1697. BRAISED NAPA CABBAGE with BACON, RED WINE VINEGAR and MINT

yields four servings


8 ounces bacon, diced
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups chicken stock
2 pounds Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place medium-sized roasting pan on burner over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Place cabbage in a roasting pan with rendered bacon fat, stir in the vinegar, honey and chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast in the oven until wilted, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in the mint. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with the cooked bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bobby Flay, "Irish Pub Grub," Emeril Live

1696. RICOTTA PASTA with FAVA BEANS and BACON

serves two


1 pound ballerine or campanelle pasta
1/2 pound fresh fava beans, shelled
4 strips of thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup ricotta
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, then the beans, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender and bright green. Drain and set aside. Fill up the pot with water again, salt and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta until done.

While the pasta is cooking, peel the beans. Peel off white skin by pinching through the skin opposite the growing tip. Press one end of the bean between two fingers to push out the small green bean inside.

Cook the bacon in a heavy saucepan until pink and cooked through. Drain the grease and return to the heat. Add the beans and saute until desired tenderness. Take off the heat and stir in the ricotta, cream, and cheese, mixing until warm. Toss with the pasta and nutmeg. Taste and and add salt and pepper to taste.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Faith Durand, The Kitchn, Apartment Therapy

1695. BACON CORN MUFFINS with SAVORY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

yields twenty-four muffins


For Muffins:
8 strips bacon
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat

For Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 bunch chives, sliced

Special equipment:
2 (24-count) nonstick mini muffin tins
pastry Bag

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place bacon onto a baking sheet and bake until crisp about 12 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and place onto a plate lined with a paper towel. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Once bacon is cool enough to handle, chop into small pieces.

Spray a 24-count mini muffin tray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and brown sugar. In a separate bowl whisk the milk and egg. Whisk the milk mixture, melted butter and bacon fat into the dry ingredients. Add 3/4 of the chopped cooked bacon, reserve remaining 1/4 for a garnish.

Fill each muffin cup with 1 tablespoon of the batter so the cups are filled about 3/4 of the way up. Bake in oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the muffins comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before icing.

While muffins are cooling, in a medium bowl beat the cream cheese, honey and hot sauce with a hand mixer until soft and combined. Add 3/4 of the sliced chives, reserve remaining 1/4 for a garnish. Mix until well combined.

Transfer mixture to a pastry bag and snip off the end.

Once the muffins have cooled, pipe a small amount of the cream cheese mixture on top of each one. Garnish with remaining crumbled bacon and remaining chopped chives.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Brian Boitano, "Derby Girls," What Would Brian Boitano Make?

1694. PICKLED HERRING with APPLES and BACON on TOAST

makes six servings


6 ounces pickled herring or herring in wine
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped chives
freshly ground pepper
6 slices bacon
1 apple, quartered, cored, sliced
1 bunch watercress, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt
3 slices bread

Cut herring chunks into smaller pieces. Combine with sour cream, vinegar, chives and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain and set aside.

Mix the apple slices, watercress, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toast 3 slices of bread and cut each in half diagonally.

Top each piece of toast with bacon. Top bacon with herring mixture. Finish each with a topping of watercress salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: North Jersey.com, North Jersey Media Group, 1 Garret Mountain Plaza, Woodland Park, New Jersey 07424 | Brian Huston, The Publican, 845 West Fulton Market, Chicago, Illinois 60607

1693. BACON-WRAPPED ELK BACKSTRAPS

2 lbs elk backstraps, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces/steaks
1-2 lb bacon
3 cups brown sugar
2 cups soy sauce
1/4 cup white sugar

Mix brown sugar and soy sauce together in a bowl. Mix till combined into a soup liquid. Place the meat either in a large freezer bag or a bowl that seals tight with a lid. Let the meat marinade overnight. Remove the backstraps and place on a broiler pan or some sort of slotted bake sheet with a drip pan or aluminum foil below to catch dripping. Wrap bacon around the entire piece of meat, securing the bacon strip with a toothpick. Lightly drizzle remaining marinade over loins, and sprinkle with a small amount of white sugar. Place on center rack in oven and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes for medium cook and until bacon is done.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lynn Shilley, A Washington Hunter Girl's Blog, Naches, Washington, March 15, 2009

1692. EGG SALAD with BACON and TARRAGON

makes 4 servings


1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 tablespoon each parsley and green onion
2 teaspoons Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 cups mixed salad greens
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
12 cherry tomatoes, halved

Combine celery, mayonnaise, tarragon, Tabasco, and salt in a bowl and mix well. Add eggs and mix gently. Divide salad greens between four plates; place a scoop of egg salad on each and sprinkle crumbled bacon on top. Garnish with tomatoes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tabasco, McIlhenny Company, Avery Island, Louisiana 70513

1691. BACON and GOAT CHEESE FREE-FORM TART

serves 4 as a main course, 8 as an appetizer


For the crust
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow or white cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
3 ounces cream cheese, cold and cut into 4 chunks
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

For the filling
8 slices (about 1/2 pound) thick-cut bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds (about 4 large) onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
3/4 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese

Milk for brushing the crust

Make the crust: Cut the butter into small cubes and freeze for at least 15 minutes. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, blend the flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add the cream cheese and process for about 20 seconds, or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the butter and pulse until no butter is larger than the size of a pea. Add the ice water and process for about 30 seconds, or until a pinch of the dough holds together. If it doesn’t, add more water, a teaspoon at a time. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Knead just until it holds together in one piece. Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. (If you chill it much longer, give it time to warm up a little before rolling it out.)

Make the filling: While the dough is chilling, cook the bacon in a saute pan or skillet until it is about halfway cooked. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Put the pan with the remaining bacon fat back over medium heat. Add the olive oil and then the sliced onions and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions slowly, stirring occasionally, until they are deep golden brown and caramelized, 35 to 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the second-lowest position. On a nonstick baking mat or piece of parchment paper, roll the chilled dough into a rough circle about 1/8 inch thick and 14 to 16 inches in diameter. (The edges do not have to be smooth and neat.) Lift the baking mat with the crust onto a cookie sheet. Spread the caramelized onions over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Coarsely chop the bacon and sprinkle it evenly over the onions, followed by the thyme leaves, and finally the goat cheese. Fold the edges of the crust in over the filling, pleating the edges as necessary. Brush the crust with milk. Bake the tart for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is golden. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cooking with Shelburne Farms by Melissa Pasanen with Rick Gencarelli. Viking Studio, 2007

1690. BLUE CHEESE STUFFED BACON SLIDERS

serves twelve


16 slices (1 pound) apple-smoked bacon
2 ripe but firm pears
about 1 tablespoon sugar
3 pounds coarsely ground sirloin, chilled
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces (about 1/2 cup) crumbled blue cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus about 1 teaspoon
sea salt
24 soft, mini burger buns
2 1/2 cups baby arugula leaves
1 small red onion (about the same diameter as the buns), very thinly sliced
1 pint basket cherry tomatoes (optional)

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, and then drain on paper towels. Cut 8 of the slices crosswise into 3 pieces each; crumble the remaining bacon and set both aside separately.

Peel the pears, halve them lengthwise, and core them. Cut them crosswise into thin slices and put in a bowl. Toss with the sugar and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the meat, thyme, crumbled bacon, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Using your hands, knead together lightly. Form the mixture into 48 evenly sized balls (about 1 ounce each). Use the pointed end of an egg to make a small depression in half the patties. Fill them with a little mound of cheese, dividing it evenly among them. Top with the remaining patties, and then pinch them together around the cheese. Make sure the stuffing is completely enclosed. Pat and mold the burgers to fit the buns. The burgers can be shaped and refrigerated, covered, for several hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot or build a medium-hot fire in a barbecue. Generously season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.

