327. COUNTRY NOODLE CASSEROLE with BACON

½ lb. sliced bacon
1 package very fine noodles
3 cup cottage cheese
3 cup dairy sour cream
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 onions, minced
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash Tabasco
4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Extra sour cream to taste

Fry bacon until crisp, drain on paper towel and crumble. Cook noodles in salted boiling water until just tender, al dente. Drain well. Mix remaining ingredients, except cheese, in large bowl. Add noodles and bacon and toss. Turn into a deep 3½-quart greased casserole. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove cover. Sprinkle with cheese and continue to bake until cheese is lightly brown.


courtesy of: Joyce G. Elllinger / S. Wallace Edwards & Sons, Inc., 11455 Rolfe Highway, PO Box 25, Surrey, Virginia, 23883

326. ORIGINAL BLT SOUP

serves 6


6 slices bacon, diced
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 medium tomatoes (about 3 lb.), peeled, seeded, and chopped
6 cups chicken stock or broth
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried basil
¾ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup finely shredded lettuce for topping

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except lettuce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer in batches to a food processor or blender and puree. Return to Dutch oven and reheat. Ladle into bowls and top with bacon and lettuce.


courtesy of: The Big Book of Soups & Stews, by Maryana Vollstedt. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2001, p. 235.

325. SAUTÉED RABBIT with SOUR CREAM and BACON

1 young rabbit
½ cup flour seasoned with
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 or 6 rather thick slices bacon
½ cup chicken or beef stock
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt

Cut the rabbit into serving pieces. Shake the pieces well in a plastic bag with the seasoned flour. Sauté the bacon until just crisp. Remove, and keep it warm wrapped in absorbent paper. Heat the bacon fat, and brown the rabbit pieces in the fat on both sides. Reduce the heat, and add the stock. Cover the pan, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rabbit is tender. Transfer to a hot platter, and skim off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the sour cream, chopped parsley, and salt. Stir over medium heat till well mixed and heated through, but do not let it boil. Spoon the sauce around the rabbit, and serve with mashed potatoes.


courtesy of: Billie Zumwalt / The Meat Rabbit list

324. CAULIFLOWER with BACON and MUSHROOMS

4 slices bacon
1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
small head cauliflower, cut into small bite-size pieces
8 oz. mushrooms, cut in half, then into thick slices
½ red onion, diced into small pieces
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Cut bacon into small crosswise strips, then cook in large frying pan until quite crisp. Pour off most of bacon fat, but don't wipe out pan. (The original recipes leaves all the fat in the pan, but since bacon isn't even officially allowed on The South Beach Diet, I used much less bacon and then left just a tiny bit of the fat for flavor.) Add butter or olive oil, heat for 1 minute, then add cauliflower and mushrooms and cook over very high heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook about 2 minutes more, or until veggies seem nearly done and are starting to brown a bit. Add bacon and parsley and cook 2-3 minutes more. Add 1/4 cup water, then scrape pan to get browned bits off and cook until water has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.


courtesy of: Vegetable Love: A Book for Cooks, by Barbara Kafka. New York: Artisan, 2005

323. BACON and MUSHROOM BITE-SIZE QUICHE

makes 3½ dozen; serves 14


8 slices bacon
¼ pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1 2/3 cups shredded Swiss cheese
Pastry for double-crust pie (homemade or purchased)
5 eggs
1 2/3 cups sour cream

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry dough 1/16-inch thick. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut out 42 circles; re-roll scraps as needed. Fit circles into bottoms and slightly up sides of lightly greased 2½-inch muffin pans. Meanwhile, fry bacon slices until crisp, drain; crumble or chop. Chop mushrooms, saute in butter until limp and liquid evaporates. Combine bacon, mushrooms, green onion and cheese. Divide filling equally among muffin cups. In large bowl, beat together eggs, add sour cream and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each muffin cup. Bake until puffed and light brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes; lift out. Serve warm or let cool on wire racks. If made ahead, wrap cooled quiches airtight, and refrigerate overnight. Reheat, uncovered, in a 350 degrees F. oven for about 10 minutes.


courtesy of: PrairieFresh® Premium Pork, P.O. Box 29135, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201

322. MISSISSIPPI DELTA CATHEAD BISCUITS

for four cathead biscuits

1 1/8 cup self-rising flour
2/3 cup milk or buttermilk
1/8 cup oil or bacon drippings

Blend above ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Dump a hand full of flour on a pastry cloth or whatever. As you can see, I use a brown paper sack. Newspaper also works just fine.

