This camembert bacon wedge bake takes many delicious ingredients and combines them into a big bowl of goodness. It’s almost like a cheat tartiflette! Cozy and comforting, but really, what else can you expect from A Home Cook’s Diary recipe.
I was inspired by from @amysheppardfood on TikTok, and it reminded me of this delicious dish my partner and I had in Annecy (France) called tartiflette. However, tartiflette is made with actual potatoes, not wedges. This bake takes gooey camembert, tasty potato beer battered wedges, with savoury bacon and aromatic leeks. On the plus side, a healthy dose of kale in there too!
Key Ingredients
- Leek adds a beautiful slightly sweet flavour. Leeks have a similar flavour to onions, but more mild. They are often overlooked, but are a perfect aromatic to switch up a dish. I use the bottom half of the leek.
- Kale is a popular superfood. It adds a beautiful green colour to the camembert bacon wedge bake, and is a nice subtle texture combined with the other ingredients. Much tastier than raw kale, this is a great way to incorporate your greens!
- Garlic is the other aromatic. When the leeks are almost finished sauteing crushed garlic is added. Garlic builds on the caramelised flavour and adds depth to the base of this pasta dish.
- Bacon brings a salty and umami punch. In New Zealand typically bacon comes in a ‘streaky form’, marbled with fat. I fry the bacon so it gets a nice crispy texture, and renders out all its fatty goodness. Then saute the leek, garlic, and kale in the fat for optimal flavour.
- Camembert is a soft creamy cheese similar to brie. Perfect for melting and bringing the rest of the ingredients together. One of my favourite types of cheese!
- Parmesan I am a parmesan girly at heart. If I’m adding cheese to almost anything there’s going to be parmesan involved. Sprinkling parmesan on top gives the bake a slightly salty, nutty, flavour.
- Potato wedges of the beer batter variety are the best for this dish in my opinion! These are pre cooked in the oven or air fryer first, crisping up the outer layer. By cooking them first, it adds a nice texture to the bake, and also prevents the potato wedges from turning mushy.
- Cream helps aid a silky and velvety sauce that binds the bake together. It is mixed with the chicken stock and aids the camembert to melt.
- Chicken stock is one of my favourite pantry staples. Using chicken stock adds depth to the dish. It brings the sauce to another level, whilst being a great vessel for the flavours of the dish to shine.
How to make this dreamy camembert bacon wedge bake
Pre-cook the wedges.
Place the beer battered wedges in the oven/air fryer and cook as per packet instructions. If you are air frying, preheat the oven to 200℃.
Cut and render the bacon.
Cut the bacon into bite size pieces. Add to a non-stick pan on medium-high. Place into an oven safe deep pan, cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon has crisped. Then set aside.
Prepare the vegetables.
Whilst the bacon is rendering, prepare the vegetables. Peel the outer layer of the leeks, and be sure to clean any dirt. Cut the leek in half, then slice to a medium thickness. Remove the stalk from the kale, then finely slice as well.
Saute the aromatics.
Use a small portion of the chicken stock to deglaze the pan. Then add the leeks, and garlic, to the bacon fat. Saute until the leek has started to soften, and garlic becomes fragrant.
Bring on the superfood.
Add the kale to the leek and garlic mixture. Let the kale wilt until it has softened, and integrated with the leek and garlic.
Cube the camembert, and prepare the sauce.
While the vegetables are sauteing, cut the camembert into halves then small triangles. Also combine the cream and chicken stock in a mug/measuring cup.
Assemble the camembert bacon wedge bake.
Remove the vegetables from the pot, and set aside in a bowl. In the oven safe deep pan, layer the camembert bacon wedge bake components in the following order – wedges, leek/kale/garlic mix, bacon, and camembert. Drizzle in the cream and chicken stock mixture. This is where you also sprinkle in the parmesan too. Then repeat until all components have been used.
Bake the bake!
Place the camembert bacon wedge bake into the oven at 200℃ for 25-3o minutes. Until the cheese has melted and turned lightly golden brown on top.
Time to serve the camembert bacon wedge bake.
Serve with a side of greens, if you’d like, and enjoy!
What to serve this heavenly dish with
Good question! This is a dish that could definitely be served by itself, it does already have some greens in it! I served mine with some broccolini that was sauteed in a little bit of butter, so delicious. Alternatively, I would suggest some green beans as well. Maybe even some roasted brussel sprouts.
Storage
This camembert bacon wedge bake definitely makes a large portion, and is perfect for leftovers! Let the bake cool to a lukewarm/room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 2-3 days. Either reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes, or put back into the oven to crisp up again for 20 minutes at 180℃. I would not suggest this dish to go in the freezer, as the wedges may turn a bit iffy.
More cozy recipes:
- Braised Short Ribs
- Brie and Bacon Gnocchi
- Massaman Curry
- Leek and Bacon Orzo
- Mince and Cheese Pie
- Tomato Pesto Pasta
- Pulled Pork Tacos
Alrighty, you should now know everything you need to make this delectable camembert bacon wedge bake (a.k.a a cheat tartiflette)! So come on, grab those ingredients, it is time for a cozy and comforting meal. This is not one you want to miss out on!
Camembert Bacon Wedge Bake
Ingredients
- 2 bunch kale
- 1 leek
- 3 cloves garlic
- 250 g streaky bacon
- 250 g camembert
- ¼ c parmesan
- 250 ml cream
- 250 ml chicken stock
- 900 g beer battered wedges
Instructions
- Place the beer battered wedges in the oven/air fryer and cook as per packet instructions. If you are air frying, preheat the oven to 200℃.
- Cut the bacon into bite size pieces. Add to a non-stick pan on medium-high. Place into an oven safe deep pan, cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon has crisped. Then set aside.
- Whilst the bacon is rendering, prepare the vegetables. Peel the outer layer of the leeks, and be sure to clean any dirt. Cut the leek in half, then slice to a medium thickness. Remove the stalk from the kale, then finely slice as well.
- Use a small portion of the chicken stock to deglaze the pan. Then add the leeks, and garlic, to the bacon fat. Saute until the leek has started to soften, and garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the kale to the leek and garlic mixture. Let the kale wilt until it has softened, and integrated with the leek and garlic.
- While the vegetables are sauteing, cut the camembert into halves then small triangles. Also combine the cream and chicken stock in a mug/measuring cup.
- Remove the vegetables from the pot, and set aside in a bowl.
- In the oven safe deep pan, layer the camembert bacon wedge bake components in the following order – wedges, leek/kale/garlic mix, bacon, and camembert. Drizzle in the cream and chicken stock mixture. This is where you also sprinkle in the parmesan too. Then repeat until all components have been used.
- Place the camembert bacon wedge bake into the oven for 25-30 minutes. Until the cheese has melted and turned lightly golden brown on top.
- Serve with a side of greens, if you’d like, and enjoy!
