1210. BROWN RICE and BACON SALAD

6 slices bacon
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe Baked Brown Rice, recipe follows
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

In a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Drain, crumble, and set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.

Add the red onion to the pan and cook until translucent, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Add the vinegar, chicken broth, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pan and stir to combine. Add the bacon back to the pan along with the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed, approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the dill. Allow to cool slightly before serving.


Baked Brown Rice:
1 1/2 cups brown rice, medium or short grain
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the rice into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

Bring the water, butter, and salt just to a boil in a kettle or covered saucepan. Once the water boils, pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Alton Brown, "Do The Rice Thing," Good Eats, 2005

1209. BACON, BUTTERNUT SQUASH and BASIL BAKED RISOTTO

14oz butternut squash, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 slices bacon
1½oz unsalted butter
¼ cup torn basil leaves
1½ cups arborio (or risotto) rice
4½ cups (36floz) vegetable stock
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper unsalted butter, melted, for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 355ºF. Place the butternut squash, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat. Transfer it to a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and tender. Set aside. Place the bacon on a dish, between paper towel and microwave for 1½ minutes or until crisp. Let it cool, then break it into small pieces using your fingertips. Set aside. lace the rice and stock in a 8½ x12in 10-cup capacity baking dish and stir to combine. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until most of the stock is absorbed and the rice is al dente. Add the parmesan, salt, pepper, butternut squash, bacon and basil and stir to combine. Drizzle with butter and serve immediately.


courtesy of: Open Source Food

1208. BLT SALAD with RANCH DRESSING

makes 4 servings


1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into 1x1/4-inch pieces
4 cups cubed (1 inch) French bread
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups baby arugula
4 cups frisée
4 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing


Cook the bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Reserve 2 tablepsoons of the bacon fat. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toss bread cubes with bacon fat, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden, 12-15 minutes, shaking the pan once. Place arugula and frisée in a bowl. Toss with the bacon, tomatoes, bread cubes, chives, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with dressing.


courtesy of: Sheila Lukins, Parade, August 2008

1207. GRILLED BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD with WARM BACON BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

serves eight


For lettuce:
4 heads Boston lettuce, rinsed and dried
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 sliced tomato (for garnish)
chopped flat-leaf parsley (for garnish)

For dressing:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
5 or 6 slices applewood-smoked bacon, chopped and fried crisp, then drained
salt and pepper to taste

Cut each head of lettuce in half. Toss leaves with olive oil so that all sides are evenly coated and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill on an indoor or outdoor grill for 45 seconds to a side.

Put the lettuce on salad plates and ladle on warm dressing. Garnish plates with sliced tomatoes and chopped parsley.

In a medium saucepan, preferably nonstick, bring heavy cream to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium and add blue cheese. Stir more if you wish the cheese to be thoroughly incorporated, less if you want it to remain somewhat chunky. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add bacon, salt, and pepper.


courtesy of: Texas Monthly, 2001 | P.O. Box 1569, Austin, Texas 78767-1569

1206. BACON, EGG and CHEESE-STUFFED CREPES with LEEKS and TOMATO

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
9 eggs
4 strips bacon
1 leek, diced
3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
5 ounces soft goat cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil or nonstick spray, for cooking the crepes

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add the milk, water, and 3 eggs and mix well. Refrigerate the batter for 1 hour.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook it until brown and crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. Pour out half of the grease. Return the pan to the heat and add the leeks, cooking for 1 minute.

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining eggs and add them to the pan, stirring until they start to set but are still a bit runny. Add the tomato, goat cheese and stir until the eggs are cooked but not dry. Remove the pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, preheat a crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and coat the pan with vegetable oil or nonstick spray. Remove the batter from the refrigerator. Coat the pan with about 1/4 cup of batter, cook until the edges start to brown, then flip the crepe. Cook for 10 more seconds and remove from the pan. Keep warm while cooking the remaining crepes.

