22. SHAD ROE with BUTTER and BACON

serves four


4 thick slices of bacon, halved
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pairs medium shad roe, 8 to 10 ounces per pair
Salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Fry the bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove, drain, and reserve it. Add the butter to the bacon drippings, warm through, and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Gently add the pairs of shad roe and sprinkle them in the pan with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn each pair with a broad spatula and cook until lightly browned on the second side and just firm, about 2 minutes longer. You want them to remain very pink at the center.

Gently remove from the pan and separate the lobes for 4 servings by slicing the membrane attaching the 2 lobes of each pair. Arrange on plates or a serving platter.

Stir the mustard into the pan drippings and add about 1/4 cup water, enough to make a light sauce. Spoon the sauce over the roe, garnish with bacon, and serve.


courtesy of: A Real American Breakfast by Cheryl Alters Jamison & Bill Jamison. New York: William Morrow (HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, NYC, 10022), 2002, p. 168

21. ONION FRITTATA ROLLS with BACON and ROASTED RED PEPPER

makes six sandwiches


2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups very thinly sliced onions
4 whole eggs plus 3 egg whites, beaten together with a fork for about 30
seconds
6 soft rolls (golden, eggy ones are best – round or oval)
12 slice of bacon, cooked crisp
2 medium red bell peppers, roasted, or 6 oz. roasted red peppers from a jar

Place the butter in a flameproof nonstick skillet, 5 inches in diameter. Melt butter over moderately high heat, then add the onions. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and quite soft, about 10 minutes.

Add beaten eggs to pan. Cook slowly for 10 minutes, or until the base of the frittata is well set (lift the edge of check). Pass the frittata under a broiler, briefly, to set the eggs on top. Slide it out from pan onto plate or countertop, and let cool for 15 minutes.

Cut the frittata into 6 portions that fit snugly on the rolls. Place each portion on half of a roll. Top each with 2 slices of bacon, and a third of a fresh roasted red pepper, peels and seeds removed, or 1 ounce of roasted red pepper from a jar. Close sandwiches with the tops of rolls.


courtesy of: The Dean & DeLuca Cookbook by David Rosengarten with Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca. New York: Random House, 1996, pp. 100-101

20. LACQUERED BACON

serves four or more


1/3 cup mango chutney, any large chunks dropped
1/4 cup apple juice or 3 tablespoons water with 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons yellow or brown mustard
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
12 thick slices (about 1/3 pound) bacon

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Stir the chutney, juice, mustard, and vinegar together in a small bowl. Arrange in the bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake the bacon until it begins to look opaque and the fat begins to render, 10 to 12 minutes. Pour off any accumulated drippings. Turn over the bacon and brush about one half of the glaze on each slice. Return the bacon to the oven and cook for 3 to 4 minutes longer. Remove the bacon from the oven and turn it over again. Brush it with the remaining glaze and return it to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until well browned and firm. (With the glaze coating, the bacon gets chewy and crunchy but stays short of crisp.) If you want to drain the bacon, do it on a rack rather than on paper towels to avoid wiping off the glaze. Serve warm.


courtesy of: A Real American Breakfast by Cheryl Alters Jamison & Bill Jamison. New York: William Morrow (HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, NYC, 10022), 2002, p. 128

19. BACON TOMATO CUPS

makes 30 appetizers


8 slices bacon, fried crisp
1 medium tomato
1/2 small onion
1 (10 oz.) can flaky biscuits
3/4 cup Swiss cheese, grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon basil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coarsely chop bacon, tomato and onion. Mix all ingredients, except biscuits. Set aside. Separate each biscuit into 3 thinner biscuits. Shape thin biscuits into mini muffin pan and fill cups with bacon mixture. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Makes 30 appetizers.


courtesy of: Marcia Garner, for S. Wallace Edwards & Sons, Inc., 11455 Rolfe Highway, PO Box 25, Surrey, Virginia, 23883

18. MISSISSIPPI BACON SANDWICH with MILKY TOMATO GRAVY

serves four


4 large red-ripe but not mushy-soft tomatoes
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon onion or garlic powder, optional
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
8 to 12 thick slices of bacon
Vegetable oil, optional
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup half-and-half or heavy (whipping) cream or additional milk
4 large slices white toast
Minced fresh parsley, basil, or thyme

You want 8 really nice slices out of the middle of the tomatoes, 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Once you have cut the slices, chop the remaining tomato pieces into bite-size bits. Reserve the tomato slices and the chopped tomatoes with their juice.