As in the top photo, dump the blended dough onto the flour.

Pour a dash of oil into your skillet and smear it around with your fingers. Coat the inside of the skillet and the palms of your hands with oil.

Knead the dough for about 30 seconds, rolling it in the flour and thickening it.

Half the dough as in the middle photo. Half it again, making 4 pieces of dough.

Roll each piece of dough between your hands, making it into a ball, then put it in the skillet.

As you see me doing in this photo, use a spoon or a pastry brush and put a little oil or bacon drippings on the top of each un-baked biscuit. You're ready to start cooking.

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 25 minutes at 350°. Broil/toast for 1 or 2 minutes. Enjoy!


NOTES: They're called "cathead biscuits" because they should be about the size of a cat's head. They should be somewhat round on top and not flat like canned biscuits. Do not cut them out of rolled-out dough with the rim of a glass or with any other implement as every biscuit recipe I've ever read said to do. Roll them into a ball with your hands. Why make home-made biscuits if they look like store-bought biscuits?


courtesy of: John Lee Doughty, Jr., Junior's Juke Joint, Tullos, Louisiana

321. PIG"S PETTITOES

sufficient for 3 or 4 persons

time: altogether 40 minutes


pigs trotters
pigs liver
pigs heart
1 pint gravy
1 thin slice bacon
1 onion
1 blade of mace
6 peppercorns
3-4 sprigs thyme
butter and flour, to thicken
salt and pepper, to taste

Put the liver, heart and trotters into a saucepan with the bacon, mace, peppercorns, thyme, onion and gravy and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Then take out the heart and liver and mince them very finely. Keep stewing the trotters until quite tender, which will be in from 20 to 30 minutes. Then return the minced liver, thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour, season with salt and pepper. Simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dish the mince, split the feet and arrange them round alternately with sippets (triangles) of toasted bread and pour the gravy in the middle.


courtesy of: Ken Howells, Birmingham, England / The Foody UK and Ireland / http://thefoody.com

320. HOT AVOCADO CREAM with BACON CRUMBLE

makes 6-8 servings

NOTE: change sizes or US/metric


4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons cornflour
1 1/2 liters strong home-made chicken stock
salt
milled black pepper
2 large ripe avocados, skinned,stoned and pureed
65 ml fruity white wine
125-250 ml cream
2 tablespoons crisped bacon, crumbled
3 sprigs fresh coriander

Melt butter in a saucepan. When hot and bubbly, stir in cornflour and continue to stir until mixture turns golden. Gradually add chicken stock, whisking constantly to smooth away any little lumps.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove from stove. Add avocado puree, white wine and cream. Reheat carefully, but do not allow to boil. Transfer to a heated soup tureen and sprinkle with crisped bacon crumble. To serve, ladle into heated soup plates and garnish with fresh coriander.


courtesy of: Chef Julie, Scottburgh, KZN, South Africa

319. BROILED DOGFISH with ONIONS, TOMATOES, and BACON

makes 4 servings

time: 30 minutes


2 slices bacon, minced
1 medium-size onion, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh, ripe tomatoes (canned are fine; drain first)
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 to 1 1/2 lb. dogfish fillets, cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil

BUYING TIP: The best dogfish is always iced immediately after the catch, and fillets are kept ice cold from processor to retailer. Well-handled dogfish has little aroma, or may be slightly sweet-smelling; stick to those, rather than trying to deal with the stink of ammonia.

NOTE: Other common names for dogfish are sand shark, nurse shark, grayfish, rock salmon, and rock cod.


Cook the bacon, stirring, over medium heat until it begins to crips; remove it with a slotted spoon. Cook the onion in the bacon fat, stirring occasionally, until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to liquefy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the basil and half the parsley, stir, taste for salt and pepper, and turn off the heat. Preheat the broiler.

