Lardon / Lardoon

Culinary definition of lardon or lardoon:  A narrow strip of salted pork fat, suet or bacon.  Traditionally threaded or 'larded' through lean meat to impart tenderness and flavour. 

C@H FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Larding isn't terribly popular these days as it adds saturated fat and takes a special tool and skilled hands.  We do however keep uncooked double-smoked bacon lardons  (1/4 inch (6 mm) x strip width, right) in the freezer for emergencies. While it may not be heartsmart, bacon can be a cook's best friend when the pantry is bare.

Use to flavour eggs, cream soups (even those convenient and uber-healthy but relatively bland tetra packed varieties - butternut squash for example), vegetable saute, roast potatoes, even pizza.  Hint: Cut bacon or pork belly while somewhat frozen or very, very cold, for best results. 

✭ ✭ ✭ When friends drop by for an impromptu movie night, wow them with an awe-shucks-it-was-nothing popcorn snack:  Make stove-top popcorn in the usual way but replace  one to 1.5 tablespoons of your usual amount of vegetable or olive oil with bacon fat rendered from those lardons you keep on hand in the freezer, then season with less salt than usual (there's salt in the bacon), and pepper.  And if you want to go straight to popcorn heaven - sprinkle with finely grated fresh parmesan or pecorino and the finely crumbled cooked bacon.

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