601. RED WINE and BACON-BRAISED BEEF TENDERLOIN with RED PEPPER and ROSEMARY

serves 4


a 2-pound center-cut beef tenderloin roast (chateaubriand), trimmed and tied
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon coarsely crushed black pepper
2 bacon slices
2/3 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 red bell pepper
1 1/3 cups beef or veal demiglace*

Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs

*available at specialty foods shops

Pat tenderloin dry and rub with celery salt and black pepper. Cut bacon into 1 1/2-inch pieces. In a heavy kettle just large enough to hold tenderloin cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and transfer with a slotted spoon to a small bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Increase heat to moderately high and brown tenderloin on all sides, about 5 minutes total. With tongs transfer tenderloin to a plate.

To kettle add wine, bacon, and rosemary and boil mixture 1 minute. Return tenderloin to kettle and cook at a bare simmer, covered, turning occasionally, 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center of beef registers 125°F. for medium-rare. With tongs transfer tenderloin to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.

While tenderloin is standing, cut bell pepper into 1/4-inch dice. With a slotted spoon discard bacon from cooking liquid. Add bell pepper and demiglace to cooking liquid and boil sauce over moderate heat until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1 1/3 cups.

Cut tenderloin into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange on a platter. Spoon some of sauce over tenderloin and garnish with rosemary sprigs. Serve remaining sauce on the side.


courtesy of: Steven L. Katz, Bethesda, Maryland / "Sugar And Spice," Gourmet, December 1998

600. AUSTRIAN BACON DUMPLINGS

a.k.a. Speckknoedel

yields 3 servings

6 slices slightly stale white bread
5 slices thick cut bacon
1/3 cup light cream
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (heaping) caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
yolk of one large egg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup sliced white onions
1/2 lb sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Trim the bread slices and cut them into 1/2 inch cubes.

Cut the bacon slices into 1/3 inch squares. Saute them over moderate heat in a large skillet for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently. Transfer them to paper towels with a slotted spoon, and pat dry.

Pour water to a depth of 3 inches into a wide bottomed pot and bring it to a simmer (in preparation for step 8).

Brown the bread cubes in the hot bacon fat for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer them to a large bowl.

Add the cream to the bowl. Gently toss the bread until it absorbs all the cream. Add to this mixture the bacon, flour, baking powder, caraway seeds, thyme, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Beat the egg yolk and add it to the bowl. Gently blend all the ingredients.

Shape the mixture into 1 1/4 inch spheres with your hands. (If your mixture is too dry, moisten it with a little more cream.) Place the dumplings on a plate as you make them, arranging them in one layer so they do not touch each other.

Melt the butter to moderate heat in a clean large skillet. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the sauerkraut and the remaining salt and blend the mixture. Cover, and cook for 12 minutes.

Cook the dumplings in the simmering water for about 10 minutes (start this step as soon as you cover the onion-sauerkraut pan.) You need not turn the dumplings as they will do that by themselves.

Transfer the cooked 'speckknoedel' to a warm bowl and cover them with the onion-sauerkraut mixture. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Note: The ingredient listing does not show any butter, but the instructions do. One tablespoon would do adequately.



courtesy of: Great Peasant Dishes of the World, by Howard Hillman. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983

599. BACON and PARMESAN PORK BURGER

1 lb ground pork
3 strips thick-cut bacon
1 oz parmesan cheese -- shredded (not grated), about 1/3 cup
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Dice bacon into 1/4 inch pieces. Mix all ingredients together (hands work best). Form into 6 patties about 1/2 inch thick and grill over medium heat for 5 minutes per side.


courtesy of: Kevin Weeks, Knoxville, Tennessee / Seriously Good

598. BROAD BEANS with BLOOD SAUSAGE and BACON

serves 4


1 1/4 lb. shelled fresh broad beans (about 2 lb. unshelled) or 1 lb. dried beans or 10-oz. packages frozen broad beans (see note)
8 oz. thick-cut bacon, with 1 thick slice cut from it and the remainder diced
2-3 spring onions, finely chopped
olive oil
2 botifarra negra sausages (see note), 1 cut into 1/2-inch slices and 1 left whole
1 teaspoon Pernod
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh mint, finely chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dried mint
a pinch of sugar
salt

If you are using dried broad beans, cover with 32 fl. oz. water in a pot, bring to a boil, then simmer until almost tender (about 40-50 minutes). Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a cassola or flameproof casserole, saute the diced bacon and spring onions in 8 fl. oz. of oil until lightly browned.

Add the sliced botifarra negra and broad beans to the cassola, mix well, then saute 2-3 minutes.

Add the Pernod, bay leaf, mint, sugar, bacon slice and the whole batifarra negra to the cassola and salt to taste. Stir well.

Add about 8 fl. oz. of water, or enough barely to cover the broad beans; cover the cassola, bring to a boil, lower the heat and continue to cook until the broad beans are tender and greyish-green in color and the water has evaporated (about 15-20 minutes).

Remove the bacon slice and whole botifarra negra. Cut each into 4 pieces, then divide the broad beans evenly among 4 plates and garnish each with a piece of bacon and a piece of botifarra negra.

NOTE: If you are using large fresh broad beans, blanch them after shelling in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, cool and remove the tough outer skins. Many cookbooks suggest lima beans as a substitute for broad beans. Though they're about the same size, shape and color, they are very different in flavor and texture, and I don't recommend such a substitution unless it is absolutely necessary.

BOTIFARRA NEGRA: This "black botifarra is blood sausage or black pudding - made with bread soaked in pig's blood. It differs from boudin noir, the French blood sausage, in that it is somewhat coarser, with a slightly higher fat content, and more mildly seasoned. The French variety, available at some charcuteries or specialty delis, is a reasonable substitute, though - as is morcilla, the traditional Spanish blood sausage, which may be found at Spanish delis. Use the variety without rice, though, if possible.


courtesy of: Catalan Cuisine: Europe's Last Great Culinary Secret, by Colman Andrews. London: Grub Street, 1997, pp. 63-64

597. ROASTED SWEET-POTATO SPEARS with BACON VINAIGRETTE

makes 8 to 10 servings


4 lb medium sweet potatoes (about 7)
1/2 lb sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced, reserving sliced greens separately
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon water

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

Peel sweet potatoes, then cut each lengthwise into 6 spears. Cut spears in half crosswise if desired, then arrange in 1 layer in a large (17- by 12-inch) shallow baking pan.

Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then pour bacon fat through a fine-mesh sieve onto potato spears and toss with 2 spatulas to coat. Sprinkle spears with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and roast (uncovered), turning every 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender and edges are browned, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to a serving dish.

Return bacon to cleaned skillet, then add oil and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Stir in white part of scallions and remove from heat. Stir in vinegar, water, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and pour over potato spears. Sprinkle potatoes with scallion greens and serve warm.

Cooks' note: Bacon can be cooked and sweet potatoes can be cut and tossed with bacon fat (but not salt and pepper) 1 day ahead. Cool potatoes, uncovered, then chill, covered with plastic wrap. Chill bacon separately, covered. Sprinkle potatoes with salt and pepper and bring to room temperature before proceeding.


courtesy of: Gourmet, November 2006

596. BACON ORANGE BENEDICT

12 slices bacon
6 thin slices of a red onion
3 large or 4 medium oranges
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
6 English muffins or crumpets
Softened butter or margarine

Pre-heat oven to 300F. Arrange 6 of the back bacon slices on a baking sheet. Place an onion on each. Cut rind off oranges and cut 6 orange slices about 1⁄2-inch thick. Remove seeds and place one orange slice on each onion slice. Top with remaining slices of bacon; bake 10 minutes. Mix cornstarch with orange juice in a saucepan and stir until smooth and thickened, over low heat. Cut up remaining orange into small pieces and add to orange sauce. Add lemon peel. Cook for one more minute. Split, toast, and butter muffins. Arrange bacon groups over top and spoon orange sauce over decoratively.


courtesy of: Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd., 27101 – 56th Avenue, Langley, British Columbia, Canada V4W 3Y4, 1-800-TRY-FREYBE

595. BREAD STUFFING with CRAWFISH, BACON, and COLLARD GREENS

makes 10 to 12 servings


1 (1-pound) loaf crusty country-style white bread
1/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 large garlic clove, minced
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 pound peeled cooked crawfish tails, thawed if frozen
1/2 pound sliced bacon, chopped
1 (1-pound) bag sliced collard greens, coarsely torn
1 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth or turkey stock, heated, divided
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut bottom crust and short ends off bread; discard. Cut remaining bread with crust into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups loosely packed). Place in very large bowl. Add oil, thyme, and garlic; toss. Spread cubes out on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and slightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Return to same very large bowl.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add next 3 ingredients. sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add crawfish; sauté 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. sauté bacon in same skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to bowl with vegetables. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from skillet. Add greens and 1 cup broth. Cover and simmer until greens are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add greens and broth in skillet to vegetable mixture. Add parsley. DO AHEAD Bread cubes and vegetable mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately. Store bread at room temperature. Chill vegetable mixture.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Stir vegetable mixture into bread. Add remaining 3/4 cup broth; toss. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake until heated through, 25 minutes. Uncover; bake until top starts to brown, 25 minutes longer.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, November 2006

594. YORKSHIRE PUDDING with BACON and SAGE

makes 8 servings


6 ounces bacon slices (about 7 slices), cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons (about) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, divided
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 large eggs

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 450°F. Sauté bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Transfer drippings to glass measuring cup. If needed, add enough melted butter to measure 1/4 cup total. Pour drippings into 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place dish in hot oven to heat drippings 10 minutes.