Place 2 large spoonfuls of the egg mixture in each crepe and roll them. Place 2 crepes on each plate and serve immediately.


courtesy of: Rachael Ray, "Newport, RI," $40 a Day

1205. CARAMELIZED PORK BELLY with PRAWNS and POTATO and BACON SAUCE

serves 4


For the pork belly
1 lb., 12 oz. pork belly
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1¾ pint melted duck fat

For the prawn sauce
8 large prawns, shells removed, de-veined
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ carrot, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 sprig rosemary, leaves only
1 sprig thyme
16 fl oz white wine

For the crisp bacon
8 thin slices streaky bacon

For the potato and bacon sauce
1¾oz butter
2 shallots, chopped
1 sprig rosemary, leaves only
5¼oz smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
5oz potato, peeled, chopped
7fl oz whole milk

To serve
4 young spring carrots, peeled, boiled
4 asparagus spears, peeled, blanched
4 spring onions, fried for 2-3 minutes
dash olive oil

For the pork belly, preheat the oven to 285F. Place the duck fat into a large roasting tray. Season the pork belly with salt and sugar and place into the roasting tray. Transfer to the oven to cook for four hours, or until tender. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the duck fat.

For the prawn sauce, preheat the oven to 340F. Lightly season the prawns with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then vacuum pack in a vacuum bag. Place the reserved prawn shells onto a clean roasting tray with the oil, carrot, celery, garlic and shallots and place into the oven to roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the tomato purée. Stir to coat and add the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Return to oven for a further 15 minutes Remove from the oven and place the roasting tray over a medium heat. Add the wine and stir to deglaze the tray, removing any brown bits from the bottom of the tray. Transfer the contents of the oven tray into a large pan over a medium heat with 2¾ pints of water and simmer for 1½ hours. Skim the surface when necessary. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into another large pot. Place over a medium heat and boil until the volume of liquid has reduced to approximately 1¾fl oz. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the crisp bacon, preheat the oven to 150F. Place the bacon onto a baking tray and place into the oven to cook for 1-1½ hours, or until crisp.

For the potato and bacon sauce, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots, rosemary and half of the chopped streaky bacon. Fry for five minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the chopped potato in a large pan of boiling salted water until tender. Drain and pass through a ricer into a bowl until smooth (or mash until very smooth). Add the milk to the mashed potato, mash again, and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the mashed potato to the bacon mixture and cook over a low heat for five minutes. Strain the potato and bacon mixture through a very fine sieve, then spoon into a siphon ready to create a foam.

For the pork belly, heat the grill to its highest setting. Trim the cooked pork belly and cut into squares of approximately 5in. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pork belly squares and fry until golden-brown. Transfer to a grill tray and brush with a little prawn sauce. Place under the grill to further caramelize. Add the reserved chopped streaky bacon to the pan the pork belly was cooked in and fry until golden-brown. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Place the vacuum-packed prawns into a water bath at 140F and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until just cooked.

To serve, place the carrots, asparagus and spring onions into the center of four plates and place two pieces of crisp bacon on both sides of each plate. Place a pork belly square onto each portion of vegetables and crisp bacon. Place a cooked prawn onto each slice of crisp bacon and add a little potato and bacon sauce foamed from the siphon. Add a little prawn sauce onto each piece of pork belly. Sprinkle the crisp chopped bacon pieces over the potato and bacon sauce and serve.


courtesy of: Danny Millar, Great British Menu, BBC Food

1204. TORTELLINI ALFREDO with PEAS and BACON

makes 4 servings


1 package (9 ounces) spinach cheese tortellini, prepared according to package
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
4 slices bacon coarsely chopped
1 container (10 ounces) alfredo sauce
1/2 cup green peas cooked
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cook onion, mushrooms and bacon in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until bacon is crisp; drain. Add pasta, sauce, peas and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Serve with cheese.


courtesy of: Buitoni, Nestlé USA, Consumer Services Center, P.O. Box 2178, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18703