Brush a shallow baking pan with half the olive oil and lay the fillets in the pan. Brush them with the remaining oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place under the broiler. Broil for 2 minutes; the fillets will not begin to brown. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the fillets and return to the broiler. Broil 2 more minutes and serve, garnished with the remaining parsley.

ALTERNATIVE FISH FOR THIS RECIPE: Blackfish, cod, grouper, haddock, mackerel, Atlantic or Pacific pollock, rockfish, sablefish, red snapper, striped bass, tilefish, or wolffish. Adjust cooking time accordingly.


courtesy of: Fish: The Complete Guide to Buying and Cooking, by Mark Bittman. New York: MacMillan, 1994, pp. 121-122

318. WARM SALAD with SPINACH, BEETS, BACON and SHERRY VINEGAR DRESSING

makes 4 to 6 servings as a starter or salad course


2 medium size red beets (about 6 to 8 ounces each)
1 1/2 pounds of spinach leaves, stems removed
4 ounces thinly sliced bacon
1 small (6 ounces) Spanish onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons canola or grape seed oil
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Place the whole beets in a pot and cover with water. Add salt to the water and cook the beets for about 40 minutes or until they are tender. Add water during the cooking when necessary. Rinse the cooked beets under cold water. Peel, then cut in half. Slice the halves about 1/3-inch thick so that they are shaped like half-moons.

Pick the stems from the spinach. Wash and drain very well. Check for ladybugs.

Cut the bacon slices crosswise into 1-inch pieces. In the sauté pan on medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the grease. Pour off half of the fat from the pan and return it to the stove.
Add the onions and cook until they begin to become translucent, don't over cook (about 1 minute).

Next, add the oil and vinegar along with the beets. Cook gently until the beets are very warm. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the onions and beets with a slotted spoon, leaving the dressing in the pan.

Add the spinach and toss continuously using the tongs. When the spinach is slightly wilted, divide it on plates and put the warm onions and beets on top of the spinach. Sprinkle each plate with the crisp bacon and serve at once.


courtesy of: Chef Jasper White / The Victory Garden, WGBH Boston Lifestyle Productions / PBS

317. SAUERKRAUT GARNISHED with BRATWURST, KNOCKWURST, PORK CHOPS, and BACON

a.k.a. Choucroute Garni

serves 6 to 8


12 oz. bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups sauerkraut, drained
12 baby red potatoes, halved
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
freshly ground pepper to taste
6 to 8 juniper berries (optional)
4 bratwurst, scored (2 or 3 small diagonal slashes a fourth of the way through)
4 knockwurst, scored
3 or 4 smoked pork chops, halved if large
assorted mustards as an accompaniment

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon, leaving 1 tablespoon of drippings in Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, garlic, and carrots and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Return bacon to Dutch oven. Add stock, wine, sauerkraut, potatoes, bay leaves, herbes de Provence, pepper, and juniper berries, if desired. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, about 1 hour. Add meats, submerging some into the stew. Simmer, covered, until sausages have plumped up and flavors are blended, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Remove bay leaves and discard. Serve with an assortment of mustards.


courtesy of: The Big Book of Soups & Stews, by Maryana Vollstedt. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2001, p. 132

316. TROPICAL BACON CROISSANT

makes 4 servings


4 croissants, split
¼ cup cream cheese, softened
4 pineapple slices, cut in half
12 slices bacon
4 strawberries, thinly sliced
1 medium kiwi, peeled, thinly sliced

Spread bottom half of each croissant with 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese.

Top each with 2 pineapple pieces, 3 bacon slices and ¼ each of the strawberries and kiwi; cover with top of croissant.


courtesy of: Kraft Foods

315. CIDER-STEAMED MUSSELS with CRISPY BACON

makes 4 servings


1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1½ cups apple cider
3 lb. fresh mussels, scrubbed and bearded (see NOTE)
¼ cup Calvados or brandy
1½ cups heavy or whipping cream
freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 oz. sliced bacon, cooked crisp, drained, and crumbled
½ cup minced fresh parsley

NOTE: Do not beard the mussels in advance or they will spoil.

Place the onion, cider, and mussels in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover, bring to a boil, and cook until the mussels open, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the mussels with a slotted spoon to a warmed serving dish, discarding any unopened ones. Cover the dish with a warm moistened kitchen towel to help retain the heat.