Whisk flour, 2 tablespoons sage, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk milk and eggs to blend in large bowl; add flour mixture and whisk until batter is smooth. Whisk in 2/3 of bacon. Remove hot baking dish from oven. Using oven mitts or pot holders to protect hands, tilt dish to distribute drippings evenly. Pour batter into pan. Bake 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake until golden brown and puffed, about 12 minutes longer (do not open oven door while baking).

Remove pudding from oven. Crumble remaining bacon over pudding, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sage, and serve.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, December 2006

593. HOPPIN'-JOHN RISOTTO with BACON and BLACK-EYED PEAS

1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 pound applewood-smoked slab bacon
6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine

Pick over the peas to remove dirt and stones. Soak them in water to cover at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain the peas and transfer to a medium saucepan. Cut the slab of bacon in half crosswise and add one of the halves to the saucepan along with the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until tender, 45 to 55 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the peas, transfer to a bowl, and remove the bacon and thyme sprigs. Cut the remaining half of bacon into small dice. Place the bacon in a medium sauté pan over medium heat and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Bring the stock to a simmer over low heat in a large saucepan. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes, until lightly toasted and opaque.

(1) Add the wine and cook until completely reduced. Add 2 cups of the hot stock and stir until evaporated. Repeat with the remaining stock, adding 1 cup at a time until the rice is al dente, 20 to 25 minutes. (2) Stir in the black-eyed peas and chopped thyme and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the risotto to a large shallow bowl and (3) top with the crispy bacon.


courtesy of: Bobby Flay / New York, December 25, 2006-January 1, 2007, p. 81

592. BEEF and BACON BOULETTAS

makes 4 servings

4 large crusty rolls, hollowed out leaving a �-inch thick shell
8 oz. lean ground beef
4 strips crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
shredded mozzarella cheese

Place the hollowed out rolls on a baking sheet. Bake at 375�F 5 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and set aside. Leave the oven on. Crumble the ground beef into a non-stick heated skillet. Cook until browned and no longer pink inside. Drain excess fat. Remove from the heat and stir in bacon, parsley, bell pepper, horseradish and mayonnaise. Spoon into bread shells, dividing equally. Sprinkle on the cheese. Return to the oven and bake 6 - 8 minutes or until heated through and the cheese melts.


courtesy of: Horseradish Information Council

591. ROASTED CASSAVA FLOUR with BACON and PORTUGUESE SAUSAGE

a.k.a. Farofa

serves 10


165 g diced bacon
a few slices of Portuguese sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 bananas (optional), sliced
500 g cassava flour

In a large frying pan, fry the bacon and the sausage slices over a low heat until crisp. Add the onion and fry until they are slightly browned. Add the bananas and fry for another minute. Then add the cassava flour and stir-fry. The consistency should be like a crumble topping. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.


courtesy of: Secret Recipes, GPO Box 9994, Melbourne Australia 3001 / ABC-TV

590. POUSSIN STUFFED with CHESTNUT, RED CABBAGE and BACON

yields 4 servings


FOR THE STUFFING
5 oz. whole chestnut
3¼ oz. chestnut purée
8 oz. sliced red cabbage
1¾ oz. slab bacon, diced and cooked
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
3 tablespoons chopped onions
10 grams fresh marjoram
10 grams fresh thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper

FOR THE POUSSIN
4 grain fed poussin
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 bacon slices for wrapping the poussin
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Melt the butter and the oil together in a hot sautéing pan over a medium-high heat. Caramelize the onions, the garlic the leeks then add the bacon and cook for about 2 minutes. Slice the cabbage and lightly sauté it in some butter, in a medium pan over a medium heat for about 4 minutes. Remove the bacon mixture from pan add the chestnut purée and the chestnut pieces and set aside to cool. Once cool, add the marjoram and thyme. Separate the stuffing into 4 equal parts.

Take the poussin and season the inside. Stuff it with the mixture. Close it by wrapping the bird with the bacon slices.

Melt the oil and butter in a hot roasting pan. Sear the poussin on all sides until golden. Put it in the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cut the poussin in two to show the chestnut stuffing. Serve with Brussels sprouts and pan jus poured around.


courtesy of: Chef Georges Laurier, Executive Chef & owner of Laurier Sur Montcalm, Hull, Quebec

589. GRUIBE-KNEDL or BACON DUMPLINGS

makes4 servings

Cracklings:
2 lbs fresh pork bacon (the fatty layer right underneath the skin)
1/4 cup milk or water

Dumplings:
1 cup cracklings
2 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
125 g plain bread crumbs (4.5 oz)
greens (chopped parsley and/or chives)
seasonings (pepper, paprika, marjoram)

Cracklings: Cut the bacon into 3/4-inch cubes and put into a tall pot which must not get filled more than halfway up (to prevent the large amount of foam during the rendering process from running over and spilling). Heat up slowly, else the bacon will stick to the bottom and scorch. As soon as there is a little liquid fat covering the bottom of the pot, add milk or water, and heat up more, constantly stirring. Let the cracklings brown a little bit more, then pour off the liquid lard, through a sieve, into an earthenware pot. Warm cracklings are very popular in-between meal.

Dumplings: Mix the cracklings, eggs, seasonings, and greens into a pliable mass. Add flour and breadcrumbs. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Then shape dumplings, and slip into barely boiling water, and let steep. Transfer to hot beef broth and serve.


courtesy of: Harald Pleiner, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, PO Box 3148, 55021 Mainz, Germany, (+49) (0)6131 379 246

588. CAPSICUM POTATO and BACON FRITTATA

serves 3-4


500g potatoes
4 rashers rindless bacon, chopped
½ medium red capsicum, seeds removed and chopped
4 spring onions, sliced
4 eggs, beaten
½ cup milk
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup grated cheese (of your choice)
50g butter

Preheat griller to medium. Peel and cook potatoes until tender. Drain and cut into 1 cm cubes. Fry bacon, capsicum and spring onions in a 23 cm non-stick frypan for 2 minutes. Add potatoes, cook further, turning often, until lightly browned. Beat eggs, milk, parsley and seasonings together in a bowl. Stir in potato mixture and cheese. Melt butter in pan, when hot and sizzling, pour in the egg mixture. Cook over low heat, lifting edges around pan with a spatula to allow uncooked egg to set. When almost set in centre, remove and place under griller. Cook until egg mixture sets and lightly browns. Cool slightly, cut in wedges and serve with tossed mixed salad.


courtesy of: Bega Cheese: The Great Australian Cheese Company, 23-45 Ridge Street, North Bega, PO Box 123 Bega, New South Wales 2550 Australia

587. GRILLED CHICKEN, BACON, PLANTAIN and PINEAPPLE SKEWERES

serves 4


8 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
4 strips bacon, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
2 plantains, ripe, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbls oregano, chopped
2 garlic gloves, minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, minced
1 10-ounce jar of pineapple fruit spread

Pineapple Dipping sauce (see recipe below)

On eight 10-inch skewers, thread chicken, bacon, pineapple and plantains, alternating ingredients. Set skewers on a tray with sides or in a glass baking dish. In small bowl, stir together pineapple juice, lime juice, oregano and garlic cloves. Pour pineapple juice mixture over skewers, turning to coat all sides thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours, turning skewers occasionally.

Before cooking chicken, prepare pineapple sauce.

Prepare grill. When coals are hot, lift skewers out of marinade and brush lightly with vegetable oil. Grill over medium-hot coals for about 20 minutes, turning often. Stir remaining marinade into sauce. Boil sauce over hot stove, stirring often, for 4 minutes.

Serve skewers hot, passing Pineapple Dipping Sauce separately.

Pineapple Dipping Sauce: In medium bowl, stir together 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 1 large onion, minced; 1 10-ounce jar of pineapple fruit spread and remaining marinade. Boil as instructed before serving.


courtesy of: Pilgrim's Pride, Pilgrim's Pride Corporation, PO Box 93, Pittsburg, Texas 75686, (800) 824-1159

586. BACON HORSERADISH CRESCENT SQUARES

makes 12 servings


2-8 ounce cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1-10 and 3/4 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup salad dressing
1 large egg
1 or 2 tablespoons grated horseradish, according to taste preferences
1 and 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 ounces bacon cooked crisp, cooled and crumbled
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced green bell peppers
1/4 teaspoon coarse grind black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Unroll and place crescent dough in a 10x15x1-inch jelly roll pan. Press down to seal all seams. In a medium size bowl mix together soup, salad dressing and egg. Spread evenly on crescent dough. Sprinkle remaining ingredients, in order listed, evenly over top. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until crescent dough is golden brown. Remove from oven; let cool 15 minutes. Cut into 12 equal squares.


courtesy of: Horseradish Information Council

585. CHILES STUFFED with SCRAMBLED EGGS and BACON with CHIHUAHUA CHEESE SAUCE

Chiles Rellenos con Huevos y Tocino con Salsa de Queso Chihuahua

Makes 6 servings


1 1/2 cups (or more) whipping cream
1 1/2 cups (packed) coarsely grated queso chihuahua* (about 6 ounces)
6 large fresh poblano chiles (each about 4 ounces)
12 ounces bacon slices, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
16 large eggs, beaten to blend in large bowl
2 dried guajillo chiles, seeded, sliced very thinly into strips
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Corn tortilla chips
Sliced tomatoes

Bring 1 1/2 cups cream to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat; whisk in cheese. Boil sauce until reduced to 1 cup, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Before serving, rewarm over low heat, and thin with cream by tablespoonfuls if desired.)

Char poblano chiles over gas flame or in broiler until blackened. Enclose in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel chiles, leaving stem intact. Cut 1 slit lengthwise down side of each chile; carefully remove seeds.