1203. POT ROAST smothered in BACON and ONIONS

serves 6


3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
One 2 1/2-pound beef chuck roast, tied at 1-inch intervals
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 pounds onions, very thinly sliced
12 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/4 cups water
20 whole allspice berries
10 black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
3 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

In a large, enameled cast-iron casserole, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the bacon and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the roast between the strings into four 1-inch-thick slabs. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, cook the meat in the casserole over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Lower the heat to moderate for the second batch if the butter begins to brown too quickly. Remove the strings, keeping the steaks intact, if possible.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Add the onions, garlic, 1/4 cup of the water and 1 teaspoon of salt to the casserole. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the casserole, about 8 minutes. Transfer half of the onions to a plate. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into the onions in the casserole. Nestle the steaks into the onions, overlapping them slightly if necessary. Add the allspice berries, peppercorns, crushed red pepper and bay leaf and lay half of the reserved bacon over the steaks. Spread the remaining onions and bacon on top. Add the wine and the remaining 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over moderately high heat for 5 minutes.

Transfer the casserole to the oven and cook for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 250° and continue braising for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the steaks are very tender. Turn the oven off, uncover the casserole and let the meat stand in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve the meat and onions in deep plates; spoon the sauce on top and sprinkle with the parsley.


courtesy of: Stanley Lobel / "America's Best Butchers Talk Shop," Food & Wine, October 2005

1202. STUFFED CAPSICUM with BACON and MUSHROOMS

3 green capsicums
6 oz bacon, finely chopped
4 oz mushrooms, sliced and lightly fried in butter
1 teaspoon grated onion
salt and pepper to taste
dried breadcrumbs
butter

Halve the capsicums lengthwise. Remove seeds. Mixe together the chopped bacon, fresh breadcrumbs, fried mushrooms and grated onions. Season to taste. Divide equally and stuff the capsicum. Sprinkle with dried breadcrumbs and top with a few dots of butter. Bake at 180 C for 15 minutes. Serve with your favorite sauce.


courtesy of: Chili Wonders, chili@chiliwonders.com

1201. EDAM, BACON and SUNDRIED TOMATO MUFFINS

makes 10 muffins


3½oz. smoked back bacon rashers
10oz. plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4oz. Edam cheese, grated
2¾oz. sundried tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons freshly snipped chives
2 eggs
7 fl oz. semi-skimmed milk
2¾oz. butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a muffin tin with 10 paper muffin cases. Grill the bacon until crispy and chop into pieces. In a large bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.

Stir the sugar, salt, three quarters of the cheese, bacon, sundried tomatoes and chives into the flour mixture and mix well.

In another bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and melted butter and pour over the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined, the batter will be lumpy. Fill the muffin cases and sprinkle the tops with the reserved Edam. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and firm. Delicious eaten warm or cold.


courtesy of: Edam Made, Beattie Communications, 4 Great James Street, London WC1N 3DB, 020 7053 6020

1200. GRATIN of BELGIAN ENDIVE with APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON

makes 8 servings


4 strips Applewood smoked bacon, cut in 2-inch strips
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
3 cups chicken stock or broth, plus more as needed
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 whole Belgian endive
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
3 large egg yolks

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon strips until they are evenly browned and the fat has been rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl. Add the parsley and set aside. (If making in advance, cover and refrigerate.)

In a pot large enough to hold the endive in a single layer, add the chicken stock or broth, carrot, celery, onion and sugar and the salt and pepper to taste and bring the stock to a simmer over low heat. Place the endive in the pot in a single layer, adding more stock, if necessary, to cover it.

Brush a large sheet of parchment paper with 1 tablespoon of the butter and place it, buttered side down, directly on top of the endive. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the endive is soft when tested with a knife. Using tongs, transfer the endive to a medium-large baking dish in a single layer or eight individual ovenproof dishes and set aside to cool.

If making in advance, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and stir to combine, without letting the mixture brown. Add the milk and stir constantly until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the Gruyere and mustard, stirring to combine. Strain the sauce mixture through a sieve into a medium bowl, add the egg yolks and stir to combine.