Stir the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder if desired, and cayenne together in a shallow bowl.

Fry the bacon in a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat until brown and crisp. (Go for the greater number of slices if you guests are real bacon fans). Remove the bacon and drain it. You will want about 1/4 cup fat to fry the tomatoes and make the gravy. You can use just bacon drippings, pouring off any extra, or use a portion of the drippings and oil to equal the proper amount.

Dredge the tomato slices in the seasoned flour, reserving at least 1 tablespoon of the flour. Fry the tomatoes in the skillet over medium heat until the coating is golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the tomatoes carefully with a spatula or slotted spoon. Keep them warm while you prepare the gravy.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the seasoned flour into the pan drippings, stirring to prevent lumps. Pour in the milk and half-and-half slowly, frequently stirring up from the bottom, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and juice and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick and burnished red-brown in color. Adjust the seasoning.

Arrange a toast slice on each plate and top with 2 side-by-side fried tomato slices. Place the bacon over the tomatoes. Spoon a few tablespoons of gravy over the top of each open-face sandwich and sprinkle with parsley. Serve the remaining gravy on the side.

courtesy of: A Real American Breakfast by Cheryl Alters Jamison & Bill Jamison. New York: William Morrow (HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, NYC, 10022), 2002, p. 246-247

17. PRALINE BACON

1 lb. bacon
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 cup pecans, chopped well.

Heat oven to 350˚F. Lay bacon on sheet pan. Sprinkle with pecans. Combine sugar and chili powder and sprinkle this on top as well. (There will be leftover mixture, you don't have to use it all.) Bake bacon on oven until well darkened, but not burnt. Transfer to a cooling rack lying over brown grocery bag. Let cool. Bacon will harden. (As the fat in the bacon melts, it dissolves the sugar and the sugar carmelizes the smokiness of the chili powder and the pecans to the bacon.)


courtesy of: Steve Blair’s grandmother. (Steve Blair: 5203 Falls Road, #21, Baltimore, MD 21210, 443-801-7535, steve@pulpkitchen.com)

16. BEAN and BACON SOUP

yields 16 quarts

4 lbs. navy beans, soaked overnight
2 lb. bacon, fried & crumbled
2 or 3 carrots, diced
8 cups potatoes
5 cups celery
8 cups chopped onions
12 cups tomato juice
salt & pepper to taste

Drain beans. Cover with fresh water. Bring to boil. Cook 1/2 hour then add potatoes, celery, carrots, onions, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until vegetables are soft. Add tomato juice and bacon. Simmer awhile to desired consistency. Pressure can at 10# for 1 hour.


courtesy of: Sharing our Favorites Cookbook by Jason & Ruth Schlabach, 2905 State Route 93, Sugarcreek, OH 44681

15. PAN-FRIED TROUT with SMOKY BACON, HAZELNUTS, and LEMON-SAGE BUTTER

serves four


1 cup whole hazelnuts
6 slices smoked country bacon
4 trout (about 8 oz. each), cleaned, with heads left on
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 scallions, washed and trimmed to the length of the fish
Unbleached all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
Juice of 1 lemon
12 large fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in a preheated 350˚F oven about 15 minutes, or until the skins have split. Put them in a dish and cover with plastic wrap until they’ve cooled a bit; then rub them with a towel to remove as much skin as possible. Chop the nuts.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp and reserve the drippings in the skillet. Drain the bacon on paper towels, crumble it, and set aside.

Add salt and pepper to the cavity of each trout and then place 2 trimmed scallions in each as well.

Dredge the trout in seasoned flour.

Heat the bacon drippings in the skillet and fry the trout, about 6 minutes per side.