Cook the burgers in the skillet, in batches, turning once or twice, about 3 minutes for medium-rare. Do not press down on the patties. Be gentle when you turn the burgers so they do not break open. With a large spoon, baste the sliders several times with the fat in the pan. To grill the burgers, oil the grate, arrange the patties on it, and cover. Cook as above.

While the burgers cook, toast the buns in a toaster oven or under the broiler, about 5 inches from the heat, until lightly toasted. Or toast them on the outer perimeter of the grill rack.

When the burgers are done, remove them to a warm platter, keep warm, and let rest for several minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining teaspoon of the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the pear slices, or place them on the outside of the grill rack, and cook just until warm and lightly browned. Turn and repeat, then remove to a plate. They should still be crunchy.

To build the burgers, arrange a few leaves of arugula on the bun bottoms. Top each with a pear slice or two, a piece of bacon, and a burger. Add an onion slice and a bun top, and skewer securely together. Add a cherry tomato as a topknot, if you wish, on the skewer. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Burger Bar: Build Your Own Ultimate Burger, by by Hubert Keller and Penelope Wisner. Wiley, 2009

1689. PEAMEAL BACON SLIDERS

makes 24 sliders


1 small sweet or Vidalia onion
2 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/2 cup sodium-reduced chicken broth
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup grainy mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lb peameal bacon, sliced 1/4-inch thick
24 mini-buns or small dinner rolls
24 gherkins, cornichons, small pickled peppers or cocktail onions

Cut onion into 1/4-inch thick rings. In skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion and half each of the salt and pepper until softened, about 8 minutes. Add chicken broth; cook, stirring, until no liquid remains, 8 minutes. Set aside and keep warm. In large bowl, combine maple syrup, mustard, and remaining salt and pepper; set aside. In nonstick skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; cook bacon, in batches and adding more oil if necessary, turning once, until tender and golden, about 4 minutes. Cut each slice into 4 pieces. Add to maple mixture; toss to coat. Cut buns in half; broil, cut side up, on baking sheet until golden and toasted, about 1 minute. In saucepan, warm bacon mixture over medium heat, 1 to 3 minutes. Stack 4 pieces bacon on each base of bun; top with onions then top half of bun. Secure with gherkin-skewered toothpick.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Canadian Living Test Kitchen, Canadian Living.com, # Transcontinental Publications Inc., 25 Sheppard Avenue West, Suite 100 Toronto, Ontario M2N 6S7 Canada

1688. BACON and CORN-STUFFED TOMATOES with MUENSTER CHEESE

makes six servings


6 medium tomatoes
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/3 cup diced green pepper
2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (4-5 ears), cut from the cob
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
6 slices chopped cooked bacon
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups shredded Muenster cheese

Slice the tops from the tomatoes. Carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving a shell. A serrated grapefruit spoon or melon baller works well for this. Turn the tomatoes upside down and drain on paper toweling.

Preheat oven to 400ºF (205ºC). Lightly grease a pizza pan or other baking sheet. Set aside.

Heat the butter in a 9 or 10-inch skillet. Add green onions and sauté over a medium heat about 3 minutes. Add green pepper and sauté 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Add the corn kernels, water and thyme. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook at a gentle boil until the corn is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in bacon pieces and mayonnaise.

Fill each tomato with 1/6 of the mixture.

Bake for 10 to15 minutes, until the tomatoes are almost cooked, but still hold their shape. Remove from oven and top each tomato with 1/4 cup of the Muenster.

Bake 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese melts. Or, place the cheese-topped tomatoes under a hot broiler. Broil just until cheese melts and slightly browns.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, 8418 Excelsior Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53717, (608) 836-8820

1687. RICOTTA HOT CAKES with CRISPY BACON and MIXED LEAVES

makes 12-14 cakes


100 grams plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
200 grams ricotta
4 large free range eggs, separated
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon English mustard powder
100ml milk
50 grams unsalted butter
12 rashers back bacon
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
120 grams herb salad
crème fraîche or mayonnaise mixed with grainy mustard, to serve

Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, then mix in the ricotta, egg yolks, thyme and mustard powder. Slowly drizzle in the milk and beat to make a smooth mixture. Season well with salt and lots of black pepper.

Melt half the butter in a large frying pan. When it starts to foam, put in the bacon rashers and fry until crisp.While the bacon is cooking, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff and form soft peaks, then fold into the ricotta mixture in batches with a large metal spoon, keeping in as much air as possible.

When the bacon is crisp, lift it out, drain well on kitchen paper and keep warm. Cook the hot cakes in the same pan over a low heat, allowing about 2 tbsp mixture for each cake and doing them in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan. Add little knobs of butter as you go and take care to keep the heat low so the butter doesn't burn. The hot cakes should be firm and golden at the end, and this will take about 2 minutes on each side. When each batch is cooked, transfer to a plate and keep warm. (At this stage they can be frozen, but allow to cool first.)


bacon recipe courtesy of: Good Food magazine, November 2002

1686. COLLARD GREENS with RED ONIONS and BACON

serves eight


1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into fourths
3 medium red onions, chopped coarse (about 3 cups)
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
4 pounds collard greens (preferably small leaves), coarse stems and ribs discarded and leaves and thin stems washed well, drained, and chopped coarse

In a deep heavy kettle cook bacon in 2 batches over moderate heat until crisp and transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons drippings and in drippings remaining in kettle cook onions, stirring occasionally, until browned slightly and softened. Transfer onions with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

To kettle add broth, vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and about half of bacon, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add about half of collards, tossing until wilted slightly, and add remaining collards, tossing until combined. Simmer collards, covered, 30 minutes. Stir in onions and simmer, covered, 30 minutes more, or until collards are very tender.

Serve collards topped with remaining bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet, December 1995

1685. ONE POT COTTAGE CHEESE NOODLES with BACON

serves four


12 oz. egg noodles
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and chopped
16 oz. cottage cheese
2 oz. fresh mozzarella
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
parmesan cheese, optional

Cook noodles to your liking in a large sauce pan. Strain noodles and set aside. Using the same pot, add the butter, bacon, cottage cheese and pepper. Heat ingredients on medium-low heat. After heating, add noodles and mozzarella; then stir thoroughly. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese (if desired). Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: NetCooks.com

1684. BRIE, BACON and CHICKEN SANDWICH

serves two

2 ounces brie cheese
2-3 ounces chicken breast or tenders
3 slices smoked bacon
1/2 onion
baguette, halved and sliced into 2 sandwich portions

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Slice bacon into approximately 2-inch pieces and cook in skillet until crispy. Meanwhile, slice onions and cut chicken breast/tenders into small bite-size pieces. When the bacon is crispy, place them on a towel-lined plate and set aside. Remove excess bacon fat in skillet. Lower heat to medium and sauté onions. Add chicken pieces and cook until no longer pink and the onions have softened. Set-aside.

Heat a griddle over medium-high heat. Place brie pieces, bacon, chicken and onions on bottom half of each baguette. Put the top half on and set both sandwiches on griddle. With an oven mitt, take the cast-iron skillet (careful, it’s hot!) and place it on top of sandwiches. Once the cheese is melting and the bottom is toasted, remove skillet and gently flip the sandwiches over to toast the other side. Again, place skillet on top. The sandwich is ready when both sides are hot and toasty.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sheila, tasteduds.com, Los Angeles, California, August 20, 2009

1683. WILD BOAR BACON and LEMON THYME POPCORN

serves two


3 rashers of wild boar back bacon
80 grams popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 teaspoon of lemon thyme, chopped
sea salt

Preheat the grill, lay the bacon on a baking tray and grill the bacon until very crispy, turn it a couple of times during the cooking process to ensure the bacon is completely dry and crispy without it being burnt.

Let the bacon cool on a cooling rack, this will allow it to crisp up, pat dry with kitchen paper.