Pour the sauce over the endive and sprinkle with the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons Gruyere. Bake for 10 minutes, then broil until the cheese is browned, about 3 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with bacon-parsley mixture. Serve hot.


courtesy of: The Washington Post, November 16, 2005. Adapted from Robert Wiedmaier, chef and owner of Marcel's in the West End

1199. BACON-STUFFED PATTYPAN SQUASH

6 pattypan squash, stem and blossom removed
6 slices bacon
1/2 cup diced onion
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
any herb of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring one inch of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, or until a fork can pierce the stem with little resistance. Drain, and slice off the top stem of the squash. Use a melon baller to carefully scoop out the centers of the squash. Reserve all of the bits of squash.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Remove bacon to paper towels, and set aside. Saute onion in bacon drippings. Chop the reserved squash pieces, and saute them with the onion for one minute.

Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in the breadcrumbs. Crumble the bacon, and stir into the stuffing along with the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff each squash to overflowing with the mixture, and place them in a baking dish. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil.

Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until squash are heated through.


courtesy of: Sarah, My Culinary Sanctuary, Wisconsin

1198. FRIED PATTY PAN SQUASH with BACON

serves 4 to 6


1 1/2 lbs pattypan squash, stems removed, washed well and cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 slices bacon
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

In a cast iron skillet fry the bacon on medium heat until crisp. Set aside. When cool enough to handle, break up bacon into small pieces. In same pan, fry the patty pan squash until golden brown on both sides, stirring often to avoid burning, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to serving dish.


courtesy of: RecipeZaar

1197. BACON SAUTEED BARLEY with ARUGULA

1 cup hulled barley
4 cups water
2 slices center-cut bacon
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup lightly packed arugula

Place the barley in a medium glass bowl and add water to cover by 2 inches; cover and let stand at room temperature 8 hours or overnight.

Combine drained barley and 4 cups water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until barley is tender. Drain and set aside.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until done; remove pan from heat and transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate. Crumble bacon when crisp. Discard all but 2 teaspoons of bacon drippings.

Return skillet with reserved bacon drippings to heat. Add red onion and cook 2 minutes or until softened. Add reserved barley; cook 2 minutes or until barley is heated through, stirring frequently.

Add salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar; stir to combine. Stir in arugula and cook 1 minute or until wilted. Serve hot, garnished with crumbled bacon.


courtesy of: Kathryn Conrad, Chef/Test Kitchen Associate, Cooking Light Magazine

1196. BACON and BARLEY MINESTRONE

1 large leek, white part only
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 large parsnip, peeled and grated
2 stalks celery, stringy skin peeled off
½ cup of barley, rinsed well
1 bacon hock
2 x 250 grams fresh chicken stock
750ml hot water
1 x 400 grams can chopped tomatoes in juice
2 sprigs rosemary, left whole
3-4 fresh or 2 dried bay leaves
100 grams round green beans, finely sliced or 100g baby spinach leaves
A little chopped parsley or fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan to serve

Cut leek in half and remove any tough green leaves. Cut in half lengthways then cut each half to shorten it. Cut each quarter of leek into 4 even lengths then finely slice and place in a colander. Repeat until all leek is finely sliced. Rinse the leek well under a running tap to remove any dirt that is trapped between the leaves. Shake dry. Grate carrots coarsely and parsnip, add to the colander. Cut each celery stick into 4 even lengths then slice finely into a small dice. Add to colander of vegetables. Toss the vegetables lightly with your hands and mix well. Add to large saucepan or prewarmed crock pot.

Add rinsed barley to the vegetables and mix through. Place the bacon hock on top of the vegetables. Pour over the chicken stock and hot water. Spread the chopped tomato evenly on the top. Add fresh herbs. Cover and slowly bring to the boil. Or turn onto high in a crock pot or slow cooker and leave to cook for 6-7 hours.

