Penclawdd Cockles with Bacon and Laverbread

Name: Penclawdd Cockles with Bacon and Laverbread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Welsh
Ingredients: 200 g smoked streaky bacon; 300 g cooked penclawdd cockles; 150 g welsh laverbread; 30 g fine oatmeal; 25 g salted welsh butter; 3 items Spring onions; 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 item Fresh lemon; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Sweet Loughor estuary cockles quickly warmed with crisp streaky bacon and rich, savoury laverbread for a classic Welsh breakfast or coastal supper.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· Cardiff and the South Coast

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 25 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 340 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

200 g smoked streaky bacon — cut into bite-sized pieces
300 g cooked penclawdd cockles — rinsed and drained thoroughly
150 g welsh laverbread — pureed cooked laver seaweed
30 g fine oatmeal — to bind and thicken the laverbread
25 g salted welsh butter — for richness
3 items Spring onions — finely sliced
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
1 item Fresh lemon — cut into wedges to serve
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper — to taste

Equipment

•frying pan
•wooden spoon
•slotted spoon
•kitchen paper
•mixing bowl

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 340 kcal
fat: 24 g
carbs: 8 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 22 g
calories: 340 kcal

Instructions

1
Place a wide frying pan over a medium hob.
2
Add the chopped streaky bacon to the dry pan.
3
Fry the bacon for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
4
Lift out the bacon with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
5
Mix the fine oatmeal into the laverbread in a small bowl until combined.
6
Melt the butter into the hot bacon fat over medium-low heat.
7
Add the laverbread mixture and sliced spring onions to the warm pan.
8
Cook gently for 2 minutes, stirring continuously until hot and glossy.
9
Add the drained cockles and crisp bacon into the pan.
10
Toss everything gently for 1 to 2 minutes until the cockles are heated through.
11
Sprinkle with black pepper and fresh parsley.
12
Spoon immediately onto warm plates with fresh lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Do not overheat the cockles once added to the pan, as excessive cooking makes them tough and rubbery. Rinse fresh cockles in cold water to ensure all residual estuary sand is removed before heating.

Ingredient substitutions

cooked Penclawdd cockles → jarred or tinned cockles in brine, rinsed and well drained
Welsh laverbread → finely chopped cooked spinach with a pinch of seaweed flakes

Storage

Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 day.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a tiny knob of butter for 2 minutes until just warm.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Boiling or frying cockles for too long, which ruins their delicate texture.
•Discarding the bacon fat instead of using it to enrich the laverbread.
•Failing to rinse sand and grit from fresh estuary cockles.

Serving suggestions

Serve on thick slices of hot buttered toast or warm sourdough.Top with a fried free-range egg as part of a traditional Welsh breakfast.Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top to balance the rich bacon fat.