One the bacon is cold break it into even size pieces. Turn the thermomix on with the blades running at speed 10, drop the bacon all at once onto the running blades and place the measuring cup in place, grind for 10 seconds. Add the freshly chopped lemon thyme and a generous amount of Maldon sea salt to the powdered bacon.

Heat a large saucepan with the sunflower oil and add the bacon dripping to the pan, add the popcorn and place the lid on top, shake the pan a couple of times and once the popcorn starts to pop turn the heat off and leave the saucepan on the cooker until you cannot hear the corn popping any longer.

Remove the lid and add the powdered bacon to the warm popcorn and mix well, serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Madalene, The British Larder, October 9, 2009

1682. RUNNER BEANS with BACON and HAZELNUTS

serves four


500 grams runner beans, trimmed and sliced
4 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped into large pieces
handful blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
5 tablespoons double cream
small handful tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the beans for 4-5 mins until cooked, but still vibrant. Drain the beans and tip straight into a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain again and set aside.

Heat a frying pan, tip in the bacon and sizzle for 4-5 mins until it starts to crisp. Throw in the hazelnuts and cook for another few mins until the nuts start to brown. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the bacon and nuts, but leave behind any juices and residue. Place the pan back on a low heat, slosh in the vinegar and sizzle for a moment, then stir in the cream. Return the beans, bacon and hazelnuts to the pan to warm through and toss them in the dressing. Tip into a bowl and mix in the tarragon just before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Good Food magazine, August 2006

1681. BOILED BACON HOCK and CHICKEN with DUMPLINGS

serves eight


1 3/4 lb. bacon hock
2 1/2 lb. chicken
6 medium-sized potatoes, quartered
2 Spanish onions, quartered
6 medium-sized carrots, cut into chunks
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 small cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

For the cornmeal dumplings
2 1/2 oz. cornmeal
2 1/2 oz. self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 oz. butter
1/2 egg, beaten
4 - 5 tablespoons milk

Put the hock and the chicken into a heavy 8 pint saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Add the potatoes and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Add the onions and carrots and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper (the bacon may have made the stock already salty) and simmer for 15 minutes. Check the bacon and chicken; if they are cooked, remove them and keep them warm.

Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings. Sift the cornmeal, flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the beaten egg and milk to make a soft dough.

Add the cabbage wedges to the saucepan and push them down into the simmering stock.

Drop rounded teaspoons of dough into the simmering stock. Cover and cook gently for 10-15 minutes, or until the dumplings are fluffy and firm and the vegetables are tender.

Remove the bacon hock to a board. with a sharp knife, remove and discard the skin and fat and cut the meat into chunks. Place the chicken on the board, remove and discard the skin and cut into 8 portions. Divide the meat between 8 individual heated soup bowls.

Divide the vegetables, dumplings and broth between the bowls and sprinkle each one with finely chopped parsley. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: COOKITSIMPLY.com

1680. BAKED CHICKEN and BACON-WRAPPED LADY APPLES

makes 4 to 6 servings


8 thin slices bacon (from a 1/2-lb package)
12 lady apples (about 1 to 2 inches in diameter
6 chicken thighs (2 lb; with skin and bones)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup unfiltered apple cider
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 sprigs fresh marjoram plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram, or to taste
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning over once, until edges are lightly browned but bacon is still flexible (it will continue to cook in oven), 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving fat in skillet.

While bacon cooks, core apples, if desired, from bottom, with pointed end of a vegetable peeler or a paring knife, leaving stems intact. Wrap a slice of bacon around each of 8 apples, securing ends of bacon by piercing with stem or using half a wooden pick.

Brush a 3-quart (13- by 9-inch) shallow baking dish with some bacon fat, then add apples to dish and bake, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat bacon fat in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook chicken, turning over once, until browned, about 8 minutes total. Transfer chicken with tongs to baking dish, rearranging some of apples so that chicken fits in bottom of dish, and bake, uncovered, 5 minutes.

While chicken bakes, pour off fat from skillet and add cider, vinegar, and marjoram sprigs to skillet. Boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half (about 3/4 cup), about 5 minutes. Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup, pressing on and then discarding solids. Add butter and chopped marjoram to sauce, stirring until butter is melted. Pour sauce over chicken and apples and continue to bake, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through and apples are tender, about 20 minutes more.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet, September 2006

1679. LADY PEAS with BACON and CORN

serves four


2 cups shelled lady peas
4 ears fresh corn, cooked
4 slices bacon or country ham
2 shallots or green onions

Place peas in a medium saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until crisp-tender, about 30 minutes. Drain. Cut kernels from ears of corn. Place country ham or bacon in large skillet. Cook until crisp and browned. Remove from pan and chop or crumble. Discard all drippings except 2 tablespoons. Return pan to heat. Add shallots; sauté 5 minutes. Add peas, corn and bacon. Heat thoroughly.


bacon recipe courtesy of: "Southern-Style Veggie Plate," Relish Magazine, July 2009 | 341 Cool Springs Boulevard, Suite 400, Franklin, Tennessee 37067

1678. CHEDDAR, ASPARAGUS, SPINACH and BACON FONDUE

yields about 6 servings or about 6 cups


1/4 pound bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh asparagus, hard ends removed, diced
1 cup low-fat milk
1 (10-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, finely diced
1/2 pound sage cheddar, shredded
1/2 pound white cheddar, shredded
1/2 pound smoked cheddar, shredded
Hot sauce, optional
1 baguette
1 loaf sourdough bread
3 Pink Lady apples, or any you prefer, cores removed, sliced

In a medium pan or in the oven, cook bacon until crisp and brown. Drain the fat and crumble bacon. Set aside. In large pot over medium heat, add olive oil and saute onion, garlic and asparagus for about 5 minutes, or until they start to soften and onion and garlic turn golden. Reduce heat to medium-low and add milk, mushroom soup and spinach. Mix ingredients until base is smooth. Add cheeses and stir constantly (reduce heat if necessary to prevent burning) until melted and smooth. Add bacon and hot sauce, if desired. (Add more milk if mixture is too thick.) Serve fondue with baguette, sourdough bread and apples.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market Association, 232 Anacapa Street, Suite 1A, Santa Barbara, California 93101, (805) 962-5354

1677. BACON-WRAPPED SEA TROUT with SAMPHIRE and JERSEY ROYALS

serves 3-4


1 whole sea trout, 2-2.3kg,
 scaled and gutted
sea salt and freshly ground
 black pepper
2 slices of lemon
few sprigs each of thyme 
and rosemary
10-12 thin streaky bacon
 rashers
olive oil, to drizzle

For the Jersey Royals
700 grams Jersey Royal potatoes,
 scrubbed and large ones halved or quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra 
to drizzle
2 large shallots, peeled and
 finely chopped
150 grams samphire (optional)
squeeze of lemon juice
handful of flat-leaf parsley,
 chopped

Preheat the oven to 200C/
Gas 6. Wash and pat the trout dry with kitchen paper, then lightly score both sides on the diagonal. Rub a little salt and pepper all over the fish, including inside the gut cavity. Open out the cavity and stuff it with the lemon slices and herb sprigs.

Arrange the bacon rashers 
in a neat row on a chopping board with their sides slightly overlapping. Place the stuffed trout in the middle and wrap 
 the bacon around it. Carefully transfer the fish to a lightly oiled baking tray. Drizzle over a little olive oil and bake in the oven 
for 25-30 minutes, until the fish 
is cooked through. To check 
that it’s done, insert a small 
knife into the thickest part and press it lightly to one side – the flesh should come away easily from the bone.