Add the Calvados and cream to the liquid remaining in the pot. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Season with pepper. Pour the cider cream over the mussels and mix in the bacon and parsley. Scoop the mussels into individual serving bowls and serve at once.


courtesy of: Cold Weather Cooking, by Sarah Leah Chase. New York: Workman Publishing, 1990, pp. 318-319

314. SALMON with WARM BACON SALSA

2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 fresh or dried figs
2 slices bacon
½ cup pre-diced red onions
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1½ pounds fresh salmon (ask for skin to be removed)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon mesquite seasoning
¼ teaspoon pepper
aluminum foil (optional)
1 (10-oz.) can milder diced tomatoes and green chiles (well drained)

Preheat grill. Finely chop (rinsed) thyme, leaves only; measure (2 teaspoons) and set aside. Preheat medium saucepan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Cut figs and bacon into ¼-inch pieces; set figs aside. Place bacon in pan with onions and garlic paste; cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bacon begins to brown.

Meanwhile, cut away dark sections of salmon and cut into 4 servings. Rub both sides of salmon with oil; sprinkle with thyme, mesquite seasoning, and pepper. Wash hands. Place salmon, using tongs, on grill, with darker side up. Close lid (or cover loosely with foil) and cook 2–3 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 145°F. Use meat thermometer to accurately ensure doneness.

Add figs and tomatoes to bacon mixture; reduce heat to medium and simmer 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and liquid evaporates. Serve salsa over salmon.


courtesy of: Publix Apron's / Publix Super Markets, P.O. Box 407, Lakeland, Florida 33802, 863-688-7407 ext. 53028 / Apron’s Cooking Schools: Publix at University Walk, 2875 University Parkway, Sarasota, Florida 34243, 941-358-7829 / Publix at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa, Florida 33626, 813-926-4465

313. PORTUGUESE PEASANT SOUP

1 lb. dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
3 quarts chicken stock (or more if necessary)
12 strips thick-sliced smoked bacon, diced
1 lb. chorizo, sliced
3 medium yellow onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium potatoes, scrubbed and diced
4 medium carrots, scrubbed and diced
4 medium turnips, scrubbed and diced
1 small cabbage, cored and chopped
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped cilantro

Simmer the beans in the chicken stock for about 2 hours, or until they are just tender. In a soup pot, saute the diced bacon until it has rendered its fat. Add the chorizo, onions, garlic and saute until they begin to color. Add the diced potatoes, carrots, turnips, cabbage, bay leaves, and kidney beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 1/2 hour, until the vegetables are tender. Add cilantro just before serving.


courtesy of: The Bean Book by Roy F. Guste. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000

312. BACON-WRAPPED, SHRIMP-STUFFED PRUNES

12 prunes, pitted
1/2 cup Burgundy wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
12 shrimp, uncooked
12 macadamia nuts
Dijon mustard
6 lean bacon strips, cut in half

Pit prunes and let soak overnight in wine, bay, soy sauce, and garlic. Peel uncooked shrimp and stuff into prune with a macadamia nut and a dollop of mustard. Wrap in bacon, secure with toothpick and broil until bacon is crisp and shrimp is cooked. Let cool and eat as an appetizer.


courtesy of: Secrets of the Tsil Cafe: A Novel with Recipes, by Thomas Fox Averil. Blue Hen Books, 2002.

311. APPLE and BACON SALAD

serves 2


4 slices streaky bacon, sliced
2 red apples, unpeeled, diced
2 wholemeal bread slices, diced
Ground pepper to taste
2 spring onions, or 1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
1 pinch dried rosemary, crumbled
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive or other salad oil

Fry the bacon in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat until it is crisp. Put it in a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the apples to the pan and brown them lightly on one side. Put the apples in the bowl with the bacon. Add the bread to the pan and ‘toast’ it briefly, until bread starts to turn golden. Add the bread to the bowl, along with onions and rosemary. Whisk together the vinegar and oil, drizzle over salad and toss together. Season to taste with pepper and serve.

