Bacon chop with Tewkesbury mustard

Serves 4

(Photograph by Jason Lowe)

I've recently got into delicious bacon chops, especially if they are not too salty. If your butcher can't do bacon chops on the bone, then a thick-cut piece of streaky will do the trick. Good delis and supermarkets stock Tewkesbury mustard. I get mine from Waitrose and it's somewhere between a Dijon and English mustard.

4 bacon chops weighing about 200g each

For the mustard sauce

2 large shallots, peeled and finely chopped
A good knob of butter
2tsp flour
1tsp tomato purée
100ml dry cider
3tsp (or more) Tewkesbury mustard
250ml beef stock

Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed saucepan and gently cook the shallots for 2-3 minutes until lightly coloured. Add the flour and tomato purée and stir well over a low heat for a minute. Gradually add the cider, stirring to avoid lumps forming, and then add the mustard and gradually add the beef stock. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until the sauce has reduced by about two-thirds and thickened.

Remove the rind from the chop. You can cook and crisp this separately if you wish. Season the chop with pepper only. Cook on a ribbed griddle or in a heavy frying pan for about 5-6 minutes on each side then serve with the sauce. Serve with fresh greens, such as purple sprouting broccoli.

Hix Oyster and Chop House, 36-37 Greenhill Rents, Cowcross Street, London EC1 (020-7017 9130; www.restaurantsetcltd.com)

To see Mark Hix's exclusive cookery videos, see http://www.independent.co.uk/hixcooks