While the fish is in the oven, cook the potatoes. Put them into a pan of salted water and 
boil for 8-10 minutes until just tender when pierced with the 
tip of a knife. Drain well and
set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and add the shallots 
and a little seasoning. Sweat 
them over a medium heat for 
4-5 minutes until they become translucent. Add the samphire and a squeeze of lemon juice. 
Cook for another couple 
of minutes before adding the potatoes. Season to taste – although you probably won’t 
need to add extra salt due to 
the naturally salty samphire. 
Take the pan off the heat and 
toss in the chopped parsley.

Pile the potato and samphire mixture into a large, warmed bowl and serve alongside the baked sea trout.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gordon Ramsay | The Times Online, May 23, 2009

1676. NEW POTATO, BACON and SEA VEGETABLE SALAD

serves 2


8 boiled new potatoes, skin on
150 grams samphire
2 tablespoons sea purslane
2 rashers of smoked back bacon
2 tablespoons blanched and popped broad beans
1 teaspoon grain mustard
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
freshly cracked black pepper and course sea salt

Heat a medium non stick frying pan and saute the samphire in a splash of olive oil for two minutes, remove from the pan.

In the same pan cook the bacon until crispy, remove and deglaze the pan with the vinegar, oil and grain mustard to form the vinaigrette.

Cut the cooked potatoes in half and mix with the warm vinaigrette.

Chop the bacon into small pieces and mix with the potatoes, broad beans and sampire. Add half of the sea purslane and season to taste.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Madalene Bonvini-Hamel, The British Larder

1675. GNOCCHI NICOISE with BACON

yields four servings


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces bacon, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 pound coarsely ground beef
2 tablespoons brandy or red wine
3 shallots, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 15-ounce can plum tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 1-inch strips orange peel
2/3 cup nicoise olives, pitted and chopped
1 package (about 1 pound) vacuum-packed gnocchi

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and garlic; cook until the bacon starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef; cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add the brandy, shallots, carrots, celery and tomato paste; cook until the vegetables soften, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Crush the tomatoes into the pan with your hands and add any juices from the can. Stir in the broth, bay leaf, orange peel and olives. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat; cover and cook 20 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat and bring to a boil to thicken the sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil the gnocchi until one floats to the top, about 1 minute. Drain immediately to prevent the gnocchi from becoming mushy. Remove the orange peel and bay leaf from the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Toss the gnocchi with the sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Food Network Magazine

1674. SWISS and BACON DIP

8 slices center cut bacon, chopped
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 rounded teaspoons prepared Dijon style mustard
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, available on dairy aisle
3 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped
baby carrots and a selection of spiced flat breads, cocktail sized pumpernickel or rye breads, or sliced whole grain baguettes, for dipping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brown bacon in nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Drain crisp bacon bits on paper towels. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon, Swiss and scallions with cooked bacon. Transfer to a shallow small casserole or baking dish and bake until golden and bubbly at edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Top with chopped smoked almonds. Place dip on a platter and surround warm casserole with breads and carrots for dipping.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rachael Ray, "Linger at the Table, Not at the Stove," 30 Minute Meals

1673. VEAL and BACON TERRINE

2 lb. escalopes very thinly sliced
2 lb. bacon, very thinly sliced
3½ oz. onions very finely chopped
2½ oz. parsley very finely chopped
2 oz. freshly ground white pepper
salt and black pepper
3½ fl oz. dry white wine
1 sprig of thyme
1/2 bay leaf

Line a large rectangle terrine or two smaller ones with strips of bacon. Put in a layer of veal next. Mix the onion. parsley and white pepper and sprinkle a layer on the veal. Season with salt and black pepper continue layering until the terrine is full. Finish with a layer of bacon. Pour the wine over place the thyme and bay leaf on top. Cover and cook in a preheated oven 350F. Cook for about 2 1/2 hours until the juices are clear. Place a weighted board on top while it cools down serve cold.


bacon recipe courtesy of: A-taste-of-France.com

1672. EXOTIC MUSHROOM and BACON STUFFING TERRINE

yields twelve servings


8 oz thickly sliced bacon
1/4 cup butter
2 onions, sliced
8 cups sliced mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, white or oyster), about 1-1/2 lb
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
8 cups cubed (1/2 inch/1 cm) day-old sourdough bread
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons turkey pan juices

Grease two 8- x 4-inch (1.5 L) loaf pans; set aside.

Cut bacon crosswise into strips. In large skillet, fry bacon over medium-high heat until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to paper towel to drain; transfer to large bowl.

Drain off all but 2 tbsp (25 mL) fat from pan. Melt butter in pan; fry onions, mushrooms, garlic and rosemary until golden, 10 minutes. Add to bacon. Add bread, tomatoes, parsley and lemon rind to bowl; pour in stock and mix well. Scrape into prepared baking dishes; cover with foil.

Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven, basting every 20 minutes with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the turkey pan juices, until golden, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until browned, about 20 minutes. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes; refrigerate until cold. Cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Remove from pans and cut each into 6 slices; return to pans, cover and reheat during last hour of turkey roasting, basting every 20 minutes with 1/4 cup/50 mL of the pan juices and removing foil for last 20 minutes.) With sharp knife, slice each loaf into 6 slices.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Canadian Living Test Kitchen, Transcontinental Publications Inc., 25 Sheppard Avenue West, Suite 100, Toronto, ON M2N 6S7

1671. FRESH SHELL BEAN SOUP with BACON and PISTOU

makes four servings


2 pounds fresh cranberry beans, shelled (2 cups), see Note
salt
8 parsley stems
4 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 slice of bacon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 medium celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
2 medium tomatoes--peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 ounces thin green beans, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
freshly ground pepper

PISTOU
8 large basil leaves
1 small garlic clove, halved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

CROUTONS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced (1/4 inch) crustless country bread
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground pepper

MAKE THE SOUP: In a medium saucepan, cover the cranberry beans with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer the beans until almost tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and cook until tender, about 5 minutes longer; drain.

Bundle the parsley stems, thyme sprigs and bay leaf in the slice of bacon and tie with kitchen string. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over low heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the cranberry beans, bacon bundle, stock, tomatoes and green beans and bring to a boil. Cover partially, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley, lemon juice and lemon zest and season the soup with salt and pepper.

MAKE THE PISTOU: In a saucepan of boiling water, blanch the basil leaves for 5 seconds. Drain and rinse the basil under cold water. Squeeze dry and finely chop.

In a mortar, pound the garlic to a paste. Add the basil and pound together. Stir in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

MAKE THE CROUTONS: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the bread and cook over moderate heat until starting to crisp, about 2 minutes. Add the parsley and cook, stirring, until the bread is browned and crisp, about 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate.

Reheat the soup and discard the bacon bundle. Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with the pistou. Serve at once, passing the croutons at the table.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Mark Sullivan, "America's Best New Chefs 2002," Food & Wine, July 2002

1670. TORTELLINI with BACON, ARUGULA and BROWN BUTTER

serves four


1 pound cheese or meat tortellini
4 ounces sliced bacon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups arugula (about 1 bunch)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 7 to 8 minutes. Reserve the bacon and discard the drippings.

Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat and brown the butter: Melt the butter in a skillet or small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl or stir the butter with a wooden spoon as it starts to foam and sputter. Remove the butter from the heat as soon as it begins to turn golden brown and smells nutty, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Break the bacon into small pieces and add to skillet with the arugula, salt, pepper, and cooked tortellini. Toss well and divide among individual bowls.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sara Quessenberry, Real Simple, May 2007

1669. CRISPY SEARED SNAPPER over PICKLED ONIONS with TOMATO-BACON FONDUE, YELLOW TOMATO COULIS and MALANGA TUMBLEWEED

Pickled Onions:
1 red onion
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
3 tablespoons salt
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 bay leaf

Tomato Bacon Fondue:
1/4 pound bacon, julienned
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 ounces rendered bacon fat
salt and pepper
4 ounces goat cheese

Yellow Tomato Coulis:
1 yellow tomato
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lemon, juiced

Malanga Tumbleweed:
1 malanga

Basil Oil:
1/4 pound fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
4 (4 to 6 ounce) snapper fillets, any kind, red, yellowtail
Flour, to dredge

Onions: Thinly slice the onions, and place in a non-reactive dish. Combine the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour over onions and let stand for 24 hours.