In a small saucepan, heat together the butter and lemon juice and add the sage leaves. Spoon the lemon-sage butter over the trout and sprinkle with the hazelnuts and crumbled bacon.


courtesy of: Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland: 200 Recipes Blending Bold, New Flavors with the Traditional Foods of the Upper Midwest by Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson. New York: Knopf, 1994, pp. 217-217

14. BLT PASTA SALAD

serves eight


salt
1 lb. farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz. bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 1/2 cups (3-4 oz.) stemmed, coarsely chopped arugula (substitute: watercress)
1 cup chopped red onion

DRESSING:
1/2 cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
coarsely ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook according to package instructions, until al dente (just tender to the bite), then drain and transfer to a large, shallow nonreactive serving bowl. Toss pasta with olive oil and set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet set over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp and golden, then drain on paper towels. Add the bacon, tomatoes, arugula, and onion to bowl with pasta and mix well.

TO MAKE THE DRESSING: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, half of the Parmesan cheese, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add to bowl with pasta and toss well to coat pasta with dressing. Add the remaining Parmesan cheese, and toss well to mix. Taste and season salad with more salt and pepper if needed. (Salad can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at cool room temperature.)


courtesy of: The Big Book of Backyard Cooking by Betty Rosbottom. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2004. (85 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94105). p. 205

13. MUSHROOM and BACON RISOTTO

serves four


2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 oz smoked bacon, chopped
12 oz Arborio or risotto rice
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 oz dried sliced mushrooms, soaked in a little boiling water
6 oz mixed fresh mushrooms
5 cups hot stock
few sprigs of oregano or thyme
1 tablespoon butter
little dry white wine
3 tablespoons peeled, chopped tomato
8-10 black olives, stoned and quartered
salt and black pepper
sprigs of thyme, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan with a lid. Gently cook the onion and bacon until the onion is tender and the bacon fat has run out.

Stir in the rice and garlic and cook over a high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the rice is well coated. Add the dried mushrooms and their liquid, the fresh mushrooms and half the stock, the oregano and seasoning. Bring gently to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly and leave to cook.

Check the liquid in the risotto occasionally by very gently stirring. If quite dry, slowly add more liquid. (Don’t stir too often, as this lets the steam and flavor out.) Add more liquid as required until the rice is cooked, but not mushy.

Just before serving, stir in the butter, white wine, tomatoes and olives and check the seasoning. Serve hot, garnished with thyme sprigs.


courtesy of: Essential Main Courses by Linda Fraser. London: Hermes House (Anness Publishing Limited, 88-89 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8HA), 1995, 2000, p. 38

12. BACON-WRAPPED FILET STEAKS TOPPED WITH ROASTED GARLIC BUTTER

12 large (not jumbo) cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil plus extra for oiling grill rack
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
Kosher salt
3 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 6- to 7-ounce filet steaks, 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
4 very thin slices lean bacon
6-inch wooden skewers or toothpicks (which have been soaked in water for 30 minutes before using and patted dry).

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place garlic in a 1-cup, ovenproof ramekin, soufflé dish, or custard cup, and add 1/4 cup olive oil. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven. Start checking cloves after 20 minutes and check every 5 minutes until done. Roast until garlic cloves are golden and soft when pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven.

To make roasted garlic butter: With a slotted spoon, remove garlic cloves from bowl and reserve oil. Combine garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of the reserved oil, the butter, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender and process, pulsing machine on and off for 30 seconds or less, until garlic is coarsely chopped and blended with butter and oil. Remove garlic butter to a small bowl and stir in 2 teaspoons of the chives. If the butter melts during this process, do not worry. Just refrigerate until firm again. (Garlic butter can be prepared a day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before ready to use.)

When ready to cook steaks, oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature). In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon salt, the black pepper, and thyme. Rub both sides of each filet with some of this seasoning. Then wrap each steak around its sides with a slice of bacon. Secure bacon in place with a wooden skewer or with 2 to 3 toothpicks. Grill steaks until lightly charred on the outside and until bacon is cooked, 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. (Internal temperature should be 145 degrees). Watch carefully to prevent overcooking.

Place steaks on a serving plate. Top each steak with a generous pat of Roasted Garlic Butter and sprinkle with some of the reminaing chives. Serve immediately. The butter will start to melt and season the steaks.


courtesy of: The Big Book of Backyard Cooking by Betty Rosbottom. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2004. (85 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94105). pp. 28-29<

11. WARM ARTICHOKE SALAD with BACON and MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE

serves eight


1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
15 large artichokes
10 slices bacon
1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Prepare a blanc: Place the flour in a large pot, and beat in just enough cold water to make a smooth, medium-thick paste. Then beat in 2 quarts of cold water, the lemon juice, and the salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove hearts from artichokes.