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off drippings from skillet. Add butter to same skillet and melt over medium heat. Add eggs and stir gently until softly set, about 4 minutes. Mix in bacon. Season eggs with salt and pepper.

Spoon eggs into roasted chiles through slit. Arrange 1 stuffed chile on each plate. Spoon warm cheese sauce over. Garnish with guajillo chile strips, cilantro, tortilla chips, and tomatoes.

NOTE: Melting cheese available in balls, braids, or rounds. Sometimes labeled queso asadero or queso oaxaca. Substitute mozzarella or Monterey Jack.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, May 2003 / Las Ventanas al Paraíso, Los Cabos, Mexico

584. MAQUECHOU and CHIVES

Maquechou is a traditional Cajun recipe for a tomato and corn stew. It can be made with frozen corn during the winter months, but it is really great with fresh summer corn.

Serves 6


6 slices bacon
4 cups fresh corn (about 6 ears)
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 Tbsp. minced basil
2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 cup light cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup chopped chives

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels then crumble and set aside. Pour off most of the bacon fat, leaving about 1 Tbsp. Add corn, onion and red pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, hot sauce and 1/2 cup water. Simmer 20 minutes, or until tomatoes are cooked down. Stir in cream and one half of the reserved bacon. Simmer 10 minutes longer. Season to taste and serve topped with remaining bacon and chopped chive.


courtesy of: New England Herb Company, 59 North Street, New Haven, Vermont 05472, (802) 453-5503

583. HOT TURKEY SANDWICH with BACON and CRANBERRY-SHALLOT CHUTNEY

yields 4 servings


8 (1-ounce) slices French bread
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
¼ cup turkey gravy
12 ounces sliced cooked turkey breast
4 reduced-sodium bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
2 slices provolone cheese, halved
1 cup arugula

For Chutney
¼ cup cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and spread the mayonnaise evenly over 4 bread slices. Spread the gravy evenly over the remaining 4 bread slices. Top the mayonnaise-spread slices evenly with turkey, bacon, and halved cheese slices. Top the gravy-spread slices with bacon. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. While the sandwiches are baking, combine chutney ingredients in a small bowl. Remove the sandwiches from the oven and top the cheese evenly with arugula. Press the sandwiches together and serve with chutney on the side.


courtesy of: Cooking Light, 2100 Lakeshore Drive, Birmingham, Alabama 35209, (205) 445-6000

582. POTATO and BACON CAKE with DRIED FRUIT

the authentic Chamonix "Farcon"


2.2 lbs. potatoes (preferably Bintje)
7 oz. prunes
2 oz. currants
3.5 oz. lardons (small cubes of bacon)
10 thin slices smoked bacon
scant 1/2 cup liquid cream
3 tbsp. butter
2 eggs
1 large onion
salt and freshly ground pepper


Preheat the oven at: 300°F. Peel and chop the onion finely. Sweat it in a covered pan for 5 minutes with 2 tbsp. butter and the lardons; peel and grate the raw potatoes (as you would carrots); line the bottom and sides of a round soufflé dish or a small round casserole with the slices of smoked bacon; combine the potatoes, onions, lardons, cream, eggs, prunes and raisins; season with salt and pepper; pour into the mould; cover and allow to cook for about 4 hours in a bain-marie in the preheated 300° F oven; remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes before unmoulding.

NOTE: A typical Savoyard peasant dish, the recipe for which varies from valley to valley. Thus, you might find dried apple or a pinch of nutmeg included in some versions. The "farcon" cooks for several hours (the time needed to go to the village for Mass) in a special tall mould called a "rabolire" that has a central chimney. It provided meat (bacon), starch (potatoes) and dessert (prunes and raisins) in just one dish!

SUGGESTION: Serve it on the day you make it, or the next day, cut into thick slices and reheated in a skillet, with a little butter and a nice green salad. In our region it is also served as a side dish with a roast or game stew.


courtesy of: Pierre Carrier, Albert I, the Maison Carrier, 38 route du Bouchet, BP 55, 74402 Chamonix (Savoy/Mont-Blanc), France

581. SOUTHWEST STUFFING with SQUASH, GREEN CHILIES, and BACON

3 medium acorn squash
Butter
1 pan corn bread (8-by-8)
4 strips diced bacon
1 onion, chopped
2 Anaheim green chilies, seeded and chopped
1 cup corn
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1/2 cup fresh salsa
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
one 8 1/4-ounce can cream style corn
11/4 cups chicken stock
2 eggs
Olive slices for garnish

Pierce whole acorn squash to the center with a paring knife. Microwave eight to 10 minutes depending on the size of the squash, or place on a baking sheet and bake at 375° for about 45 minutes.

Cool slightly. Cut an inch off the stem end. Cut two or three slices crosswise about one and one-half inches thick. The number depends on the squash size and serving size. Remove seeds with a spoon. Place rings on a greased baking sheet, brush with butter.

Prepare corn stuffing mix. Sauté bacon and drain excess fat. Add onion and peppers and sauté until tender. Add corn, cumin, sage, salsa and pumpkin seeds. Crumble corn bread coarsely.

Mix eggs, cream corn and chicken stock together, and add to bread along with sauteed vegetables. Mix gently until combined. Fill each squash round, mounding the mixture. Bake in 375° oven about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with sliced olives. Bake any leftover stuffing in a dish.


courtesy of: Betty Thompson / North Coast Journal Weekly, November 1997 / 145 G Street, Suite A, Arcata, California 95521, (707) 826-2000

580. PILCHARD and BACON PIE

a.k.a. Stargazy Pie

serves 8


One 8" (200mm) shallow pie dish
6 to 8 pilchard
2 eggs
3 rashers bacon
1 lemon.
1 medium sized onion
sea salt and pepper to season
parsley and tarragon

Gut, clean and bone the fish, leaving on the heads and tails. (You may find the flesh is so fresh you can pull the backbone free without a knife) Take the onion. Finely chop. Chop into squares the bacon. Cut the lemon in half; set two slices from to one side for decoration. Squeeze and save the juice. Finely grind the rind. Boil until soft, not hard two free-range eggs. Cut into small dices.

Mousehole Either mix and roll enough ingredients to make approx. 500g of shortcrust or flaky pasty. If you dont have the patience buy some ready prepared frozen pasty from the your local supermarket. Cut the thawed pasty mixture into two halves. Roll one half down to thickness sufficient to cover the base of your pie dish. Cut off the overlapped edges. Coat the edge with either milk or water to ensure the pasty lid will stick.

Either then: Carefully your pilchards, into the bottom of the dish arranging them, like the spokes of a wheel, around the edge of your dish. Place the mixed chopped onion, eggs and bacon in the gaps between the fish. Some recipes suggest stuffing the with half the finely chopped mixture, but given the small gut of the pilchard is it worth trying to do so? Add the lemon juice and cover with your pasty lid pressing down around the fish to seal the pie, trim the edges of overlapping pasty and crimping the edges in true Cornish style.

Or (and we find this more authentic) place all your chopped ingredients, including seasoning into the dish. Cover with pasty lid, trim the edges of overlapping pasty, crimp as above, then carefully cut slits into the pasty, hold open with blade of a knife, and gently push the whole fish into the slots, leaving just the heads or tails showing. Add the lemon juice and then seal the slits. Coat the now completed pie with a beaten egg.

Cooking your Pie: Place in the middle of a pre-hearted oven gas mark 6, 200 c for around 30 minutes, until golden brown. For larger pies more time might be needed before it is cooked.

Serve piping hot with sprig of parsley garnish and Cornish new potatoes.


courtesy of: Cornwall by Cornishlight, The Cornwall Tourist Board's Holiday Information Call Centre: + 44 (0) 1872 322900

579. BACON CHIVE RICE

yields 6 servings


3 slices bacon, diced
3 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Cook bacon until crisp. Add rice, chives, and seasonings. Blend well and heat thoroughly.


courtesy of: 101 Recipes

578. BARBECUE BACON-WRAPPED PIKE (or WALLEYE) SKEWERS

4-5 lbs Northern Pike (or walleye) fillets -- cut into 1" cubes
1 lb bacon strips, cut in half
Italian style dressing
barbecue sauce
bamboo skewers

Marinate cubed fish in Italian style dressing for 1 hour. Wrap bacon strips around marinated fish cubes. Spear into skewers so bacon doesn't unravel. Repeat until skewers are full. Cook over medium heat on barbecue; turn continually. Brush on your favourite BBQ sauce when the bacon begins to get crisp. Continue turning periodically until fish is white and bacon is crisp.


courtesy of: Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, 1199 Plessis Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2C 3L4

577. CORNBREAD, BACON and SAGE STUFFING

1 9” x 9” cornbread
1 16-ounce loaf sourdough bread
2 cups diced bacon
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrot
2 tablespoons fresh sage chiffonade
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut the cornbread and the sourdough bread into ½ inch cubes. Spread onto baking trays and bake for 15 minutes or until the bread has dried out. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.

Cook the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat until it begins to crisp. Add the onions and carrots. Cook until the onions soften and start to turn translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the sage, salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Add the contents of the pan to the mixing bowl and gently mix with the bread cubes. Add the stock and the half-and-half, continue mixing until the dressing is moist and well blended. I usually use my hands for this but a large wooden spoon is good too.

Put the mixture into a 13” x 9” x 2” greased baking pan. Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the top is crispy.

Substitutions: If you want to add more turkey flavor, use turkey stock instead of chicken and/or spoon some turkey pan drippings onto the dressing.

Use 1 teaspoon dried sage instead of fresh sage if you can’t get fresh.

If you can’t get sourdough bread, then nice peasant bread would work too.

Notes: This is dressing, not stuffing, and should not be cooked inside the bird.

