Varkens in dekens

Also known as kilted soldiers, pigs in blankets is a UK and Irish side dish consisting of cocktail-sized chipolata sausages wrapped in streaky bacon, which can be either pan-fried or baked. Chipolata sausages are fresh, pork-based sausages that are common in the UK. The first recipes are from 1957, but pigs in blankets did not become popular until the 1990s when Delia Smith, an English cook and TV personality, included a recipe in her cookbook. Today, pigs in blankets are a Christmas staple, usually served as a side dish to roast turkey. There are many variations as well. In some variations, chorizo or chicken sausage is used instead of chipolata, and some add additional ingredients, such as chestnuts, herbs, and apples, or call for smoked or flavored bacon. And finally, although they bear the same name, the UK pigs in blankets should not be confused with the US dish of the same name in which sausages are wrapped in dough and baked.