Add the artichoke hearts to the water, bring to a boil, then simmer gently until the hearts are just tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow the hearts to come to room temperature in the liquid.

Gently fry the bacon slices. (Do not cook until crisp.) Remove, and reserve on paper towels.

Place the mustard in a mixing bowl. Using a whisky, beat in the vinegar. Drop by drop at first, then in a thin stream, beat in the olive oil; the mixture should be medium-thick. Add the garlic, and season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove warm artichoke hearts from liquid. Using a combination of spoon and sharp knife, remove the fuzzy choke from the center of each one. Discard. Cut the remaining hearts in sixths. Place in large mixing bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Cut each bacon slice into 6 pieces, and add to bowl. Toss with vinaigrette. Serve on 8 individual plates, sprinkled with chopped parsley.


courtesy of: The Dean & DeLuca Cookbook by David Rosengarten with Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca. New York: Random House, 1996, pp. 28-29

10. TWO MOREL MUSHROOM and BACON RECIPES, for Kent Johnson

MOREL MUSHROOM TART

1 short crust recipe
4 oz. sliced bacon
1 oz. dried morels (10 oz. fresh)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 oz. diced Swiss cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 cups heavy cream
3 whole eggs and 2 yolks
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

If using dried morels, rehydrate in warm water for half an hour or until plump. Drain and set aside on a paper towel. Roll pastry to a 1/8-inch thickness and line a 10-11-inch tart pan. Prick the bottom with a fork. Line pastry with parchment paper, fill with pie weights. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Remove weights and paper and bake an additional 4 minutes. Take out of oven and reduce temperature to 300 degrees.

Cut bacon into 1/4-inch slices and saute until crisp. Drain and set aside.

Slice morels and saute in butter. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the bacon and the Swiss cheese. Scald cream and cool. Mix the eggs and yolk together and add the cream. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on the baked tart shell. Spread the mushroom mixture on top of them. Spoon in the egg and cream mixture. Bake until tart is barely firm to the touch. Turn off the oven and leave until the tart is quite well set. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve hot.

courtesy of: The Village of Muscoda Morel Mushroom Festival, Muscoda, WI 53573, 608-739-3182

***

MOREL QUICHE

yields 4-6 servings

1 lb. morels
1/4 lb. bacon
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1 1/2 cups shredded (baby) Swiss cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cups Bisquick
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare bacon and morel mixture: Use any amount of morels and one-fourth as much bacon. Cut bacon into small pieces. Fry until ready to remove and eat, but leave in pan. Do not drain grease. Add clean, split morels. Liquid will become "soupy." Cook until grease returns to clarity. Mixture will make a light "popping" noise. (Bacon will not get any crispier after morels are added due to their moisture content.)

In a 10-inch, lightly coated (butter) pie pan, mix bacon and morel mixture, onion, green pepper and cheese. In medium-sized bowl, mix milk, eggs, Bisquick, salt and pepper. Beat until smooth. Pour into pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.


courtesy of: The Curious Morel: Hunters' Recipes, Lore and Advice, by Larry Lonik. RKT Publishing and Morel Heaven, PO Box 172, Chelsea, Michigan, 48118

9. PEANUT BUTTER and BACON TRUFFLES

makes about twenty


6 strips very crisp, cooked bacon, well drained
1/2 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts
4 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
8 oz. (1 1/4 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup quality unsweetened cocoa powder

Put bacon, peanuts, and sugar into a food processor and pulse until mixture is ground to a medium-fine texture. Transfer bacon-peanut mixture to a small bowl, add peanut butter, and stir until thoroughly combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill peanut butter mixture in the refrigerator until firm.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or waxed paper and set aside. Roll peanut butter mixture into 1” balls and put them on the prepared cookie sheet. Drape plastic wrap over peanut butter balls and chill the refrigerator until firm.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in a small heatproof bowl set over a small pot of simmering water over medium-low heat, stirring often, until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to let chocolate cool until warm. Sift cocoa into another bowl and set aside.

