When I was young, I remember my mother used to cook for us lavishly during Christmas. Now that I have a family of my own too, I sort of find it impossible to serve a simple meal on the said big day. Christmas is the best time of the year to celebrate with loved ones and friends and to simply just relax. For this special night, I went to cook my favorite dish as well as one of the family’s most-requested meal, the Stuffed Dates of Blue Stilton Cheese And Bacon dish. I would like to share my favorite dish with you and you might want to use it too.

Fettucine with Bacon, Arugula, and Blue Stilton Sauce

Here are the ingredients you will need:

1 lb. good quality smoked bacon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot or one-half of a small onion, diced

One-half cup dry white wine

1 and one-quarter cups unsalted, canned chicken stock

One-quarter teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 lb. fettucine

9 ounces Stilton cheese, divided

One-quarter cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

10 cups loosely packed arugula (or spinach leaves)

Black pepper to taste

One-half cup pine nuts, toasted 

Directions for Cooking:

1. Cook the pasta in a covered and boiling 10-12 quart pot of salted water.

2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Break cooled bacon into bite-size pieces. Leave the two tablespoons of bacon oil into the pan.

3. In these drippings, sauté garlic and shallot over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until they become soft and begin to brown.

4. Add white wine, cooking for 6 minutes. Add stock, thyme, bay leaf.Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. At this same time, add fettucine to the pot of boiling water, stirring often, cooking it according to manufacturer’s directions for about 11-12 minutes.

5. To maximize the time, while pasta is cooking, place 8 ounces of Stilton, heavy cream, and Dijon mustard in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Whisk this into the wine-stock sauce, reducing heat to low. Simmer until the fettucine is ready to be drained.

6. Remember to drain the pasta well. Set aside and cover with a lid.

7. Meanwhile, add the arugula, pieces of bacon, black pepper, and pine nuts to the sauce, tossing frequently for 30-60 seconds. Arugula will wilt and bacon and nuts will become heated.

8. You can go ahead and taste the sauce before adding any salt, as the bacon and cheese usually add enough.

9. Pour the sauce over the fettucine, tossing well in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining ounce of crumbled Stilton.

Easy, right? To get the most authentic Blue Stilton Cheese, all you have to do is log online and check out the cheese shop that provides you with all the other gourmet cheeses. Order now and have the best Christmas ever!