I use a cornbread mix to make the cornbread, but if you want to save time, buy one from a store.

Prepping the bread can be done the day before and the bread kept, loosely covered, overnight. Use day-old bread for faster drying.


courtesy of: Fiat Lux

576. SPECIAL CASSOULET with DUCK, HOT SAUSAGES and BACON

serves 8 to 10


2 lb. (5 1/2 cups) dry white beans (Great Northern)
rind from 1/2 lb. salt pork
1 onion, peeled and stuck with 2 cloves
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
bouquet garni of 1 sprig thyme, 2 bay leaves, parsley stalks and 3 large cloves garlic
1 2 1/2-pound chunk of slab bacon
2 ducks, about 4 1/2 lbs. each
1 1/2 lb. hot Italian or Spanish sausage
1 cup sliced onion
6 cups chicken stock
5 tablespoons tomato paste
3 large cloves garlic, smashed
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Fill a large pot with tepid water, add the beans, set over low heat and bring slowly to a boil. Remove from the head and let the beans soak for about 1 1/2 hours.

Put the pork rind into a pot of cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Rinse with cold water and cut into pieces about 1 inch square. Wrap in cheesecloth, tie into a bundle and set aside.

When the beans have finished soaking, add the pork rind, the onion stuck with cloves, the carrots and the bouquet garni. Add more water if necessary to cover the beans, bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender but still slightly firm. Remove the scum that will rise to the surface.

Cut 1 1/2 pounds of the bacon into lardons 1 inch by 1/2 inch, cover them with cold water in a pan and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.

Cut the ducks into serving pieces with poultry shears or a heavy sharp knife. Cut the sausage into 1-inch slices.

Cut the remaining bacon into small pieces and place it with 1 tablespoon of water into a heavy, 6- to 8-quart pot. Set over low heat to render about 4 tablespoons of fat. Discard the bacon and leave the fat in the pot.

Thoroughly dry the duck pieces and add them to the pot with the sausage and prepared lardons, and brown the duck evenly on all sides, about 15 minutes. (If the pot isn't big enough, use a second pot or heavy skillet.) Add the sliced onions. When everything is browned, cover with stock, stir in the tomato paste and bring to a boil, stirring. Add the garlic. Sprinkle with pepper, lower the heat and simmer for at least 45 minutes, or until the duck is tender. If the duck is cooked before the beans, turn off the flame and let it wait, covered.

When the beans are tender, discard the pork rind and the bouquet garni, and add the beans and their cooking juice to the duck. Simmer together until the flavor is nicely blended. With a spoon or bulb baster, remove any fat that has risen to the surface. Remove the beans to a warm serving platter with a slotted spoon, and arrange the meat on top of them. Reduce the cooking liquid to 2 cups and strain. Taste and correct the seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and beans, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

NOTE: The ducks are best cooked a day in advance, so that the fat can be more easily removed, then reheated.


courtesy of: Simone Beck / Christine Muhlke, "An Old Flame," T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Holiday 2006, p. 132

575. OKONOMIYAKI with BACON

Batter:
1 cup of all-purpose flour (Not bread flour! The okonomiyaki won't cook right.)
3/4 cup of dashi soup stock if you have it or water if you don't
1 egg (or more - use 2 tbsp less water/dashi stock for each egg you add)
about 4 cabbage leaves
1 tsp baking powder

Toppings/fillings:
cooked bacon, small/thinly sliced beef, pork, fish, chicken, crab, or any other kind of meat; browned ground beef; cocktail shrimp; salad mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, minced pickled ginger, nori, sakura-ebi (dried shrimp), bonito flakes, nori, tenkasu, furikake, konbu, daikon, chopped-up cashews, and whatever else you want to put in there.

First up, the batter. Cut the cabbage leaves into coleslaw-like strips. (If you use the white "ribs," cut them very thin so they'll soften when cooked.) Beat the egg in a bowl, then add the dashi or water. Mix. Add the flour. Mix well. Add in the baking powder. Then mix in the cabbage, a bit at a time until all of it is in there and covered with batter. By this time the batter will be like glue to hold the cabbage together.

At this point you can add in some toppings. I put in the larger stuff like shrimp, sliced shiitake or regular mushrooms, chunks of cooked bacon, and ground beef. Mix some more. Then dump some of the mess into a frying pan at medium high heat, about the same heat you'd use for pancakes. (This recipe makes 2 or 3 individual-sized "cakes." I'm a small person, so 1/3 makes a nice meal for me.) Before the batter starts to set you can drizzle more toppings, like torn-up nori, bonito flakes, dried shrimp, and shredded ginger, onto the top. Let the thing fry covered for 5 minutes, then turn it over (the bottom should be brown in the darkest spots) and cook it for 5 minutes on the other side. Voila, it's done. Serve with mayonnaise and/or okonomiyaki sauce.

A few favorite topping combinations:

* Bacon with mushrooms. Cook a pair of strips of bacon per cake, cut them into small chips, then mix those and thinly sliced mushrooms into the batter.

* Browned ground beef with sauteed mushrooms. Cook both together, drain well, then mix the stuff in with the batter.

* Cocktail shrimp and well-sliced-up shiitake mushrooms dumped into the batter before cooking, then nori and bonito flakes sprinkled onto the top.


courtesy of: My Lunch Can Beat Up Your Lunch

574. BROCHETTE OF BACON-WRAPPED SWORDFISH

makes 4 servings


1 small clove garlic
1 tablespoon mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
¾ cup dry bread crumbs
8 large white mushrooms
Juice of ½ lemon
2 bell peppers (capiscums), 1 red and 1 yellow or 2 red
1¾ pounds swordfish, 1½ inches thick
6 strips bacon
8 large cloves roasted garlic
1 sweet onion, preferably Vidalia
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

First place 8 long bamboo skewers in cold water to soak. Finely chop the garlic with the herbs, season with black pepper, mix with the bread crumbs, and side aside. Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Place the mushroom caps in a small saucepan with the lemon juice and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then drain immediately. Set aside. Core and seed the peppers and cut them into 2-inch (5-cm) squares. You should have 16 squares of pepper. Trim any skin from the swordfish and cut the fish into 12 uniform medallions, about 1½ x 2 inches (4 x 5 cm). Wrap each in ½ strip of the bacon. Peel the roasted garlic cloves. Peel the onion, quarter it and separate it into layers. Preheat a grill or broiler. Thread the ingredients, just slightly off center, on each of 4 skewers, starting with a mushroom cap, then a roasted garlic clove, then a chunk of bacon-wrapped swordfish, taking care to put the skewer through the bacon as well as the fish. Follow with a square of red pepper, a piece of onion, and another square of pepper, a chunk of swordfish. Continue with pepper, onion, pepper, swordfish, garlic, and mushroom. Insert a second skewer about ½ inch (1.3 cm) from the first in each brochette. Repeat with the remaining skewers. Lightly season the skewers with salt and pepper, brush with olive oil, and roll in the bread crumb mixture to coat lightly. Grill or broil the skewers 6 to 8 minutes, turning them as they brown.


courtesy of: Life in Italy.com, 5909 Bethlehem Court, Rockville, Maryland 20855 / (301) 738 6827

573. RICE and BACON-STUFFED MACKEREL for cats

a.k.a. Mackerel Magic

serves two


2 slices of unsmoked bacon, broiled
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 tsp soy sauce, Worcestershire or fish sause
1 fresh mackerel, headed, tailed, cleaned and scaled

Chop the bacon up small and mix with the rice, adding the sauce in dashes as you go. Broil the mackerel on both sides until crispy brown. Allow to cool, then split it along the somach and gently open it out. Bone, working from the head to tail. Fill with the rice and bacon mixture, close over the sides of the mackerel and serve.


courtesy of: Lisa Violet's Cathouse

572. SPAGHETTI AGLIO OLIO

a.k.a. Garlic & Oil


5-6 cloves of garlic, cut into slivers
7-8 shiitake mushrooms, cut into slivers
2-3 small chillis , chopped into small bits
1 packet of bacon, chopped into small chunks
Handful of cherry tomatos, cut into thin slices
Spaghetti enough for three
2-3 stalks of coriander, chopped into small bits
Olive oil

Cook the spaghetti. Heat a pan up, add the bacon in and fry it in its own fats (I use less fatty bacon so had to add some olive oil in). Remove the bacon when slightly browned and strain on a piece of kitchen towel. Drain out excess bacon fats and add some olive oil in the pan. Fry the garlic till fragrant and add the mushroom. Fry till slightly crisp. Add the chilli and spaghetti and mix well. Add more oil if it's too dry - spaghetti should be lightly coated with oil. Toast in the tomatos and coriander last and mix well. Serve with grilled turkey and salad


courtesy of: Little Gingko Nut, Ling, Hong Kong

571. HASENPFEFFER

or, German rabbit stew

makes 4 servings


1 rabbit, cut into pieces
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 spice clove
2 tablespoon bacon, diced
2 small carrots, chopped
2 cups mushrooms
1/2 cup vinegar
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream

Heat vegetable oil in sauce pan. When hot, add leaf, garlic clove, spice clove, bacon, carrots and mushrooms. Add rabbit and simmer until browned. Pour solution of 1/2 cup vinegar, mixed with 1 to 1-1/2 cups water over meat. Cover pan and simmer until tender. Before removing pan from heat, add sour cream stirring to blend. Serve hot with dumplings or large noodles.


courtesy of: Beagles Unlimited

570. CHEESY HAM and BACON CHOWDER

Makes 10 servings, ready in one hour or less


10 bacon strips, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups cubed potatoes
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 chicken bouillon cube
Pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

In a large pot fry the bacon until crispy. Remove and lay on paper towels. In the bacon drippings, sauté the onion and carrots until tender. Stir in flour and gradually add the milk and water. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Add the potatoes, corn, bouillon and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add cheese and ham, cook until cheese is melted. Turn heat off and stir in bacon.


courtesy of: Vanieca Akins, Tallapoosa River, Alabama / Wiregrass Electric Cooperative, 509 N. State Highway 167, P.O. Box 158, Hartford, Alabama 36344, (334) 588-2223

569. PORTUGUESE BACON PUDDING with CARAMEL and FIGS

a.k.a. Pudim Do Abade de Priscos

servings: 6-8


For the pudding
390 caster sugar
300ml water
1x7.5 cm piece lemon rind
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
80g smoked bacon, rind removed and finely diced
12 egg yolks, well beaten
2 tbsp port

For the baked figs
1 fig, per portion
50ml Honey
100ml orange juice
50ml Brandy
1 tsp grated orange zest
500g toasted flaked almonds

For the bacon toffee
210g caster sugar
125ml water
40g bacon, finely shredded and blanched in boiling water for 1 minute


Heat the sugar with the water, lemon rind, bay leaf, cinnamon and finely diced bacon.

