsifies. Finally, whisk in the 25g goat’s cheese/curd to make a creamy dressing. Season well with salt and pepper, then stir in the sliced shallot and herbs.
   
4. Lightly toss the drained sugar snaps and peas with the pea shoots and pile onto a serving platter (or divide among 4 plates). Pour over a little of the dressing.
   
5. Dot the 125g goat’s cheese/curd over the top, then tear each rasher of bacon into a few pieces and scatter over the salad. Add a few mint leaves, a splash of olive oil and serve with the remaining dressing.