Working with a few of the peanut butter balls at a time, roll them in the melted chocolate, coating them evenly. Transfer truffles to bowl of cocoa powder, dredging truffles completely. Truffles will keep at room temperature in an airtight container with some additional cocoa for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before serving.


courtesy of: Phoebe Lawless, pastry chef at the Magnolia Grill in Durham, North Carolina

8. ASIAN-STYLE CHICKEN BREASTS and BACON

makes four servings


3/4 cup chicken or beef stock or low-sodium broth
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 lb. lean slab bacon, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 large garlic cloves, sliced 1/8 inch thick
1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 lb. white mushrooms, stems discarded, caps quartered
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths

In a small saucepan, combine the stock and five-spice powder and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes. Set the stock aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the bacon and cook over low heat, turning a few times, until most of the fat is rendered and the bacon is browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a large plate.

Add the garlic to the bacon fat in the skillet and cook over low heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic to the bacon. Add the chicken breast pieces to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until they are browned and just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the plate.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook over moderate heat until all of their liquid has evaporated and they start to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to the plate. Add the wine to the skillet and simmer over moderately high heat until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce, spiced stock, bacon, garlic, chicken and mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring, until heated through. Add the scallions. Transfer to a platter and serve.


courtesy of: Food & Wine, May 2003 / Profile of Dan Philips, head of The Grateful Palate and the Bacon-of-the-Month Club

7. BACON TEMPURA

serves six


12 strips thick-cut bacon
canola oil
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups club soda
salt

Separate strips of bacon, then lay half the slices in a large skillet in a single layer. Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until lightly browned by still pliable, about 10 minutes. Let bacon drain on paper towels. Repeat process with remaining bacon.

Pour oil into a heavy medium pot or a wok to a depth of 2” and heat over medium heat until temperature registers 375˚ on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile, whisk egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold one-quarter of the flour, then one-quarter of the club soda, at a time into whites, folding thoroughly after each addition until batter is smooth.

Working in batches, dip bacon into batter, then deep-fry, turning once, until bacon is golden brown and crisp, about 6 minutes per batch. Drain on a wire rack. Season to taste with salt and serve immediately.


courtesy of: Chef Bill McDaniel, Red Cat, 227 10th Avenue, New York, New York 10011, (212) 242-1122

6. APPLEWOOD-SMOKED BACON-WRAPPED SEA SCALLOPS IN FENNEL CREAM REDUCTION

makes one portion


3 jumbo sea scallops or alternate seafood
3 strips Applewood-smoked bacon, partially cooked
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 ounces Sambuca, anisette or other 40 percent alcohol
2 ounces heavy cream
2 ounces fennel bulb, julienne, partially cooked
salt & pepper to taste

Wrap each scallop in a strip of partially cooked bacon and skewer scallops together fat side up. Heat canola oil in a 7-inch sauté pan until shimmering. Sear scallops on all sides. Then degrease pan Return pan and scallops to high heat for about 6 seconds. Remove pan from stove and add alcohol. Return pan to stove and flambé over high heat. Because of the amount of alcohol, the flames may be quite high. (What’s happening: as the alcohol burns away, the sugars begin to caramelize in the pan.) When the flames die out, remove scallops from pan. Then continue to reduce the remaining liquid over medium heat until syrupy and deep brown. Add fennel garnish and cream and mix well. Reduce sauce further until it coats the bottom of a spoon. Adjust seasoning to taste.

To serve: Remove skewer from scallops and arrange them on a bed of the cooked fennel. Pour sauce over.


courtesy of: Chef Cesare Avallone, MOJO Grill, 942 Route 376, Sumerlin Plaza, Wappinger Falls, New York, (845) 226-1111 / reprinted from: Avallone, Cesare. “Making sauce: demi-glace and reduction.” The Valley Table. December 2003-February 2004, p. 49

5. BILLIONAIRE'S BACON

makes about 36 pieces


1/2 lb. thick-cut bacon
2 tbsp dark brown sugar

Heat oven to 375˚F. Line two baking sheets with foil. Cut each slice of bacon into thirds. Toss bacon with sugar; place on baking sheet. Bake until crisp and browned, about 6-8 min., turning once.


courtesy of: In Style Magazine, 2003

4. BACON and EGG BREAD PUDDING

serves four


8 rashers of bacon, crisply grilled, rinded and chopped
5-6 slices of bread, buttered
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
salt and black pepper