Bring to the boil and cook steadily to 220-225F on a sugar thermometer, or when a little of the mixture separates into threads when dropped into cold water. Remove from the heat, and strain through a sieve and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 240C/gas 9.

Add the egg yolks and port to the syrup and stir well. Then pour the pudding mixture into a large pudding basin or individual basins or dariole moulds.

Place the basin(s) in a bain-marie (or roasting tin filled with hot water to come half way up the basins) and cook in the oven for about 1 hour, if using a large pudding basin or about 35 minutes if using individual moulds. The pudding should be set and slightly golden, then remove from the oven and leave to cool until lukewarm.

To bake the figs: trim the tops and bases of the figs and prick all over with a toothpick. Stand the figs upright in an ovenproof dish. Mix together the honey, orange juice, brandy and orange zest and pour over the figs.

Cover and bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes basting from time to time.

For the bacon toffee: mix the sugar with the water in a small pan and stir until dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer until amber in colour. Add the blanched bacon.

Using a fork or spoon, drizzle the bacon toffee into patterns on non-stick parchment and leave to cool and set.

Turn out the lukewarm pudding(s) and place a fig on top of each pudding. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and drizzle with a little of the pan liquor. Top with the crispy bacon caramel and serve.


courtesy of: Alan Coxon, Great Food Live

568. RHODE ISLAND CLEAR CLAM CHOWDER

Makes 12 cups; serves 12 as a first course or 6 to 8 as a main course

NOTE: For equipment, you will need an 8-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid (for steaming open the clams), a fine-mesh strainer, a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot (for the chowder), a wooden spoon, a small pot (to warm the milk), and a ladle.


8 pounds small quahogs or large cherrystone clams
2 pounds Yukon Gold, Maine, PEl, or other all-purpose potatoes peeled and cut
4 ounces slab (unsliced) bacon (rind removed and cut into 1/3-inch dice into 1/2-inch dice)
2 cups Clam Broth
bottled clam juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Traditional Fish Stock
2 medium onions (12 to 14 ounces) cut into 1/2-inch dice
Chicken Stock or water (as a last resort)
3 stalks celery (6 ounces) cut into 1/3-inch dice
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped
Kosher or sea salt if needed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian (1 tablespoon) parsley
2 dried bay leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil (optional)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 to 3 cups whole milk

Scrub the clams and rinse clean. Steam them open. Strain the broth; you should have 4 cups of broth (and 1 pound of clams). Cover the clams with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated. After they have cooled a bit, dice them into 1/2-inch pieces. Cover again and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Heat a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over low heat and add the bacon. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the bacon is a crisp golden brown. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat, leaving the bacon in the pot.

Add the butter, onions, celery, thyme, bay leaves, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes, if using, and sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onions are softened but not browned.

Add the potatoes, the reserved clam broth, and the additional 2 cups broth, and continue to cook over medium heat until the chowder begins to simmer; if it begins to boil, turn down the heat slightly so that it maintains a steady simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes longer, until the potatoes are very tender.

Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the diced clams, and season to taste with black pep- per and the lemon juice. (It is unlikely that you will need to add any salt; the clams usually provide enough.) If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has chilled completely. Otherwise, let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour, allowing the flavors to meld.

When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; do not let it boil. Stir in the parsley, chives, and chervil. At the same time, heat the milk over low heat; do not let it boil.

Ladle the chowder into cups or bowls making sure that the clams, potatoes, onions, and bacon are evenly divided; do not fill the cups or bowls more than three-quarters full. As is customary in Rhode Island, serve the hot milk in a small pitcher so each person can add as much as he or she likes to their chowder, if any.


courtesy of: 50 Chowders, one-pot meals -- clam, corn and beyond, by Jasper White. Scribner, 2000 / Bill the Oyster Man

567. TAYLOR HAM, BACON, TOMATO, LETTUCE and CHEESE SANDWICH

a.k.a. the BLTTC


Taylor ham
bacon
lettuce
Provolone cheese
mayonnaise
honey mustard
salt and pepper

Grill the Taylor ham and the bacon. Add cheese to the Taylor Ham. Add the mayo, honey mustard, and tomato to a toasted sub roll. Add the meat and cheese to the roll. Top it off with lettuce, salt and pepper to taste.


courtesy of: Rich Myrlak, Rutherford, New Jersey / Jersey Pork Roll, 177 Stelton Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08855, 1-866-4NJ-PORK

566. BACON, RICOTTA and POTATO BALLS

yield 10 balls


5 slices of bacon, cooked, cut in the middle
1 yukon gold potato, small, cooked and mashed
ricotta, equal portion as the potato
dry thyme
small sage leaves

Mix ricotta, potato and thyme. Taste and season if necessary. Shape into small ball (about the size of a gum ball). Wrap the ball with a piece of bacon. Garnish with a sage leaf, use a toothpick to hold the position.


courtesy of: Gattina, New Jersey

565. BACON BAGEL BREAKFAST

Serves 4


4 sliced bagels
butter
8 slices bacon
4 hard boiled eggs, shelled and coarsely chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Tabasco Sauce

Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Preheat the broiler. Lightly butter the bagels and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium flame, heat the tomatoes and green onions. Cover and cook 4 minutes, until the tomatoes have released their juices and are partially liquid. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cream, then add the cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and forms a sauce. Add a dash of Tabasco Sauce, to taste. While the tomatoes are cooking, toast the bagels in the broiler until golden brown. For each serving, place two halves of a bagel on a plate. Top each half with a bacon slice. Sprinkle chopped egg on top. Finish by pouring some of the tomato-cheese sauce over each half. Serve immediately, passing extra Tabasco on the side.


courtesy of: Katherine Heyhoe / The Global Gourmet

564. BACON BASIL PASTA TOSS

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sliced green onion
3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
8 slices bacon cooked and chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
3 large seeded and diced tomatoes
1/2 lb pasta
1 cup chopped chicken
salt & pepper to taste

Cook pasta to al dente. Drain. Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic and green onion and cook for one minute. Add tomatoes and basil and cook for 2 more minutes. Toss in drained pasta to coat. Stir in chicken and bacon. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top, and garnish with additional fresh chopped basil or parsley.


courtesy of: Decio Pasta, 5028 S. Ash Avenue Ste 105, Tempe, Arizona 85282

563. MAPLE-ROASTED TURKEY with SAGE, SMOKED BACON, and CORNBREAD STUFFING

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 bunch fresh sage, leaves finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 loaf cornbread, cubed (about 6 cups)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 cups chicken stock
1 (12 to 14 pound) fresh turkey
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup hot water
8 strips smoked bacon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 lemon, juiced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove the top rack.

Combine the butter and sage in a mixing bowl, mash with a fork or spoon until the sage is well incorporated and the butter has flecks of green in it; season with salt and pepper.

In a saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of the sage butter, add the onions, cook and stir for 15 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from heat. Put the cornbread in a large mixing bowl and scrape the sauteed onion mixture on top. Add the egg, heavy cream, and just enough chicken stock to moisten the stuffing without making it soggy (about 1/2 cup.) Toss well to combine, season with salt and pepper.

Remove the neck and gizzards from the inside of the turkey and discard. Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, pat dry. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin from the breast and legs, and slip pieces of the sage butter underneath; massaging it in as you go. Fill the bird with the cornbread stuffing without packing too tightly; cook the remaining stuffing separately in a buttered baking dish. Truss the turkey; place it on a rack in a large roasting pan, and put into the oven.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and hot water to thin the glaze out a bit; use this to baste the turkey every 30 minutes. The turkey should take about 3 hours to cook (i.e. 15 to 20 minutes per pound.) If the legs or breast brown too quickly, cover with foil. About 2 hours into cooking, shingle the strips of bacon oven the turkey breast to cover; continue to roast and baste for another hour or so. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F (the thigh juices will also run clear when pricked with a knife.) Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before carving, so the juices can settle back into the meat.

Skim off the excess fat from the pan drippings with a spoon and place the roasting pan over 2 burners set on medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. Whisk the flour into the drippings, stirring as it thickens to prevent lumps. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper and hit it with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Simmer for 5 minutes and then strain to remove any particles. Serve the gravy with the maple-roasted turkey and cornbread stuffing.


courtesy of: Tyler Florence, "Tyler Talks Turkey," Food 911

562. "LARK" VEGAS BACON-WRAPPED CHICKEN BREASTS

4 (single) chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded flat
4-6 oz. pepper jack cheese, grated
salt and pepper
8 slices, thick-sliced bacon
1 lime
toothpicks
cumin
chili pepper
olive oil
green hot sauce

Butterfly and pound out chicken breasts; you will have 8 pieces. Season each with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each with a little cumin, chili powder, and a dash or two of green hot sauce. Place a good helping of the cheese on each piece of chicken. Roll up, wrap with bacon and place toothpicks through each breast to keep rolled up.

