Bacon & Cheddar Ploughmans-Style Salad

Before you begin...

Get all your ingredients and equipment ready

Skim through these steps, then wash your fruit and veg

Note: Equipment and pan sizes vary. Make sure you cook food thoroughly (even if it takes you a little longer than 10 min)

Chop your waxy potatoes in half and add them to a heatproof bowl, then cover the bowl with cling film and pierce a few holes in the top with a fork

Put the bowl in the microwave for 6-8 min or until the potatoes are fork-tender

While the potatoes are cooking, slice your apple[s] finely, discard the core[s]

Wash your lettuce, then pat it dry with kitchen paper and roughly shred

Chop your tomato[es] into wedges

Wash your salad, then pat dry with kitchen paper

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat

Once hot, add your bacon lardons and cook for 5-6 min or until golden and crisp

Once the bacon is cooked through set it aside and reserve the pan with the remaining bacon oil for later

Meanwhile, slice your ciabatta[s] in half and place in the toaster for 2-3 min or until hot and crusty

Tear your toasted ciabatta[s] into bite size pieces

Once the bacon is cooked add the ciabatta chunks to the reserved pan over a medium-high heat for 1-2 min or until its soaked up the remaining bacon oil – these are your croutons

While the croutons are cooking, combine your onion marmalade, mayo, a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of water in a large bowl – this is your salad dressing

Add the shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, cooked potatoes, salad, sliced apple[s], crispy bacon lardons and croutons to the bowl with the salad dressing

Peel your cheddar cheese into the bowl until you end up with a pile of cheese shavings

Toss it all together until everything is well coated – this is your ploughman's-style salad