Fondue: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Cook the bacon until crispy and fat is rendered. Reserve the bacon and the fat separately. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, 2 ounces of the reserved bacon fat. Roast until the tomatoes are almost dry. Place in the blender, add the goat cheese and puree. Strain through a fine chinois and reserve.

Yellow Tomato Coulis: Quarter the yellow tomato. Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast for 20 minutes. Remove and puree in a food processor. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. to taste. Reserve Malanga Tumbleweed: Peel malanga and cut into thin ribbons on a turning slicer. Preheat a deep fryer or a deep pot of oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the malanga until crisp and remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve.

Basil Oil: Blanch and shock the basil. Wring out in a clean, dry towel. Place in a blender with oil and puree for 1 minute. Let stand for 1 hour and strain. Reserve.

Season the fish with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour. Saute, skin side-down, in a very hot pan until skin is crispy. Turn the fish over and finish in the oven.

Place pickled onions in the center of a plate. Rest 1 piece of fish across the onions, allowing them to peek out. Drizzle with the fondue, coulis, and basil oil. Sprinkle the bacon around the fish and top with fried malanga.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Andy Niedenthal, "Great Getaways," The Best Of, Food Network

1668. BURGUNDIAN CARROTS with ONIONS, BACON and BLACK CURRANTS

makes 6 servings


1 pound medium carrots, scraped and cut into ½-inch rounds
3 ounces lean slab bacon (rind removed), finely diced
12 tiny white onions, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh black currants
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup chicken broth
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter

Place the carrots in a saucepan with enough water to cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer till the carrots are just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan, fry the bacon over moderate heat just till it renders its fat, add the onions, and stir gently till they are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the carrots and currants and stir till well blended. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir about 1 minute. Add the broth, return to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, till the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and butter and stir gently till the carrots are nicely glazed. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Bacon Cookbook: More than 150 Recipes from Around the World for Everyone's Favorite Food by James Villas. Wiley, 2007

1667. BUTTERMILK BACON CORN SALAD TOMATOES

serves four


4 jumbo heirloom or beefsteak-type tomatoes, or 6 to 8 plum or Roma tomatoes
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 ears corn, shucked and kernels cut from cob (4 cups of kernels)
2 jalapeños, stemmed and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 ounces soft plain goat cheese
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Core the tomatoes and cut a wide opening in the middle from the core. For plum or Romas, cut the tomatoes lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Set the tomatoes aside.

Add the bacon to a hot sauté pan over medium heat. Render until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour the bacon fat from the sauté pan and wipe it clean (unless you prefer sautéing in the bacon grease).

Add the oil to the same pan and return to medium heat. Put the corn kernels, jalapeños, and garlic in the pan and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes.

While the corn cooks, combine the buttermilk and goat cheese in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Transfer the corn mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the buttermilk dressing, stirring to coat all the ingredients. Add the cilantro and scallions and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the corn salad into the tomatoes. Serve immediately. If serving later, let the corn salad chill and stuff the tomatoes just before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tara Mataraza Desmond, Serious Eats: A Food Blog and Community

1666. TRENETTE with RABBIT, BACON and SHIITAKE MUSHROOM SAUCE

serves 4 to 6 as a main course


3/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
a 2-pound rabbit, thawed if frozen, cut into serving pieces and liver chopped and reserved if desired
all-purpose flour for dredging
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 ounces bacon, chopped coarse
1 large onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped, plus 1 small head garlic, left unpeeled and whole
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, and thyme leaves

3/4 pound trenette or pappardelle

Garnish: finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Make sauce: Preheat oven to 325°F.

Cut mushrooms into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Pat rabbit and reserved liver dry. Season rabbit with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

In a large heavy ovenproof skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown rabbit on all sides. Transfer rabbit to a plate and in the skillet sauté pancetta or bacon, stirring, until golden. Add onion and chopped garlic and sauté stirring, until onion is golden. Add vinegar and wine and deglaze skillet, scraping up brown bits. Simmer onion mixture until liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Cut off and discard top 1/4 inch of head of garlic, exposing cloves, and add head to onion mixture with broth, water, and herbs. Bring mixture to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Stir in mushrooms and rabbit and braise, covered, in middle of oven 1 hour, or until meat is tender.

Transfer rabbit to a plate and cool slightly. Remove garlic head and squeeze softened cloves into sauce, discarding skins. Mash garlic with fork and stir sauce well.

Using 2 forks shred meat, discarding bones, and stir into sauce with reserved liver if using. Simmer sauce over moderate heat 10 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and cooled, uncovered, and before being chilled, covered.

In an 8-quart kettle bring 7 quarts of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente (about 2 minutes for fresh, longer for dried) and drain in a colander. In a heated bowl immediately toss pasta with sauce and garnish with parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet, February 1997

1665. APPLE, BACON and BLACK PUDDING SALAD with GRIBICHE DRESSING

serves four


1 apple, de-cored and cut into rounds
8 rashers of streaky bacon
handful mixed leaves
8 slices black pudding
4 quails' eggs

For the gribiche dressing:
2 teaspoons of capers
2 teaspoons of gherkins, finely chopped
2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons of red onion, finely chopped

Pan-fry the apple, black pudding and bacon rashers. Then place the apple on a plate and layer it using leaves, black pudding, bacon and then more black pudding. Finally fry the quails' eggs and place on top of the layered salad.

To make the dressing mix the capers, gherkins, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and red onion and drizzle over the apple, bacon and black pudding salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Paul Merrett, Saturday Kitchen, BBC Food

1664. CAVATELLI with EGGS and BACON

makes 6 servings


1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta pot
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces slab or thick-cut bacon, cut in 1/2 -inch pieces
5 large eggs
1 batch (1 1/2 pounds) cavatelli, or 1 pound dried pasta
2 cups shredded Fontina Val d’Aosta

Fill the large pot with salted water (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt), and heat to a boil.

Pour the olive oil into the skillet, and set it over medium-high heat. Drop in the butter, let it melt, then scatter in the bacon pieces. Cook the bacon, stirring and tossing the pieces, for 5 minutes or so, until they’re crisp and caramelized. (If the bacon rendered lots of fat, you can pour off half the fat in the pan.)

Beat the eggs and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl until well blended.

When the water is at a rolling boil, drop in the cavatelli, stir, and return the water to a boil. Cook the cavatelli 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Lift them from the pot, drain briefly and spill them into the skillet.

Over medium heat, toss the cavatelli with the bacon pieces, coating the pasta with the oil, butter and bacon fat, too. Pour the beaten eggs all over the pasta, stirring and tumbling them together; keep scraping the coagulating egg from the sides and bottom of the pan, and incorporate it in with the wet eggs. Cook for a minute or two, just until all the egg is lightly cooked and custardy and evenly scrambled into the cavatelli.

Turn off the heat, scatter the shredded Fontina over the eggs and pasta, and toss thoroughly to blend in the cheese as it melts.

Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Knopf, 2009

1663. CHICORY braised with BACON, CIDER and GARLIC

serves four


butter
8 smoked streaky bacon rashers, chopped
12 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 heads of chicory , halved lengthways
200 ml cider

Melt a knob of butter in a large frying pan with a lid and cook the bacon until it starts to go golden at the edges. Add the garlic and cook briefly then scoop everything out. Add the chicory to the pan cut-side down (with a bit more butter if needed) and cook until it gets a really good caramelised colour. Turn the chicory over, add back the bacon and garlic with the cider and bring to the boil. Put the lid on and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until tender.


bacon recipe courtesy of: olive magazine, February 2007 | Good Food, Media Centre, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TQ

1662. BACON CHOPS in CIDER

serves four

4 bacon chops, each weighing about 6 oz.
1 tablespoon prepared English mustard
1 oz. demerara sugar
1/2 pint dry cider
1/2 oz. butter
1 1/2 tablespoon plain flour
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Put chops side by side in a large ovenproof dish. Mix mustard and sugar with cider to make a smooth paste. Spread over chops. Leave for 30 minutes. Bake at 200°C (400°F) mark 6 for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, put the butter, flour and remaining cider in a saucepan. Heat, whisking continuously, until the sauce thickens, boils and is smooth. Simmer for 1 - 2 minutes. Season to taste. Pour over chops. Bake for a further 15 minutes, until cooked through. Serve garnished with parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: CookItSimply.com

1661. TERIYAKI BACON BLACK COD BLUE CHEESE BURGER

1/4 pound black cod
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 handful shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 strips bacon
1 bun
lettuce
tomato
blue cheese

Marinate the black cod in the teriyaki sauce up to over night. Heat the oil in a pan. Saute the black cod in the oil until just crispy. Melt the butter in a pan. Saute the mushrooms in the butter until golden brown. Add the teriyaki sauce and sesame oil and saute until evaporated. Fry the bacon until crispy. Assemble sandwich.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kevin, Closet Cooking (July 1, 2008), Toronto, Ontario, Canada, lynch.kevin@gmail.com

1660. BACON-WRAPPED BRAISED CAPON with CAPER SAUCE

1 poularde, rubbed with salt

To do the braising:
1/3 pound bacon or porkfat in 6 slices
some extra, thin slices bacon
1/2 cup chopped suet
15 black peppercorns
8 cloves
5 slices of gingerroot
1 onion, sliced
some sprigs of estragon
some roots of parsley
some chicken broth (optional)

To make the sauce:
2 1/2 tablespoons butter or chicken-dripping
1/3 cup flour
2 cups/1 pint chicken broth
lemon peel, white pepper, 3 cloves, 1 bayleaf
2 finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup capers with the vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
pinch of ground mace
2 egg yolks
small lump of cold butter
6 thin slices of bacon

Preparation in advance: Cover the bottom of a heavy casserole with a layer of thick slices of bacon. Cover this with the suet, herbs and spices. Place the chicken on top of this, and cover the bird with thin slices of bacon (optional). Close the lid, place the casserole on a slow fire to melt the fat, then put it in the oven (175C/350F). Let the chicken simmer for an hour, basting it now and then with the molten fat. If the contents of the casserole are too dry, add some chicken broth.
To make the sauce: Simmer the broth for the sauce with lemon peel, pepper, cloves and bay leafs for twenty minutes. Strain the liquid.

Make a roux: Melt the butter, or use three tablespoons of the dripping fat of the chicken (only when no broth was added). Sauté the shallots, add the flour in one go. Stir with a flat wooden spatula, let simmer on a very slow fire for five minutes. Keep stirring. Now add the strained broth, starting with a small amount. Keep stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed by the roux. Add the next amount of liquid when the roux starts boiling again (keep stirring ...). When all the broth is used, add wine, mace, capers and caper liquid.

To serve: Remove the chicken from the casserole, remove the bacon from the bird. Have a decorous serving dish ready to put the chicken on. Surround it with slices of lemon and/or lime. Show it to your guests at the dinner-table, then take it back to the kitchen to cut the chicken in portions. Arrange the chicken pieces on the serving-dish and pour some sauce over them. Use a saucier for the rest of the sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Keukenboek by Henriëtte Davidis, 1868

1659. SWEET CURED BACON, BROAD BEAN and CHORIZO RISOTTO

serves two


8 oz. sweet cured back bacon rashers, cut into large pieces
2 oz. chorizo, sliced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 oz. arborio rice
1 pint pork stock
2 oz. frozen broad beans, defrosted
black pepper
2 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a saucepan and cook bacon, onion and chorizo-style sausage until beginning to brown. Add risotto (Arborio) rice and stock, bring to the boil. Season and simmer gently for approximately 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked and all the liquid absorbed. (Add a little more stock if you wish to achieve your desired texture/consistency.) During the last 10 minutes stir through broad beans or peas and heat through. Scatter with parsley and grated Parmesan cheese and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: LovePork.co.uk, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2TL, UK

1658. CARP and BACON STEW

4 pounds carp
¼ pound bacon
¼ cup onion, chopped
1 cup tomatoes
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar

Fry bacon in a dutch oven or small kettle until crisp. Add other ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: BASS on HOOK Fishing Resource Center, Box 645, Gold River, British Columbia, Canada V0P 1G0

1657. PAN-FRIED PERCH in CORNMEAL with BACON

serves four


2 bacon strips
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 skinless fresh perch fillets (about 5 ounces each), each about 1/2" thick
1/4 cup soy flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 lemon wedges

Cook the bacon in a large, heavy skillet over low heat until crisp, 10 to 14 minutes, turning once or twice. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving no more than 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and water. In another bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Coat the fish with the flour, then dip into the egg mixture and coat with the cornmeal, lightly pressing to help the coating stick. Arrange in a single layer on a large plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 60 minutes to help the coating adhere.

Heat the oil in the same skillet with the bacon fat over medium heat. Add the fish, round side down, without crowding. Cook until golden brown and crisp on the outside, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook until browned on the outside and opaque inside, 2 to 4 minutes more. (If necessary cook in two batches, keeping the first batch warm in a 250°F oven on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.)

Crumble the bacon over the top and serve with the lemon wedges for squeezing.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rodale, 33 East Minor Street, Emmaus, Pennsylvania 18098, 610-967-5171

1656. MINI BACON YOGURT QUICHES

makes twenty-four quiches


1 17.3-oz. box puff pastry (2 sheets)
4 large eggs
½ cup yoghurt cheese
2 slices cooked bacon, drained and crumbled
2 green onions, finely chopped
½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
dash black pepper

Unfold puff pastry dough and cut out 24 2½-inch rounds with a cookie cutter. Press each round firmly into a mini-muffin tin. Prick bottom of dough with a fork several times to prevent rising.

In a medium glass or ceramic bowl, beat eggs. Whisk in yoghurt cheese. Add bacon, green onions, Swiss cheese, and pepper. Mix well.

Pour egg mixture into pastry-lined mini-muffin tins, filling each 2/3 full. Bake at 375ºF for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly before serving. Cool completely before freezing. Reheat frozen quiches at 375ºF for 15 to 20 minutes until hot throughout.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Mountain High Yoghurt, 1325 West Oxford Avenue, Englewood, Colorado 80110, 1-866-YOGHURT

1655. HAVARTI and BACON BROCHETTES

16 big cubes of Havarti cheese
8 slices of bacon, each cut in four
4 wooden skewers steeped in water

Place Havarti cheese cubes on a plate and freeze for 2 hours. Preheat barbecue to medium. Wrap each cheese cube with two pieces of bacon as tightly as possible, completely covering cheese. Skewer 4 cubes of Havarti cheese to each brochette and barbecue 7 to 8 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and cheese starts to melt, turning over a few times. Remove from heat and serve on a bed of mesclun. Accompany with pickled mushrooms.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dairy Farmers of Canada, 1801 McGill College Avenue, Suite 700, Montreal, QC H3A 2N4

1654. BRAISED OXTAILS with BACON, HOMEMADE NOODLES and TOMATO GREMOLATA

yields four servings


2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces slab bacon, cut into ¼-inch-by-1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 pounds oxtails, cut into 1-inch rounds
3 medium carrots, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, split lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
1 medium leek, white part only, washed, quartered, and cut in 1-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed
4 fresh plum tomatoes, peeled
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken stock or water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
herb bouquet made with 12 parsley stems, 4 thyme sprigs, 2 marjoram sprigs, 1 bay leaf
1 recipe basic pasta dough (see recipe), rolled and cut into ½-inch-wide noodles
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Tomato Gremolata (see recipe)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot or skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the salt pork or bacon and brown, rendering the fat. Remove the browned pieces and set aside. Mix the flour with 1 teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Dredge the oxtails with the seasoned flour and brown on all sides in the pot. Remove the oxtails and set aside. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pot and add the carrots, celery, onion, and leeks. Sauté the vegetables for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Add the garlic, tomatoes, oxtails, salt pork or bacon, wine, stock, vinegar, and herb bouquet, and the remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove, cover, and place in the preheated oven. Cook slowly until the oxtails are very tender, about 2½ hours. Skim the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. May be prepared up to a day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat before serving. Cook the noodles until tender in boiling salted water. Drain and toss with the butter. Place noodles on serving plates, top with the oxtails and the vegetables. Sprinkle with the Tomato Gremolata.


