Loin of Black Bacon Stuffed with Herbs

Using the longest knife you have, cut the meat in half lengthways towards the lower half (the section touching the board it is on), slicing it the whole way through to the back without slicing it completely in half. Gently open up the piece you have cut by rolling it backwards and continue cutting and rolling back in this way until you have three sections. You are aiming to open the meat out into a thinner, flatter piece than you started with.

Brush the bacon with Dijon and season well with pepper. Crush or grate the garlic and rub over the meat. There is no need to chop the herbs. Lay them over the surface of the meat. Sprinkle the lemon zest and chives over the herbs.

Roll the loin up again as tightly as you can.

Lay the strips of streaky black bacon on a board and run a knife over the top at an angle to lengthen them. Place the rolled loin on the bacon and roll up once again so that you end up with a neat log. Wrap tightly in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. The chilling will help to maintain the shape of 
the log during cooking.

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

Remove the cling film and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sautéed spinach or carrot and cumin salad.