When the soup has come to the boil, give it a stir then turn it down to a slow simmer and leave to cook covered for 1.5 hours. Check the soup occasionally and turn the bacon hock to ensure even cooking. If you are using gas to cook on then it is often hard to keep a ‘slow simmer’. I recommend using a simmer mat which you can buy at your local hardware store. It is an aluminum disc that sits between the gas and the saucepan and distributes the heat more evenly and slowly.

After 1.5 hours on the stove top check the barley is tender. Remove the rosemary twigs and bay leaves. Add the finely chopped beans, return the lid. Bring back to a simmer and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. For a crock pot the soup will be ready after 6 ½ -7 hours. You can add the beans and pasta and allow it to cook for a further 30-40 minutes.

Just before serving remove the bacon hock and peel away the thick skin. Flake away the meat with you hands. Chop it roughly and add back to the soup pot or crock If the soup is a little thick after adding back the chopped ham then thin it down with a little extra hot chicken stock or boiling water. Check the soups flavor and add a little salt and pepper as needed.

Ladle the minestrone into warmed bowls and serve with toasted bread and butter or fresh chewy bread rolls. Sprinkle a little chopped parsley into each bowl and a couple of teaspoons of grated parmesan to serve.


courtesy of: Meat Cuisine: Butchers of Distinction, 1 Tainui Road, Panmure, Auckland

1195. OXTAIL STEW with TOMATOES and BACON

serves 6


4 1/2 pounds oxtails
Paprika
All purpose flour
6 bacon slices, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon plus 2 teaspoons dried
2 cups dry red wine
1 28-ounce can Italian tomatoes, drained
1 14 1/2-ounce can beef broth
3/4 pound sugar snap peas

Sprinkle oxtails with paprika, salt and pepper. Coat with flour. Cook bacon in heavy Dutch oven over medium heat until fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon, using slotted spoon and reserve. Increase heat to high. Working in batches, add oxtails and cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer oxtails to plate.

Add onions and garlic to Dutch oven, reduce heat to medium and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Mix in tomato paste and 4 teaspoons rosemary. Add wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, breaking up with spoon, Add broth. Return oxtails with any juices and bacon to Dutch oven. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Uncover and simmer until liquid is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.)

Add sugar snap peas to oxtails. Simmer stew uncovered until peas are just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle stew with 2 tablespoons rosemary.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, March 1994

1194. CREAMED ONIONS with BACON and HERBS

makes 6 servings


3 slices thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 9-ounce boxes frozen creamed pearl onions
3 tablespoons chopped assorted fresh herbs (such as parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil)

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour off drippings. Heat same skillet over medium heat. Add wine; simmer 30 seconds. Add onions and cook until sauce melts and onions are heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in herbs and bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


courtesy of: Kelsey Nixon and Shane Lyons, Bon Appétit, August 2008

1193. COBB SALAD with WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE

makes 2 servings


1 heart of romaine, torn into bite-size pieces
3 cups packed baby spinach
4 bacon slices, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 chicken tenders (about 1/2 pound)
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
1 small tomato, cut into wedges
1/2 avocado
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (3 ounces)

Toss together romaine and spinach in a large bowl.

Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Discard all but about 2 tablespoons bacon fat and add oil to skillet. Pat chicken dry and season with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook chicken, turning over once, until golden brown and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium and add vinegars and mustard to skillet. Boil, scraping up brown bits, 30 seconds. Stir in any juices from chicken.

Toss salad greens with bacon vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Top salad with chicken, eggs, tomato, sliced avocado, blue cheese, and bacon.


courtesy of: Andre Albin, Gourmet, August 2008

1192. ASPARAGUS, CELERY, PEA and SMOKED BACON RISOTTO with GREMOLATA

serves 4


1 liter chicken or vegetable stock
1 celery heart, about 200g, trimmed and finely diced
150 grams smoked streaky bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for sautéing and serving
400 grams risotto rice, such as carnaroli, arborio or vialone nano
75ml dry white wine
350 grams medium asparagus, blanched and refreshed
150 grams fresh or frozen peas, blanched and refreshed
1-2 tablespoons crème fraîche or mascarpone
100 grams freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the gremolata
100ml extra virgin olive oil
2 small garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the gremolata, mix the extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice and chopped parsley together in a bowl. Season to taste and set aside.