Pre-heat your barbecue and place a cast iron, "ridged" grill atop. This will ensure the bacon doesn't get charred before the chicken is cooked through. Squeeze lime juice on each breast. Drizzle each breast with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Grill 4-5 minutes on each side or until done. Remember to remove toothpicks before serving.


courtesy of: Lark Bradley, Missoula, Montana

561. PEANUT BUTTER and BACON SPAGHETTI

Serves 4

8 oz. Spaghetti or Thin Spaghetti, uncooked
1 10-oz. package frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
6 slices cooked bacon, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Two minutes before pasta is done, add the peas. Combine chicken broth, milk, peanut butter, soy sauce and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.

Drain pasta and peas. Combine pasta and sauce and toss well. Sprinkle with bacon and add salt and pepper to taste.


courtesy of: The National Pasta Association, 1156 Fifteenth Street N.W., Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 637-5888

560. LUTEFISK with BACON, CREAMED PEAS and BOILED POTATOES

makes 4 servings

6 lbs. lutefisk
2-3 tablespoons salt

To accompany:

1/4 lb. bacon

for Creamed Peas
300 ml dried peas
water
100 ml milk
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt

Set the oven for 200 C. Place the fish skin side down in a oven-proof dish. Sprinkle with salt. Cover with lid or foil. Cook for approximately 40 minutes.

Dice bacon, fry so that fat melts and bacon becomes crispy.

Soak peas over night. Boil peas in fresh water til soft. With milk and flur. Stir the peas into the roux. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Salt to taste.

Serve lutefisk with creamed peas, boiled potatoes, bacon fat, and crispy bacon. Salt, pepper, mustard placed at the table.


courtesy of: NTNU: Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet

559. CHEESY BACON APRICOT SPREAD

2 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup apricot preserves

With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese (room temperature) until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined. Serve with crackers or cut up vegetables.


courtesy of: Smuckers, The J.M. Smucker Co., 1 Strawberry Lane, Orrville, Ohio 44667-0280, 1-888-550-9555

558. MINI MUFFULETTA BACON-OLIVE SANDWICHES

makes 12 appetizer servings


24 split cocktail buns or dinner roll halves
48 pepperoni slices

for Bacon-Olive Cream Cheese
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
24 pimiento-stuffed olives, chopped
4 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients. To make ahead: Cover and chill for up to 3 days. For easier spreading, let stand 30 minutes or until softened.

Layer bottom of cocktail buns or dinner roll halves evenly with Bacon-Olive Cream Cheese and pepperoni slices; cover with bun halves. Prep: 15 min.


courtesy of: Southern Living, September 2004

557. CRISPY BACON MUSTARD CORNBREAD

makes 8 servings


8 slices bacon
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup prepared mustard or Dijon mustard
1 egg, beaten
2 cups self-rising corn meal mix

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. In 12-inch cast iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine milk, mustard and egg; mix well. Add corn meal mix; blend well. Remove bacon from skillet; drain on paper towels. Remove drippings from skillet; reserve. Crumble bacon; sprinkle evenly in skillet. Add 1 tablespoon reserved drippings to skillet. Stir 3 tablespoons reserved drippings into cornbread batter; blend well.* Pour batter over bacon in skillet. Bake at 450 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from skillet; place on serving plate.


courtesy of: Martha White, 1-(800)-663-6317

556. CHAMORRO RED RICE with BACON and ONIONS

3 cups short grained rice
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
6-8 slices smoky streaky bacon, finely chopped
achote (see note)


For this recipe, prepare rice for cooking in a rice cooker. Set aside. Sautée onion (or half a large one), with bacon, chopped finely. Drain off any excess oil, and add this to the rice pot. For a vegetarian version, add a little more onion, and a little hickory or kiawe liquid smoke, if desired. Add one scant tablespoon of the powder for every cup of rice cooked, but adjust it according to your colour preference--I like mine to be more orange, while others prefer a deeper, almost paprika-hued red. Close the lid to your cooker, and cook as regular rice. Mix the rice through to distribute the onions and bacon and it's done!

NOTE: Achote comes in seed form, which must be soaked, but also comes in more convenient powder or liquid forms. I use powder, which can be found in many latino food shops as annatto or achiote. i


courtesy of: the scent of green bananas: food from the guambat

555. BACON-WRAPPED ZANDER

1 Zander scaled and gutted (2-3lbs)
150g smoked bacon sliced into strips
salt
flour
100g butter
1 small onion
200ml sour cream
100ml double cream
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 slice lemon

Score the fish vertically on each side. Salt it and then turn it in flour. Fry in half the butter at the highest temperature possible for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover with the strips of bacon and keep warm. Finely chop the onion and fry gently in a quarter of the butter. When transparent, add both creams and the paprika. Make a roux from the remaining butter and 1 tsp flour. Stir into the onion cream until thickened. Pour over the fish and bacon then garnish with a slice of lemon and serve with vegetables and new potatoes.


courtesy of: Camboaters Community Association, Cambridge UK / A Voice on the River newsletter

554. CHESTNUT SOUP with BACON and THYME CROUTONS

Serves 4


8 oz (225 g) peeled chestnuts – approximately 1 lb (450 g) unpeeled weight
1 stick celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
2 pints (1.2 litres) Ham Bone Stock (click here for recipe)
salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the croutons:
4 oz (110 g) stale white bread, cut into small cubes
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 rasher bacon, very finely chopped
½ level teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

To make the soup, you simply place all the ingredients in a large saucepan, season discreetly with salt and pepper, bring up to simmering point, then put a lid on and simmer very gently for 45 minutes.

While that's happening you can prepare the croutons. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the bacon gently for 5 minutes, then turn the heat up to its highest setting, add the cubes of bread together with the thyme, and toss them around (keeping them constantly on the move) until they, and the bacon, have turned a deep golden brown colour and become very crisp and crunchy.

Turn them out on to some absorbent kitchen paper. Then, as soon as the soup is ready, transfer it to a blender and purée until smooth. Re-heat it in the rinsed-out pan and serve in warmed soup bowls, with the croutons, bacon and thyme sprinkled over.


courtesy of: Delia Smith, Delia Smith’s Christmas and The Delia Collection: Soup

553. BACON and POBLANO PEPPER QUESO FUNDIDO

makes 16 servings, 2 tablespoons each


4 slices bacon
1 poblano chile, halved lengthwise, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in skillet until crisp; remove from skillet. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from skillet. Add chiles and garlic to skillet; cook and stir until tender. Crumble bacon. Layer half each of the bacon and chiles in 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish; sprinkle with cheese. Top with remaining bacon and chiles. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips, warmed flour tortillas or cut-up fresh vegetables.


courtesy of: Kraft Foods

552. SEA SCALLOPS with PEAS, BACON and CARROTS

serves 4


4 slices of thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch matchsticks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 small Vidalia or other sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/2 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
1/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 cup packed shredded Boston lettuce (6 leaves)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
16 large sea scallops (about 1 1/2 pounds)

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and carrot and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the carrot is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook just until heated through. Add the chicken stock, cover and simmer until the carrot is tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the shredded lettuce, lemon juice, parsley and bacon and cook just until the lettuce wilts. Season the vegetables generously with salt and pepper and keep warm. In another large skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the olive oil. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to warmed plates, top with the scallops and serve.


courtesy of: Daniel Boulud, "Four-Star Food," Food & Wine, July 2003

551. PECAN-BROWN SUGAR and BACON ICE CREAM

makes 1½ quarts


3 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1¼ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
4 egg yolks
1 cup chopped pecans
1 lb. bacon, cooked until very crips, blotted on paper towels and finely chopped (about ½ cup)

Combine the cream, milk, and sugar in a heavy saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until hot and the sugar is completely dissolved, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot cream-milk mixture. Return the yolk mixture to the saucepan, beating constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, 6-8 minutes. Do not let boil.

Strain the mixture into a clean bowl and let it cool completely. Stir in pecans and bacon and freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. To showcase the ice cream's flavor, before serving, remove from freezer and let it soften slightly.


courtesy of: Seduced by Bacon by Joanna Pruess with Bob Lape. Guilford, Connecticut: The Lyons Press, 2006, p. 166

550. BEEF STEW with BACON

4 lbs. Beef tenderloin tips or rump roast, cut into cubes
4 strips bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ lb. button mushrooms
2 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 bottle Syrah

In a deep fry pan, cook bacon, onions, and garlic. Remove bacon and onions with a slotted spoon. Brown meat cubes on all sides. Sprinkle with flour and brown slightly. Add wine, stirring well. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for appx. 1 hour. Replace onions and bacon, add mushrooms, and simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes. Serve over noodles. Garnish with chopped parsley.


courtesy of: Tantalus Winery, 19320 Orange Avenue, Sonoma, California 95476

549. DISCADA

Equal quantities of pork and beef meat
Bacon
Onions
Green peppers (you can also mix green and red peppers)
Tomatoes
Salt
Black pepper
Cumin (either seeds or powder)
Olive oil (the original recipe is with pork lard)
Grated Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese may work (if you can find Chihuahua cheese would be great)

Chop ingredients in small pieces, but do not mix them. In a large pan or skillet, pour some olive oil. Fry the bacon until it is well cook, and put it aside (but leave the mix of fat and olive oil in the pan).

The order in which you fry the ingredients is quite important. In the same pan, fry the chopped onions (add more oil if needed), until it's 3/4 done and put it aside. Repeat the same process with the peppers.