Serving suggestion: Pile atop lettuce or spinach for lunch.


courtesy of: Abel & Cole, Organic Home Delivery, 16 Waterside Way, Plough Lane, Wimbledon, SW17 0HB

310. BACON-CHEESE MUFFINS

yields 12 servings


½ lb. bacon
vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup milk
1¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar *
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup Grape Nuts cereal

* You may reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon, if you wish. *

Heat oven to 400 F.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Measure the drippings; and add vegetable order to make 1/3 cup, if needed. Combine drippings with egg and milk and set aside. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and baking powder. Make a well in the center and add the dripping/egg mix all at once. Stir until just moistened; the batter will be lumpy. Lightly fold in the crumbled bacon, cheese and cereal.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 20 mins, or until lightly browned.


courtesy of: Bonnie Engel, the Shawano County Fair, Shawano, Wisconsin / The County Fair Cookbook

309. PARSNIP and HAZELNUT GRATIN with BACON

makes 8 to 10 servings


4 ounces bacon slices, chopped
2 pounds parsnips (about 11 medium), peeled, trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped, toasted, divided
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sauté bacon in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to large bowl. Stir in parsnips and 1/4 cup hazelnuts. Arrange mixture in even layer in 2-quart baking dish. Combine whipping cream, broth, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Pour over parsnip mixture in dish.

Bake gratin 30 minutes. Press down on parsnips with spatula to moisten evenly. Continue baking until parsnips are tender and liquid bubbles thickly, about 35 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining hazelnuts and sage.


courtesy of: Jill Silverman Hough, Bon Appétit, March 2006

308. ASPARAGUS and SMOKED BACON FILO PARCEL

serves 2


6 asparagus spears
6 rashers smoked back bacon
2 sheets filo pastry
Hoi Sin dressing
Basil Vinaigrette dressing
Mixed leaves
Cucumber
Diced, deseeded tomato
Diced red onion
Shredded carrot

Wrap each asparagus spear with a rasher of bacon and then two layers of filo pastry which has been brushed with butter. (Wrap like a Christmas cracker). Deep fry until gold and crisp at 180 degrees Centigrade (approx 2-3 minutes) then drain on kitchen roll. Garnish plate with shredded lettuce and salad leaves and dress with vinaigrette. Arrange filo parcels on top and dress with hoi sin sauce. Deep fry shredded carrot until crisp then place on peak of parcels and serve.


courtesy of: AJ's Bistro, 65 Topping Street, Blackpool, FY1 3AF

307. PASTA CARBONARA

makes enough carbonara sauce for 2 small portions or 1 large portion of pasta

Tagliatelle (or linguine or any pasta you like for that matter) for one or two people
2 egg yolks
½ cup of heavy cream
¾ cups grated parmesan cheese
as much bacon or pancetta as you wish to have
chopped parsley (optional)
additional grated parmesan
salt and pepper

Dice your bacon and cook according to desired crispness. (or dice after cooking if you prefer)

Drain on paper towel. Reserve the bacon grease.

Mix 2 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 3/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook your noodles and strain, reserving some of the starchy water.

Put the noodles back in your saucepan and add a teaspoon or two of the bacon grease to coat the noodles (this prevents the cream sauce from soaking right into the noodles).

Add your egg mixture to the noodles and combine well. If the sauce is too thick add a bit of your reserved starchy water. This is all dependent on how you like it.

Mix in your bacon bits right into the sauce and noodles or pile them on top as I did.

Serve it up in a bowl or two and sprinkle with additional parmesan, chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper to taste.


courtesy of: Michèle at Oswego Tea, Paris, France

306. SALMON CHOWDER with BACON and CILANTRO

makes about 10 cups


4 slices thick-cut bacon (about 4 ounces), cut into 1/8-inch dice
2 onions (about 1 1/4 pounds), quartered, then thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 pound sweet potatoes (red-skinned, yam variety), peeled, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice
1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillet*, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 cups half-and-half or light cream
1/2 cup (lightly packed) chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper

Cook bacon in a large soup pot, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; reserve. Stir onions into the bacon fat remaining in pan; cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in potatoes and clam juice; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in salmon. Cook until salmon is just firm and opaque, about 5 minutes. Add half-and-half, stirring, until heated through. Stir in reserved bacon and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*For variation, substitute coarsely diced shrimp and/or scallops for the salmon, or combine the three for a seafood melange.


