Linguine with grated shallots, bacon, apples and cheddar cheese

Recipe by Jean-François Plante.

• 300 grams linguine
• 150g thick bacon, cut into cubes
• 1 c. A tablespoon of butter
• 1 c. A tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 1 nice leek
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 Cortland apple, peeled, cored and cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• ½ cup and a half cream 35%
• 150 grams of grated sharp cheddar cheese

1. Take the whites of the leeks, and reserve the green ones for another use. Cut the white in half lengthwise. Rinse under cold water to remove any sand. Then cut into thin julienne slices. For reservations.

2. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente.

3. In a frying pan, cook the bacon pieces until crispy. Discard fat and reserve bacon on a paper towel.

4. In a large frying pan, melt the butter in the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot whites, garlic and apple, add salt to taste and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes without colouring, until the shallots are translucent. Dissolve the broth, add the rosemary, and allow to reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and heat for 5 minutes.

5. Drain the pasta (reserve a quarter cup of the cooking water) and leave it aside.

6. Add the cheese to the sauce little by little, and mix gently until it melts. Add the chopped bacon, mix and season generously with freshly ground pepper.

7. Add the pasta to this sauce and mix gently to warm it up a bit.

8. Add a little pasta cooking water if desired to soften the sauce a little. Serve immediately in four deep plates.