Devils on Horseback

The story

Devils on Horseback is not simply a modern restaurant label; its form grew through repeated household, market or celebratory use. It belongs to the practical home, bakery, pub and dining-room traditions that developed across Britain, where seasonality and thrift shaped recognisable comfort food. The appeal comes from prunes wrapped in bacon and roasted until smoky, sticky and salty-sweet. Its method turns familiar ingredients into something with a distinct regional character. Its significance comes from repetition: it is cooked, ordered and remembered in settings where food reinforces place and family identity. It appears in homes, pubs, bakeries, sporting occasions, Sunday meals or seasonal celebrations, depending on the dish.

Ingredients

• Main ingredients
• 12 piece pitted prunes
• 80 g blue cheesecut into 12 batons
• 12 piece smoked streaky baconrashers halved if large
• 1 tsp rosemaryfinely chopped
• 1 pinch black pepper

Method

1. Step 1

   Heat the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan. Line a baking tray.

   Look for: The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. Tip: Prepare every cut to the stated size so the ingredients cook evenly. Avoid: Do not rush the heat or skip the stated resting, cooling or preparation stage.

2. Step 2

   Open each prune without tearing it in half and push in a 5–6 g baton of blue cheese.

   Look for: The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. Tip: Prepare every cut to the stated size so the ingredients cook evenly. Avoid: Do not rush the heat or skip the stated resting, cooling or preparation stage.

3. Step 3

   Wrap each prune tightly in bacon with the seam underneath. Space them 2 cm apart and season with rosemary and black pepper.

   Look for: The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. Tip: Prepare every cut to the stated size so the ingredients cook evenly. Avoid: Do not rush the heat or skip the stated resting, cooling or preparation stage.

4. Step 4

   Roast for 15–18 minutes, turning once, until the bacon is browned and the cheese just begins to escape. Rest for 3 minutes before serving.

   Look for: The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. Tip: Prepare every cut to the stated size so the ingredients cook evenly. Avoid: Do not rush the heat or skip the stated resting, cooling or preparation stage.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from a representative ingredient basket; verify against exact brands and edible yields before publication.