Now in the same pan, cook the pork and add some salt and black pepper to taste. When it's done put aside.

Now cook the beef (add more oil if necessary), and add some salt, black pepper and cumin. When the beef is somewhere 1/2 - 3/4 done, add the pork, the green peppers, the onion and the bacon. Mix everything well.

Add the chopped tomatoes (you need enough tomato to cover everything) and keep mixing until the tomato releases the juice. Cover until the beef is well done.

Put it into a big plate to serve it, and cover with the cheese. Eat it with corn tortillas (refried beans are optional).


courtesy of: Graduate Christian Fellowship, University of Florida

548. OCEAN TROUT with WARM POTATO and BACON SALAD, RIESLING CABBAGE, GARLIC SAUSAGE, and GRAINY MUSTARD SAUCE

Yield: 6 people

6- 7oz. Filets of Arctic Char
2 pieces of fresh garlic sausage
2 Tbs. Grape seed oil

For Potatoes:
2 lb. Fingerling Potatoes
1 Tbs. caraway seeds
1/2 onion (diced)
1 cucumber (peeled and sliced)
4 slices smoked bacon
4 oz. grape seed oil
4 oz. chicken stock
2 oz. hengstenberg vinegar or other white vinegar
2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Boil the potatoes (skin on), with the caraway seeds. Let cool and when still warm, peel and slice them. Heat up the tablespoon of the oil and sauté the bacon to a crisp, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Combine the mix to the potatoes and add the rest of the oil, vinegar, parsley, cucumber, chicken stock, and finish with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

For Cabbage:
16 oz. Sauerkraut
1 Tbs. Caraway seeds
1 ½ cups plus 4 Tbs. dry Riesling wine
1 granny smith apple
1 small Yukon gold potato
6 Tbs. Butter

Drain the sauerkraut. Sauté the cabbage in a pan with two tablespoons of the butter and the caraway seeds. Add the wine and reduce by half. Meanwhile, peel and grate the apple and potato separately. Add the apple to the reducing cabbage mixture. When the mixture is almost dry add in the potato. Cook the cabbage until it is nearly dry. Add the remaining butter, four tablespoons of fresh Riesling wine, salt, and ground white pepper.


For Grainy Mustard Sauce

Yields: 1 cup

2 Tbs. High quality grainy mustard
½ cup Riesling wine
1 Tbs. Honey
1 cup fresh fish cream

In a small saucepot, bring to a boil the wine, honey, and mustard. Reduce the mixture by half, and add in the cream. Bring the cream to a boil and season with salt and white pepper.

If the sausage has already been cooked, simply slice it in to 1/8-inch rounds. Warm your cast iron or cold steel frying pan up over a medium high heat. Sauté the sausage rounds in the pan with one tablespoon of the grape seed oil. Remove the sausage and keep them in a warm place. Add more oil if needed and sauté the trout fillets on the skin side for 6 minutes. Lower the heat if the skin is getting to dark. Flip the fish and cook for 30 more seconds.

To serve: Place a couple of spoons of the potato salad on six individual plates. Divide the cabbage equally between the plates. Put 4 of 5 slices of sausage and the fish on top of the cabbage. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the sauce on the plates.


courtesy of: 3030 Ocean Restaurant, Marriott's Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, 3030 Holiday Drive, Fort Lauderdale,
Florida, Florida 33316, 954-765-3030

547. POACHED EGGS with an ARTICHOKE, BACON, and CROUTON SALAD

Serves 4


For the salad
4 large globe artichokes
lemon juice
2 soft round lettuces

For the croutons
2 slices white bread, crusts removed
sunflower oil, for shallow frying
4 rashers of rindless, thick-cut streaky bacon, cut across into short fat strips

For the eggs
4 large, very fresh eggs
white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp Dijon mustard
6 tbsp sunflower oil

To prepare the artichokes, break off the stems and discard.

Cut off the top half of each globe, and then bend back the green leaves, letting them snap off close to the base, until you reach the hairy choke at the centre.

Slice the choke away with a small knife, close to the heart, or scrape it away with a teaspoon.

Trim off the dark green base of the leaves to leave just the convex-shaped heart.

Drop them into a pan of acidulated water (water and lemon juice) to prevent the hearts going brown.

When you have prepared them all, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the hearts and cook for 4-5 minutes or until just tender, then drain and leave to cool.

Remove the outer leaves of the lettuces and break the pale green hearts into leaves.

Wash and dry well, using a salad spinner if you have one. Slice the artichoke hearts across into thin slices.

For the croutons, tear or cut the bread into small pieces about 1cm/¾in in size.

Heat a thin layer of sunflower oil in a small frying pan, add the bread pieces and fry over a medium-high heat until crisp and golden.

Remove with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on kitchen paper.

Heat a little more sunflower oil in the frying pan, add the bacon strips and fry for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Set aside with the croutons and keep warm.

To make the dressing, return the empty frying pan to a medium-high heat and add the vinegar, followed by the mustard.

Whisk together well, allowing the mixture to reduce very slightly as you do so, then gradually whisk in the sunflower oil and some salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and keep warm.

To poach the eggs, bring 5cm/2in of water to the boil in a wide, shallow pan. Add vinegar and salt (1½ tsp vinegar and ½ tsp salt per 1.2 litres/2 pints water) and reduce to a very gentle simmer. Break in the eggs and leave to poach gently for three minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper.

To serve, arrange the salad leaves over the centre of four plates and tuck the artichoke slices in among the leaves. Slide a poached egg into the centre of each salad and scatter with the croûtons and bacon. Spoon over a little of the warm dressing and serve straight away, while everything is still warm.


courtesy of: Rick Stein, French Odyssey

546. DOG BACON DROPS

4 cups of all-purpose flour
6 teaspoons of baking powder
½ cup of dry nonfat milk
½ cup of vegetable shortening
16 slices of crisp cooked bacon strips, crumbled
2 cups of chicken broth, or as much as needed

Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and pre heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place 2 lightly greased baking pans on the side.

Use a large bowl and a wire whisk to mix the all purpose flour, baking powder and dry milk together. Use a pastry blender to cut in the shortening until the mixture acquires a fine meal consistency. Then form a hole in the middle of the dry mixture and add in the chicken broth and work it until it turns into a soft dough and pulls away from the bowl it is in.

Drop 1 teaspoon full of dough onto the previously prepared baking pans. Allow them to bake for around 10 to 12 minutes or until the top of the cookies acquire a light brown color.

Once done, take them out of the oven and place them over a wire rack allowing them to cool. Refrigerate them when they are done.


courtesy of: seeFIDO's Dog House

545. PORK, PROSCUITTO and BACON MEATLOAF with CHICKPEAS

serves 8

Four 1-inch-thick slices of Italian bread, crusts removed, bread soaked in 1 cup of milk and squeezed dry
4 ounces sliced bacon
4 ounces sliced prosciutto
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 roasted red pepper from a jar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 pounds lean ground pork
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 cup tomato puree
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/2 cup prepared plain hummus

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse the bread, bacon and prosciutto. Add the onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted pepper and eggs; process to a paste. Pulse in the parsley, thyme, crushed red pepper, oregano and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and knead in the pork.

Preheat the broiler. Pat the mixture into two 8-inch-long loaves. In a large nonstick roasting pan, heat the 1 tablespoon of oil. Transfer the loaves to the pan and cook over moderate heat until the bottoms are browned, 6 minutes. Brush the tops with oil and broil until slightly browned, 8 minutes. Lower the oven to 350°.

In a cup, combine the tomato puree, stock and hummus. Pour the mixture into the roasting pan and cook for 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of one of the loaves registers 180°. Light the broiler.

Spoon some of the sauce over the loaves and broil for 5 minutes, until browned. Transfer to a platter and serve with the gravy.


courteys of: Andrew Carmellini, "Chef Recipes Made Easy," Food & Wine, October 2006

544. BACON-WRAPPED GRILLED SMOKED DOVE

12 dove breasts
6 slices bacon, halved
2-3 fresh jalapeno's (seeded and sliced 1/4 inch)
onion (make a 1/4 inch slice off a onion and cut a ring 1 inch long, need 24 pieces)
cajun seasoning

Take dove breasts and make a slice half way down the sides of the breast long ways. Place a piece of onion and jalapeno in each side of breast, wrap half slice of bacon around dove breast and secure with tooth pick. Heat up smoker and place a piece of aluminum foil on grill and place dove breast bone side down on foil. Poke holes around each dove in the aluminum foil and smoke 45 minutes or till done.

Note: You can also do Quail the same way, if you don't have a smoker you can do it in a 350 degree oven for approx. 30 minutes.

courtesy of: Walter Horton Stafford, Texas / The American Outdoorsman

543. ROAST PARTRIDGE with BACON, GARLIC and THYME

Serves 2


2 young partridge, drawn, livers reserved
salt and black pepper, freshly ground
10 garlic cloves, blanched for 10 minutes
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
6 rashers streaky bacon
2 tbsp light olive oil
4oz unsalted butter
2 shallots, sliced
8fl oz brown chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Season the birds inside and out with salt and pepper and stuff the garlic and sprig of fresh thyme inside each bird. Drape the bacon over each bird and truss into place with string.

Heat the oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a large ovenproof pan until the butter is foaming and very hot. Add the partridge and fry briefly on all sides, place in the preheated oven and roast for 8-10 minutes on each side.

Remove from the oven, turn the birds breast down and allow the birds to rest for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan.

Using the same pan that the partridge were cooked in, sweat the shallots in a little butter.

Meanwhile untie the birds and remove the bacon and the garlic cloves.

Chop the bacon into ¼in pieces. Set aside with the cloves.