TOMATO GREMOLATA
yields ½ cup

¼ cup tomato concasse (see recipe)
¼ cup parsley, coarsely chopped
1 cup minced shallots
½ teaspoon minced garlic (approximately 1 large clove)
minced zest of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon olive oil
1/3 teaspoon malt vinegar
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl just before serving.


TOMATO CONCASSE
yields about ½ cup

1 medium-size tomato

It is important to choose a firm, ripe tomato. Core the tomato and make a small on the bottom with a sharp paring knife. Blanch the tomato in boiling salted water for 10 seconds. Immediately remove the tomato and immerse in ice water to stop the cooking.

Peel and cut the tomato in half. Over a bowl, carefully squeeze tomato half to remove seeds and juice, leaving the tomato intact as much as possible. Reserve seeds and juice, for stocks or soups. Cut the tomato into ¼-inch cubes or as directed in the recipe you are using.


BASIC PASTA DOUGH
yields four servings

1 cup oil-purpose flour
1 large egg
1 teaspoon olive oil

Measure the flour onto a smooth work surface. Make a well in the flour and add the egg and olive oil. Begin stirring the egg and the oil with a fork, gradually incorporating the surrounding flour. Continue mixing until a stiff dough is formed. Not all the flour will be used. Knead in as much of the remaining flour as the dough will absorb. The dough should be stiff. Continue kneading for 2 or 3 minutes until the dough is smooth. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 1 hour before rolling.

Roll the dough between the rollers of a pasta machine, starting with the widest setting. Fold the dough in thirds the first two or three times through. Continue rolling with successively smaller settings. If the dough is sticking, flour lightly. Continue rolling to the desired thickness. For fettuccine or other noodles, let the dough dry for a minute or two before cutting according to the recipe. For ravioli, keep the dough sheets covered with a towel and use as soon as possible


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bradley Ogden, Bradley Ogden's Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

1653. POTATOES with BACON and TOMME CHEESE

yields four servings


18 oz. firm potatoes
5 oz. Tomme de Savoie
7 oz. bacon
1 tablespoon oil

Peel and slice the potatoes, not too thickly. Cook the bacon bits with the oil in a skillet. Add the potatoes, cover and cook gently. Check and press down from time to time. Add the diced Tomme; stir until the cheese is melted and stringy. Press down again with a fork; cover and let the bottom brown. Turn out onto a plate like a potato pancake.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Worldwide Gourmet.com

1652. PIG'S EAR or BACON LOAF

makes four servings


12 oz. cooked bacon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup softened butter, plus 5 teaspoons for the mold
1 tablespoon mustard
1 oz. parsley
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 pinches of salt
5 grinds of pepper
2 whole eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
2 oz. grated Gruyère

Take a loaf pan 28 cm long, 8 cm high and 7 cm wide; brush it with butter, then cut out a piece of parchment paper the size of the pan and line the inside; set aside in the refrigerator. Preheat your oven to 180/200° C. Cut the cooked pig's ears into thin strips. Wash, dry and chop the parsley.

Place the baking powder, 60 g of softened butter, mustard, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well with a wooden spoon so that the mixture is very smooth, then add the eggs and sprinkle in the flour, add the 350 g of sliced pig's ears, the chopped parsley and the grated cheese; mix well.

Put the batter into the prepared pan; bake for 45 minutes. When it is cooked, remove from the oven and turn out onto a rack. Chill lightly before serving.

Cut the loaf into slices; brown them in butter in a skillet to make them crispy. Place a slice of the loaf on each serving plate and garnish with a salad of frisée lettuce dressed with a vinaigrette well-seasoned with mustard.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jean-Paul Lacombe, Restaurant Léon de Lyon, 1 Rue Pleney, 1st, Lyon, France

1651. BACON-OATMEAL COOKIES

makes 25-30 sandwiches, 4-5 dozen cookies


1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons bacon fat, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 teaspoons molasses
4 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cups bacon bits
1 cup raisins, chocolate chips or walnut pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 325°F. With a hand held or stand mixer, cream fat with sugar until creamy and light.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, molasses and honey, and beat to incorporate.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt, and whisk to incorporate. Add this mixture to the butter mixture and beat to incorporate. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and beat briefly to insure that mixture is homogeneous.

Add the oats, bacon bits and raisins, chocolate chips or walnuts, if using. Mix until well distributed.

Drop dough by the heaping tablespoonful onto parchment- or Silpat-lined baking trays, leaving 1 1/2 or 2 inches between cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating tray once during baking. Cool cookies completely before filling.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Amanda Clarke, Serious Eats: A Food Blog and Community, January 22, 2009

1650. OAK-SMOKED BACON and SALSA SANDWICH

serves three


9 rashers of oak smoked bacon
10-12 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons coriander
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 headed teaspoon parmesan cheese
salt and ground black pepper
your favorite crusty bread and salad leaves.

Crisp the smoked bacon under a medium grill. Finely chop the tomatoes and coriander, and mix well with the oil, cheese, salt and ground pepper to make the salsa. Butter both slices of your favorite crusty bread and top one slice with a large handful of salad leaves. Add the smoked bacon slices and top with salsa.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Manx Kippers by Moore's Traditional Curers, Mill Road, Peel, Isle of Man, IM5 1TA

1649. FRENCH TOAST CRUMPETS with BACON CURLS and CHILI JAM

serves four


3 free range eggs
¼ cup milk
salt and freshly ground pepper
50 grams butter
8 crumpets
1 red chili, minced
1 tablespoon parsley, very finely chopped
8 long rashers bacon, rind removed

Chili Jam
makes about 1 medium jar
2 large red capsicums
2 medium tomatoes
4 fresh red chilies (smaller the chili, the hotter the jam will be)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
300 grams golden caster sugar, (or Demerara)
100 ml red wine vinegar
2 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1 fresh lime

Heat the oven to 200°C. Starting from the thick end of the bacon, roll up reasonably tightly to form curls (use a toothpick if they don’t want to stay rolled). Stand upright in a baking tray and cook for about 20 minutes or until crispy. Drain any fat into the pan you are using to cook the crumpets and keep the bacon warm until required.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and chili and season with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the frypan and add any excess bacon fat you have collected. Dip the crumpets in the beaten eggs and let soak for a few seconds. Add four of the crumpets to the pan and cook over moderately high heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Keep warm in the oven with the bacon. Dip and cook the remaining crumpets.

Serve two crumpets and two bacon curls per person with the chilli jam (see recipe below). You could serve with maple syrup instead of the jam if you prefer.

For the chili jam: Roughly chop the capsicums and the tomatoes. Chop the chillies, leaving the seeds in. In a food processor, puree all of the chopped mix and put it into a heavy-based saucepan with the crushed garlic (I find it easier to puree all the ingredients now before they are hot and sticky, but you can do it later if you prefer). Add the ginger and then add the sugar and red wine vinegar. Bring everything to the boil stirring continuously. Skim off any foam you see forming on top.