Sandwich the bacon between the bread slices, cut into triangles and arrange in a buttered ovenproof dish. Mix the eggs, milk and garlic, and season to taste. Pour over the bread and leave to soak up for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the bread pudding and bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown. (Finish off under the grill if it needs further browning.)


courtesy of: Essential Main Courses by Linda Fraser. London: Hermes House (Anness Publishing Limited, 88-89 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8HA), 1995, 2000, p. 24

3. GRILLED LATE-SEASON TOMATO SOUP IN BACON, GARLIC AND CROUTONS

serves six


8 large tomatoes (2 1/2 pounds)
2 leeks (7 ounces), diced
1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces), died
6 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/4 cups chicken broth, heated
2 ounces thinly sliced smoked bacon
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 slices sourdough bread, each cut 1/2 inch thick, brushed with olive oil
1 whole clove garlic, peeled

Prepare a wood or charcoal fire.

Grill the tomatoes whole, without coring them, over a moderately hot wood fire. Allow them to take as much smoke as possible and let their skins get fairly dark. The tomatoes should feel soft all over. Provided the skin remains intact, they will begin to bubble and release little puffs of steam, an indication that heat has penetrated to the center. Carefully transfer the tomatoes to a platter and let them cool.

While the tomatoes are grilling, in a soup pot sweat the leaks, onion, and garlic in the olive oil, covered, until they release their juices and begin to soften. Remove the lid, raise the heat, and let brown. Pour the hot chicken broth over the vegetables, heat to just under the boiling point, and turn off the heat. Cover the pot.

Over a bowl, remove the cores and as much of the skin as possible from the tomatoes. Break the tomatoes up into rough pieces by hand and let the juice and pulp fall into the bowl. Add the tomatoes and their juice to the pot. Slice the bacon crosswise into small pieces. In a small pan, simmer the bacon and red wine together for 5 minutes, then add to the soup. Add the cayenne, vinegar, and salt, and turn the heat on very low.

While the soup is warming, grill the bread over the wood fire until it is nicely browned on both sides. Rub the bread on one side with the garlic clove. Put one slice of the bread in each warm bowl and ladle the hot soup over it. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Chez Panisse Cooking by Paul Bertolli with Alice Waters. New York: Random House, Inc., 1988, pp. 143-144

2. BACON-BASTED FRIED EGGS

serves two


4 thick slices of bacon
4 large eggs
Salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste

In a medium skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp and brown. Remove the bacon, drain, and reserve.

Crack each egg in a cup or saucer, then gently nudge the eggs one by one into the warm skillet, side by side. Salt and generously pepper the eggs immediately. Cook the eggs for 1 minute, sprinkling them with salt and pepper while they fry. As they cook, use a spatula to scoop up some of the bacon drippings and drizzle them over the whites. Turn the heat down to low and continue cook and drizzling the drippings for about 1 minute longer or until done to your liking. Serve immediately, with bacon on the side.


courtesy of: A Real American Breakfast by Cheryl Alters Jamison & Bill Jamison. New York: William Morrow (HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, NYC, 10022), 2002, p. 24

1. BACON PANCAKE

makes 1 large pancake


6 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 egg
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a 9-inch frying pan cook the bacon until brown. Drain off excess grease but leave enough to amply coat the pan.

For ease in pouring, especially if you make more than one pancake, place the flour in a 4-cup measuring cup. Combine milk and egg and stir into the flour, a little at a time, to make a smooth batter.

Pour the batter over the bacon pieces, swirling the pan to distribute evenly. Cook over medium to low heat until the pancake is solid on top and brown on the bottom. Shake the pan occasionally to make sure the pancake does not stick. Slide it out carefully onto a plate, turn it over with the help of a flat lid, slide it back into the pan, and brown the other side, or toss the pancake up in the air and turn it over in proper flapjack style.

When the pancake is done, remove it to a plate, eat the whole thing, or cut into wedges and share.


courtesy of: Foods of the Hudson: A Seasonal Sampling of the Region’s Bounty by Peter G. Rose. Woodstock, NY: The Overlook Press (Lewis Hollow Road, Woodstock, NY 12498), 1993, pp. 218-219