Put the chicken or vegetable stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil. In a large saucepan, gently sauté the celery and bacon in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 6-7 minutes or until the bacon fat has rendered down. Stir in the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes to toast the grains lightly. Reduce the stock to a gentle simmer.

Pour in the wine and let the stock bubble until it is reduced to a syrupy consistency. Begin adding it one ladleful at a time to the rice, stirring well and waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding any more. Cook until the rice is just tender – it should be quite moist and relaxed, with a very slight bite.

Heat a griddle pan until almost smoking. Cut the asparagus spears in half. Set the asparagus tips aside for later and slice the stems. Stir the sliced asparagus, peas, crème fraîche or mascarpone and Parmesan into the rice. Remove from the heat and check for seasoning. Cover with a lid and leave the risotto to relax briefly.

Meanwhile, toss the asparagus tips in the remaining olive oil and some seasoning. Place the spears on the hot griddle and grill on all sides for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden and charred. Divide the risotto between warmed plates. Scatter the grilled asparagus over the risotto and drizzle with the gremolata to serve.


courtesy of: Gordon Ramsay / Times Online

1191. ZUCCHINI and BACON FRITTERS

makes approximately 10 fritters


1 medium zucchini, grated
2 spring onions, chopped, including 1-inch of the green parts
Six slices thick cut natural bacon
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 and 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Fry the bacon, save the grease, and drain the bacon slices on paper towels.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Crumble the bacon into the mixing bowl adding the other ingredients. Mix to combine. Mixture will not seem like it would hold together, but it will.

Heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat, sprayed with cooking spray (or an uncoated one if you have reservations about teflon and time to scrub). Iron skillet works well, too. Spoon batter into the skillet about a tablespoon at a time for small fritters. Flatten slightly to cook. Cook each batch about 2 minutes per side, til golden and cooked through.


courtesy of: The Expatriate's Kitchen

1190. BRAISED CHEVON with BACON and CRANBERRIES

1 young milk fed kid, cut up salt
3 oz. bacon
1/2 cup butter
3 oz. root vegetables
1/2 cup onion
2 sour apples
2 tomatoes

4 grains of allspice
6 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
4 teaspoon red wine
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons stewed cranberries
1 lemon

Rub salt into the meat outside and inside. Melt diced bacon, add butter and fry sliced vegetables and onion. Add some water and sliced peeled apples and tomatoes, spices and wine. Then put in the meat and braise it in the oven first with the lid on and when almost tender, remove lid and allow Chevon to become golden brown. Remove the meat, dust the gravy with flour, dilute with water and simmer. Add stewed cranberries to the thickened sauce, re-heat and return the meat. Serve with dumplings and put a slice of lemon on each serving of Chevon.


courtesy of: Two Mere Acres, Willie & Jean Thomure, 295 Cardinal Lane, Trenton, Georgia 30752, (706) 657-7018

1189. GOAT, BACON and PINEAPPLE KABOBS

yields about 20 skewers, depending on skewer size


2 pound boneless leg of goat, cubed
2 cans chunked pineapple
1-1/2 cup Italian dressing
10 strips uncooked bacon
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup real butter

Combine meat, dressing and garlic in a glass dish and let marinate for 1-24 hours. The longer the meat is marinated the better! Assemble the skewers by adding cubes of meat, bacon and pineapple, placed alternately. Brush with melted butter. Broil about 8 inches from heat for 5 minutes. Serve hot.


courtesy of: Terry Fryman / Michigan Boer Goat Association

1188. GOAT MINCE RISSOLES with BACON

500 grams goat meat, minced
125 grams bacon, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons soy or Worcester sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 beaten egg
a little flour or breadcrumbs

Add seasonings, sauce and egg to mince, bacon and onion. Mix well. Shape into round rissoles and roll in flour or breadcrumbs. Fry in a pan with hot oil until well cooked. Serve with vegetables or salad.


courtesy of: Stonehaven Stud, PO Box 4890, Sunshine Coast, MC Nambour QLD 4560, Australia

1187. ROASTED LEG OF LAMB with BACON, BANYULS and SPINACH STUFFING

1 leg of lamb de-boned
several feet of kitchen string
4 slices cured, smoked bacon
6-8 cups (one bunch) spinach
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup banyuls blanc or a white port
1 cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375.