courtesy of: The Sweet Onion Source

305. BOK CHOY with HOT BACON SAUCE

1-2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup Chili sauce
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cups chopped bok choy

Combine first six ingredients in a wok or skillet; simmer 5 minutes. Add bok choy; stir fry until crisp tender. Serve, with more chili sauce on the side.


courtesy of: Richard Karnesky, Evanston, Illinois /

304. MUSHROOM and BACON DIP

makes 4 cups


3 pieces dried porcini mushroom
½ cup boiling water
8 slices thick-cut bacon
1 large or 2 small leeks, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise, and rinsed well (about 2 cups)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (4 teaspoons)
1 lb. fresh cremini, white, or shiitake mushrooms (stems discarded), coarsely chopped, plus sliced mushrooms for garnish (optional)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sour cream (16 oz.)
3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (green parts only), plus more for garnish

Soak dried porcini in boiling water until soft, about 20 minutes. Lift out porcini and drain well, squeezing out liquid. Coarsely chop porcini (you should have about 4 teaspoons). Pour soaking liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl; set aside.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve 4 tablespoons bacon fat. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels. Coarsely chop bacon; set aside.

Return 3 tablespoons bacon fat to skillet. Add leek and garlic; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms and reserved porcini; season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to high; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add thyme; cook 2 minutes more. Remove mixture from skillet and let cool completely.

Put cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat until smooth. With mixer running, add sour cream a little at a time; beat until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, stir in mushrooms, three-quarters of the bacon, and the sliced scallions. Stir in 2 tablespoons reserved porcini liquid. If necessary, add more porcini liquid to achieve desired consistency.

Just before serving, garnish with remaining bacon and sliced scallions. If desired, cook additional sliced mushrooms in remaining tablespoon bacon fat in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Scatter over dip. Serve with roasted fingerling potato chips.


courtesy of: Martha Stewart Living Annual Recipes 2005, from the editors of Martha Stewart Living. New York: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc., 2004. pp. 282-283.

303. BACON-FLAVORED MAYO for BLT's

makes at least 1½ cups


¼ cup warm bacon grease
¾ cups light oil (canola, light olive oil)
1 egg yolk (use a fresh, high quality organic or free range yolk)
2 teaspoon dry mustard
fresh lemon juice, to taste (½ to 1 whole lemon)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix bacon grease and oil in a measuring cup, combining thoroughly.

In a small work bowl, whisk the egg yolk with a tsp of lemon juice until it lightens a bit in color. Add most of the dry mustard and whisk again to combine. The mustard will help the mayo emulsify and stay stable.

Begin to drizzle the oil/grease combination slowly at first into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. As it's incorporated, add the fat more quickly, whisking constantly until the mixture is quite thick.

Add the chives, combine. Stop. Taste. Season with more lemon juice, salt and pepper, and dry mustard as your taste buds dictate. Stop when it's right, lay some plastic wrap lightly on top of the mayo, and refrigerate promptly. It'll keep for a few days, but don't let it become a science experiment. When in doubt, throw it out!

NOTE: Making mayonnaise is easy. If it takes longer than 5 minutes to whisk together, you're doing something wrong. Because the egg yolk is raw, take the appropriate precautions.


courtesy of: Scott, aka The Pragmatic Chef™ / Desert Island Foods.com, Phoenix, Arizona

302. DEVILLED RABBIT with BACON

serves 4


1 rabbit, washed in water with a little vinegar, then diced
4 oz. fat bacon, finely chopped
1 large onion finely chopped

8 oz. mixed carrots, leeks and turnips, diced
5 tablespoons flour

1/4 pint milk

1 pint water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper
finely chopped parsley, for garnish



Sauté the bacon in a large saucepan with the onion, carrots, turnips, rabbit, curry powder and Worcester sauce for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the water and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, until the rabbit is tender about 1 1/2 hours. Blend the milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring continuously, and cook until the sauce is smooth and thick. Add more salt and pepper if necessary, and serve at once, garnishing with parsley.