Cut off the legs and the breasts from the birds and keep in a warm place.

Chop the carcass and livers and add to the shallots. Cook gently for a few minutes.

Add the stock, thyme and two garlic cloves. Simmer for 5 minutes then strain through a fine sieve into a small pan.

Boil until reduced to a sauce consistency which coats the back of a spoon.

Whisk in 1 tbsp of butter and season with salt and pepper and a few leaves of fresh thyme.

To serve, fry the reserved bacon pieces and garlic cloves gently in butter until the bacon is starting to crisp up and the garlic is beginning to brown. Make sure the partridge is still warm and then arrange on warm serving plates. Pour over a little sauce and then garnish with the fried garlic and bacon pieces.


courtesy of: Paul and Jeanne Rankin, Gourmet Ireland

542. GRIDDLED SPRING ONION and BACON FARL STACK with FRIED EGG and CHEESE SAUCE

Serves 2


For the griddled spring onion and bacon
3 large spring onions, halved
6 rashers organic dry-cured streaky bacon
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

For the farls
12oz chilled mash
1 medium egg, yolk only
1oz plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1oz unsalted butter
extra flour, for rolling

For the cheese sauce
4oz cheddar cheese, grated
¼ pint double cream
a pinch of grated nutmeg

For the fried eggs
2 medium eggs
2 tsp olive oil

Preheat a griddle pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the potato, egg yolk and enough flour to make a stiff dough. On a floured surface, roll the dough out until it is 1cm thick round, then cut out six triangles. Place the bacon on the griddle pan. In a large frying pan, heat the oil for the farls. Fry the farls for 1-2 minutes each side. Add the spring onion to the griddle pan. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the bacon and spring onions. Griddle until cooked through and charred. Add the butter to the farl pan. Fry for a further minute on each side. In a small pan gently bring the cream to a simmer. Stir in the cheese and nutmeg, until melted. In a small frying pan, heat the oil for the eggs. Fry the eggs.

Place a farl triangle on a serving plate. Top the farl with a slice of bacon, then spring onion. Repeat twice more on top. Lay a fried egg on top of the last spring onion and drizzle over half of the cheese sauce. Season. Repeat this the remaining ingredients.

Serve.


courtesy of: Lesley Waters, Ready Steady Cook

541. SPAGHETTI SQUASH with BACON-BRAISED, GLAZED CHESTNUTS

Serves 4


1 spaghetti squash, approximately 2 1/2 lbs.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
Grapeseed oil to sauté
Pinch cayenne pepper
20 to 25 large fresh chestnuts
Canola oil to fry
1 1/4 cup chicken stock or water
1 ounce bacon, cubed

For the squash: Preheat oven to 350. Split spaghetti squash lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and fibers, reserving seeds. Drizzle squash with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap squash in foil, and bake for approximately 11/4 hours. (Meanwhile, start on the chestnuts.) Remove squash from oven, and, using a fork, scrape the strands of squash flesh free from the shell; let cool. In a medium skillet, brown 2 tablespoons of butter and sauté the squash strands for about five minutes. Wash squash seeds and dry them in a toaster oven at 250 for about an hour. In a small skillet, sauté seeds in grapeseed oil over low heat for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and cayenne, and set aside on a paper towel.

For the chestnuts: With paring knife, carve an x in the flat side of each chestnut to facilitate peeling them later. Over medium heat, (1) fry chestnuts in large skillet with canola oil for about five minutes until skin starts to curl away from the x. Remove chestnuts and (2) let cool slightly before (3) removing skin and inner peel. Return peeled chestnuts to covered skillet, and braise with chicken stock or water, bacon, remaining butter, and salt for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, until chestnuts are soft. Remove lid, raise heat, and glaze the chestnuts until liquid is reduced.

To serve: Place squash on platter, arrange chestnuts on top, and sprinkle with seeds.


courtesy of: New York Magazine, November 28, 2005 / Laurent Gras, Bistro du Vent, 411 W. 42nd St., (near Ninth Ave.), New York, New York, 10036, 212-239-3060

540. BACON and CABBAGE-STUFFED HUNTER'S QUAIL

4 quail
4 cups cabbage - shredded
4 slices bacon - cooked crisp and crumbled
16 large cabbage leaves
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup chicken broth
4 small apples - sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed thyme
1/4 tsp. crushed tarragon
1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Salt and pepper the quail. Combine shredded cabbage and bacon and stuff 1/4 of the mixture in the cavity of each bird. Wrap each quail with 4 whole cabbage leaves and tie with string. Put in Dutch oven on top of the stove.In a saucepan, place the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the birds and bring the liquid to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 25-30 minutes until tender. Remove string and cabbage leaves. Serve with sauce.


courtesy of: Ringneck Hunting Preserve, Ray & Deb Kalwara, 56 Olkowski Road, Candor, New York 13743, (607) 659-3208

539. BACON GRAVY

serves 4


1/2 lb bacon
6 oz evaporated milk
1 cup flour
salt and pepper
2 cups of water

Cook bacon in large skillet on medium heat. Set aside. In a large bowl combine evaporated milk and approximately 2 cups of water. Add 1 cup of flour to the bacon grease in skillet and stir (it may look a little lumpy, if not, add more flour). Slowly pour in milk and water mixture from the bowl, stirring constantly. If it is too thick, add more water. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until hot and bubbly. You can crumble the bacon into the gravy or have it on the side.


courtesy of: Earlene Fowler

538. DUCK with MADEIRA, BACON and OLIVES

Yields 6 servings

1 13/16 kg duck
30 g butter
12 baby (about 300g) onions
1 bunch (about 20) baby carrots
300 g baby mushrooms
1 tablespoon madeira
1 tablespoon plain flour
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
30 g butter
1 medium (350g) leek, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 bacon rashers, chopped
150 g baby mushrooms, chopped
⅔ cup black olives, chopped
⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons brandy
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 cup (70g) stale breadcrumbs
BACON OLIVE SEASONING

Remove neck from duck, cut off wing tips at second joint. Cut through skin of duck along centre back. Using tip of knife, separate flesh from backbone on 1 side of duck, cutting through thigh joint, then, following the shape of the bones, gradually ease flesh away from bone. Holding rib cage away from duck, carefully cut the breast flesh away from the bone, cutting through wing joint. Hold up 1 thigh with 1 hand. To remove flesh, cut around top of bone, scrape down bone to next joint, cut around flesh again, scrape down to the end. Pull bone out and cut away. Repeat boning process with other half of duck. Turn flesh of thighs and wings inside duck. Place duck skin side down on board, spoon seasoning along centre of duck. Loosely roll duck to enclose filling, secure with toothpicks, tucking ends in neatly. Cover roll, refrigerate overnight. Heat butter in pan, add duck, cook until browned all over, transfer duck to baking dish. Add onions and carrots to pan, cook, stirring, until browned, remove from pan; reserve onion mixture. Cover duck, bake in moderately slow oven 1« hours. Add reserved onion mixture and mushrooms to baking dish, bake, uncovered, further 30 mins or until duck is tender. Remove duck and vegetables from dish; keep warm. Strain liquid from dish, skim away fat, add enough water to dish to make 1 cup of liquid. Place liquid in pan, add madeira, blended flour and water and parsley, stir over heat until sauce boils and thickens. Serve sauce with duck and vegetable mixture.

Bacon Olive Seasoning: Heat butter in pan, add leek, garlic and bacon, stirring, until leek is soft, remove from heat, add remaining ingredients; mix well.


courtesy of: Sue Rykmans, New York, New York

537. PUMPKIN and SWEET POTATO SOUP with BACON

Makes: 9 1/2 cups


2 ounces reduced-sodium bacon or turkey bacon, coarsely chopped
2 shallots or small onions, finely chopped
2 quarts chicken stock or vegetable stock
12 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 can (16 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin or 2 cups cooked winter squash
1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

In a 4-quart saucepan, cook the bacon over moderate heat about 3 minutes, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels and reserve.

Add the shallots to the saucepan, then 1/4 cup of the stock, and sauté, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes, until softened.

Add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Pour in the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Simmer, partially covered, about 10 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are very soft.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Add the pumpkin and process to combine.

Add the vegetable purée to the saucepan and return to a simmer. Stir the salt, pepper and nutmeg into the soup. Serve sprinkled with the crumbled bacon and parsley.


courtesy of: Reader's Digest

536. CREAMY PUMPKIN and MUSHROOM SOUP with BACON

a.k.a. Veloute de Potiron et de Cepes


1 lb. cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
1 small potato
1.5 oz. dried cepes (porcini mushrooms)
1 celery branch (w/leaves)
1 chicken bouillon cube
1-1/2 Tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
4 Tablespoons heavy cream

To Garnish the Soup:
1/2 cup heavy cream
poppy seeds
2 slices of bacon
celery leaves or parsley stems

Cut the pumpkin/squash, celery and potato into cubes. Reserve the celery leaves for garnish.

Cover the porcini with hot water.

In a large casserole, melt the butter.

Add the pumpkin, celery.

Drain the mushrooms and add them to the casserole.

Sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes.

Pour in 8 cups of hot water, the bouillon cube and season with salt and pepper. Add the potato and simmer for about 20 minutes. The pumpkin and potato should be tender.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. If using a blender, puree in batches. Return the soup to the pot and keep warm while preparing the garnish. 9. Microwave or fry the bacon.

Whip the cream, adding a bit of salt, to soft peaks.

To serve: Pour the soup into 4 bowls. Cut the bacon in half. Add a dollop of the whipped cream, a bacon slice and sprinkle with the poppy seeds.


courtesy of: Chef Françoise Meunier, 7, rue Paul-Lelong 75002, Paris, France