Begin by frying the bacon in a large sauce pan. Once the bacon is crisp remove the bacon to a plate covered with a few paper towels to drain the excess grease. Pour off the excess grease from the saute pan but leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan. Add the onions and garlic and saute them over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the onions are very soft and translucent. Add the spinach all at once and place a tight lid on top of the saute pan. Let the spinach simmer for a minute or two to allow it to reduce in volume. Continue cooking the spinach for another five minutes tossing occasionally with a spatula or tongs with the lid off.

Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces and add it to the spinach mixture along with the toasted pine nuts,nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove the spinach mixture to a large bowl and allow it to cool.

Lay the lamb leg out flat on a cutting board fat side down. Spoon the spinach mixture into the center of the leg where the bone used to be. Once all the spinach mixture is placed in the leg roll the leg back up and secure with some peices of kitchen string.

Place the leg in a roasting rack above a roasting pan. In the base of the roasting pan add the chicken stock and banyuls. Place the roast in the lowest rack of your oven. Baste the leg of lamb periodically with the banyuls and stock mixture.

Cook the leg of lamb for 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the largest portion of the leg reads 145 degrees.

Once the leg is cooked remove the leg to a cutting board to rest. At the same time place the roasting pan on your stove top and heat the stock and banyuls to a rapid boil. Reduce the stock to approximately once cup. Serve the reduced stock either on top of or alongside the meat.


courtesy of: Vanessa Touset and Matt Hiltebrand, Sublime Delights

1186. PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM and BACON ALFREDO

1 lb portobello mushrooms
1-2 lbs bacon, cooked and cut into pieces
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 medium package of multi colored spiral pasta, cooked
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
1 can of sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce
2 teaspoons butter

Saute mushrooms in butter until they darken. Take off heat and set aside. Mix cooked pasta with sauce in a bowl until completely covered. Place a serving of pasta in a bowl with a spoonful of tomatoes, spoonful of mushrooms and then a spoonful of bacon. Top it of with tbsp of parmesan.


courtesy of: Emily Jeffcoat, Lubbock, Texas / WRCB Channel 3, 900 Whitehall Road, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37405, (423) 267-5412

1185. MAITAKE, BACON and GORGONZOLA CHEESE PENNE

makes 4 servings


7 oz. maitake mushrooms
8 oz. penne pasta
2 strips bacon
1 cup milk
1 cup fresh cream
4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoons butter
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoons parsley

Boil penne pasta. Break up maitake mushroom cluster into pieces with fingers. Cut bacon into 1/2-inch. Fry bacon until bacon until rendered. Add milk, fresh cream and Gorgonzola cheese. Saute at low temperature until cheese is melted. Add and mix maitake, Parmesan cheese, butter and salt. Place in serving bowl. Sprinkle parsley over top.


courtesy of: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, P.O. Box 639, San Marcos, California 92079

1184. SMOKED CHICKEN and BACON LASAGNA

makes 4 servings


2 smoked chicken breast fillets
250 grams bacon
1 large onion
1 jar sun dried tomatoes
1 jar roasted capsicum
2 packets instant lasagna sheets
2 garlic cloves
Bechamel Sauce

Dice the onion and the bacon. Add the garlic and fry together in a little butter and olive oil. Drain on paper towel. Slice up the smoked chicken fillets into thin slices. Slice up the sun dried tomatoes and roasted capsicum into pieces (these may need to be drained on some paper towel also). Don't use the whole jar - just use as much as you need as the flavors are quite strong. Make the Bechamel sauce. Put a little Bechamel sauce in the bottom of the lasagna dish. Place a layer of lasagna sheets. Cover in Bechamel sauce. Place a layer of sliced chicken. Place a layer of lasagna sheets. Cover in Bechamel sauce. Place a layer of the onion, bacon and garlic. Place a layer of lasagna sheets. Cover in Bechamel sauce. Place a layer of tomatoes and capsicum. Place a layer of lasagna sheets. Cover in Bechamel sauce. Top with a mixture of grated tasty and grated parmesan cheese.