courtesy of: Graig Farm Organics, Llandrindod Wells, Powys LD1 5TL, Telephone: 01597 851655

301. MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER with BACON

5 slices bacon
2 carrots, diced
2 medium to large onions, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 potato, diced (you may want more)
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 quart water (can add more)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 (6 1/2-oz.) cans chopped clams
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cut up pieces of bacon. Fry bacon slightly, then add onion and celery and sauté until onion is yellow, but not browned. In large cooking pot, pour bacon, onion and celery. To this add stewed tomatoes, diced potato, carrots, water, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook gently until carrots and potatoes are done. Last add chopped clams that have been drained. Heat for approximately 15 minutes. Do not boil after the clams have been added or they will get tough.


courtesy of: Vonnie Beaver Edwards / S. Wallace Edwards & Sons, Inc., 11455 Rolfe Highway, PO Box 25, Surrey, Virginia, 23883

300. ROMAN CHIANINO FILET and BACON in a MINT and CHIANTI SAUCE

serves four people


4 slices of beef filet, about 150g each

50 grams butter, plus a bit extra

2 cups of reserve Chianti

1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar 

1 medium scallion

4 thick slices of bacon

1 bunch of thyme

peppercorns

4 potatoes

salt

pepper

Slide the slices of beef, salted and peppered, onto a wooden skewer, alternating with slices of bacon. Place them in an oven at 200° for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, finely chop the scallion and brown it gently in the butter. Skim off the grease. Add wine and the sauce that dripped from meat. Let the sauce thicken to about half on a high flame. Lower the flame. Add the thyme and some whole peppercorns. Finish the cooking. On four warm plates, distribute the filet slices without the bacon, add the balsamic vinegar to the wine sauce with the fire off, stir well and cover the filet with the sauce. Garnish with some leaves of the thyme and accompany the plate with a potato cooked in the oven foil with a chunk of butter.


courtesy of: Avventure Bellissime Tours, 2442/A San Marco, 30124 Venice, Tel +39 041 970499, (Head Office: Via Villanova n.27, 33170 Pordenone, Italy)

299. BANG-BANG BACON BITCHES

8 strips of thick-sliced bacon
3-4 tablespoons light cream cheese
8 jalapeno rings
salt and pepper

Masala:
4 curry leaves
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon asafetida
1 or 2 whole cloves

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a small skillet, heat a dab of oil until it is sizzle-hot. Add the masala and saute until the cumin seeds have darkened a few shades.

Now dump the masala in your coffee grinder and whizz it into a powder. Add it to the cream cheese along with salt and pepper, and mix it well.

Place a small glob of the cream cheese mixture onto a bacon strip. Place a jalapeno on top. Roll tightly and repeat with the rest.

Arrange them on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Done.

NOTE: They can be prepared and stored in the fridge, so that when it's time to party, they can go right in the oven.


courtesy of: Courtney Knettel and Becky Trowbridge, Naughty Curry, central Minnesota

298. TRI-COLOR PEPPERS with SMOKED BACON

serves 6


5 slices smoked bacon, diced
2 green peppers, cut into ¼-inch strips
1 red pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips
1 small onion, chopped (about ¼ cup)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup sour cream
Fresh cilantro, snipped

Fry bacon until crisp, remove from pan and drain. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in pan. Add colored peppers and onion, frying over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add diced bacon and remaining ingredients, except sour cream and cilantro. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream, sprinkle with cilantro. Serve warm.


courtesy of: Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats, Rural Route #2, P.O. Box D, Wittenberg, WI 54499, 1-800-720-1153

297. BROCCOLI, BACON, and ONION SALAD

5 cups broccoli
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8 slices bacon
1 cup chopped red onion
2/3 cup olive oil
½ cup toasted salted sunflower seeds

Cook broccoli in medium pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well.

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels and drain. Crumble bacon.

Whisk oil and vinegar in medium bowl to blend. Mix in onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Broccoli, bacon and dressing can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand separately at room temperature.)

Combine broccoli and bacon in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Garnish with sunflower seeds. Pass remaining dressing separately.


courtesy of: Turtle Farm Organic Fruits & Vegetables, 7260 NW 58th Street, Johnston, Iowa 50131