This can be cooked immediately at about 180 degrees C for about an hour. You will need to stick a knife in to see whether the lasagna sheets have softened. This can also be pre-made and left in the fridge overnight and then cooked in the oven the next day.


courtesy of: CurlyPops, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

1183. BACON and HALLOUMI STUFFED MUSHROOMS

serves 4


4 flat mushrooms
3 rashers bacon, rind removed, thinly sliced
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 cup fresh wholegrain breadcrumbs
1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 lemon, rind finely grated
1/2 cup grated halloumi cheese

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Trim stalks from mushrooms. Place mushroom caps, gill-side up, in baking dish. Finely chop stalks.

Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and onion. Cook for 3 minutes or until onion softens. Add chopped mushroom stalks. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are golden. Add breadcrumbs and cook for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

Stir in parsley, 1 teaspoon lemon rind and haloumi. Season with pepper. Spoon bacon mixture onto mushrooms. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden. Serve.


courtesy of: Kerrie Butler, Super Food Ideas, July 2007, page 62

1182. DARK CHOCOLATE and BACON CUPCAKE

makes 24 cupcakes


8 slices good thick-cut bacon
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
3/4 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
frosting recipe below

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 24 muffin tins. Chop bacon into about 1/2-inch pieces. Cook over med-high heat in a skillet until bacon is brown & crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain. Pat any remaining oil off the bacon. Set aside. Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa. Add water and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in separately sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined (it will be a little bit lumpy). Stir in bacon. In goes the bacon. Fill muffin tins to about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean. It's a moist cake, so don't worry if a few crumbs stick to your tester. Allow cupcakes to cool.


Dark Chocolate Frosting

makes about 2 cups frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Frost the cupcakes & sprinkle with a little Fleur de Sel right before serving.


courtesy of: A Good Appetite / Hershey's Chocolate

1181. BACON and PEANUT BUTTER CORNBREAD

makes 8 servings


12 bacon slices
2 cup cornmeal, self-rising
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons oil

In a heavy 10" skillet cook bacon until golden and crisp. Drain on paper toweling; set aside. Pour off all but about 1 teaspoon bacon fat from pan. Place pan in oven, then set oven temperature to 425'F.

Stir together cornmeal and sugar. Cut in peanut butter until crumbly. Blend together eggs, milk, oil, and crumbled bacon. Add all at once to cornmeal mixture, stirring just until blended, and pour mixture into hot skillet. Return to oven and bake 15-20 minutes.


courtesy of: Recipe Ideas

1180. BAKED, SMOKED BACON-WRAPPED SARDINES with GOOSEBERRY and GREEN PEPPERCORN RELISH

serves four starter portions


1 onion, finely sliced
100 ml white wine vinegar
150 grams caster sugar
1 tablespoon green peppercorns
600 grams gooseberries, top and tailed
8 sardines (head off, scaled, gutted)
8 rashers smoked streaky bacon
Optional: 1 tablespoon chopped herbs

To make the relish, place onion, green peppercorns, vinegar and sugar in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add gooseberries and cook for about half an hour or until nearly all the liquid has evaporated.

Wrap the sardines in rashers of bacon, place on an oiled baking tray, sprinkle with a few chopped herbs, bake in a very hot oven for 10 minutes or until the bacon is crisp.

Serve two sardines each with the warm relish.


courtesy of: James Mackenzie, chef-proprietor, Pipe & Glass Inn, West End, South Dalton, Beverley, East Yorkshire, HU17 7PN, Tel: 01430 810246