Simmer gently for 30 or 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The jam is ready when it becomes sticky and looks shiny. It will thicken more as it cools. Remove the ginger and add the juice of the lime - this will help the jam to set. Pour the jam into a sterilised jar.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Arianne Spratt, 9am with David & Kim on Network Ten, 1 Saunders Street, Pyrmont, NSW 2009, GPO BOX 10, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia

1648. BROILED SALMON FILLET with BACON, WILD MUSHROOMS and OYSTER SAUCE

makes four servings


1 salmon fillet, 1 lb., about 1" thick
5 slices smoky bacon
1 cup diced fresh shiitake mushrooms, very firmly packed
1 teaspoon finely-chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons Chinese oyster sauce
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Pre-heat broiler. Season the salmon fillet well with salt and pepper. Wrap 3 of the bacon slices, proportionately spaced, around the salmon filet. Place fillet on roasting pan, and place underbroiler. Cook till just done (about 10 min).

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Cut the remaining two slices of bacon into small squares. Place in a heavy saute/fry pan over high heat. Cook till medium-brown, about 2 min. Spill out all but 1 tsp. of the bacon fat. Lower heat to medium-high. Add in the shiitake mushrooms, stir well, and saute/fry till mushrooms become golden brown-brown, about 3 min. Turn heat down to medium, and stir in garlic and parsley. Cook for one minute. In a bowl, combine the oyster sauce with 1/4 c. of warm water. Blend, and add in to saute/fry pan. Cook one minute over medium heat. Season well with nutmeg.

To serve, remove the wrapped bacon from the salmon (you may throw away the bacon, or possibly use it as a garnish). Delicately slice the salmon along the natural separations, and divide among 4 plates. Top each with a quarter of the sauce, and with a flat parsley leaf for garnish.


bacon recipe courtesy of: CookEatShare.com, Global Cookbook, London, UK

1647. CHICKEN, SMOKY BACON and BAMBOO SHOOT STIR-FRY

serves two as a main or four to share


1 tablespoon groundnut oil
3 smoked bacon rashers sliced
2 x 200 gram-250 gram chicken breasts each cut into 5mm slices
1 x 220 gram tin of bamboo shoots drained
1 handful of bean sprouts
1-2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
a dash of toasted sesame oil
1 spring onion sliced
rice of your choice to serve

Heat a wok over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the bacon and stir-fry for 2 minutes until crispy. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 4 minutes. As the chicken turns from pink to opaque, add the rice wine or sherry. Add the bamboo shoots and bean sprouts and stir-fry for 1 minute, then season to taste with the soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil.

Garnish with the spring onion and serve immediately with whichever rice you fancy. I suggest jasmine rice on its own or boiled with 1.5cm cubes of sweet potato, or egg fried rice as in the picture.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ching-he Huang, Mail Online, The Daily Mail, Associated Newspapers Limited, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT

1646. MAINE LOBSTER SALAD with GINGER, DAIKON, BACON and a WARM PONZU DRESSING

makes two servings


1 one & one quarter pound Maine lobster
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt & white pepper to taste
1 cup wakame (seaweed salad)
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger
1 small daikon radish
1/2 bunch of cilantro
2 scallions
1 lemon
2 slices of thick bacon
1 teaspoon canola oil

Dressing:
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons ponzu (citrus soy sauce)
3 tablespoons mirin
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup ale
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon chili pepper, minced (1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes)
stalks from 1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon cold water

Fill a large pot with one quart of water and add one tablespoon of salt. Set a steaming rack inside the pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add live lobster to the pot and cover. After five minutes, lift the lid and shift the lobster so it cooks evenly. Cover again and cook for five more minutes.

Remove lobster from pot and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove meat from lobster. Slice lobster meat into bite size pieces, leaving claw pieces whole. In a mixing bowl, toss lobster meat with olive oil, white pepper and salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate.

Peel ginger and daikon radish. Slice both into one inch long “matchstick” strips. Set aside. Remove leaves from cilantro. Keep stalks for dressing. Slice scallions in 2 inch long pieces, then quarter each piece. Soak sliced scallion in cold water (just enough to cover) and refrigerate.

Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemon, trying to get as little of the white pith as possible. Finely slice peel into long strips.

Slice bacon into small strips. Place in hot pan with canola oil. Fry bacon strips until crispy. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain.

In a small pot over medium heat, add soy sauce, ponzu, mirin, chicken stock, and ale. When liquid comes to a boil, turn heat down to low. Mix cornstarch and cold water together, and whisk into pot. Add minced garlic, chili pepper, cilantro stalks and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes and turn off heat. Remove cilantro stalks with a slotted spoon. Season with white pepper and salt if needed. Add ginger matchsticks and cover.

Place lobster in the middle of each plate, making a "mound".

Ladle dressing over lobster, and around lobster to the outer edge of the plate.

Distribute wakame, daikon, cilantro leaves and bacon over dressing.

Drain water from scallions.

Garnish with sliced scallions and lemon peel.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Zeph, plat du jour, Maine

1645. EGGPLANT and BACON-STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST

3 large chicken breast butterflied (with a pocket)
6 bacon slices cut up in pieces
1 large onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced fine
1 eggplant cubed
black pepper to taste
1 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)

Peel the eggplant, cut in large wedges and sprinkle with salt. Let this sit for 20 to 30 minutes. This procedure removes any bitterness the eggplant may have. Rinse with clear running water and cube.

In a large skillet, fry bacon real good (crisp).

Add the onion & garlic & saute for a while until onions are clear. Add the eggplant (& mushrooms if using) and cook down until the eggplant is done (soft, tender, almost mushed and very reduced). (I added a little water to the eggplant and then let it reduce.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season the chicken breast or catfish filets with your choice of Tony's, any Cajun Seasonings or salt and black pepper. You could even use red pepper flakes. The author does not use salt as she finds the bacon to be salty enough for the whole dish. Let the mixture cool and stuff the three breast with the stuffing of eggplant & bacon.

Put foil on a cookie sheet, sprayed the foil first, then layered the breast on cookie sheet.

Bake the chicken at 350 degrees for an hour and 15 minutes; the catfish approximately 40 minutes (check for flakiness). You may also want to test the chicken for doneness at the one hour interval.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Alberta (Bert) LeBlanc, Real Cajun Recipes, May 28, 2004

1644. APPLEWOOD-SMOKED BACON and FARM FRESH EGG RISOTTO

yields four servings


6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
5 strips bacon, preferably apple-wood-smoked, cut into 1/4 -inch dice
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup chopped chives
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 egg yolks

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low to keep the broth warm.

Meanwhile, in a 4-quart heavy pot over medium heat, cook the onion in the butter until softened, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, garlic and bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon begins to brown, about 3 minutes.

Stir in one-half cup warm broth and continue to cook the rice at a simmer until the broth is absorbed, stirring frequently. Continue to add the broth, one-half cup at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next, until the rice is creamy-looking but still slightly chewy, 18 to 20 minutes (you should have leftover broth).

Stir in the cheese and chives, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Immediately divide the risotto among 4 warmed plates, and make an indentation in each mound of risotto for a yolk. Place a yolk in the center of each mound and serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Jamie West, Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, 905 Country Club Road, Ojai, California 93023 | Noelle Carter, Los Angeles Times, April 22, 2009

1643. CALABAZA PUMPKIN and BACON SOUP

10 whole fresh baby leaves of “Spanish thyme” (Cuban oregano) or 10 whole fresh sage leaves plus 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh leaves of whichever herb is used
4 slices bacon, chopped
3-4 lbs calabaza pumpkin or kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2 inch pieces
4 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced hot pepper or to taste (optional)
1 chopped seasoning pepper (optional)
1 sprig of fresh thyme or some tarragon
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
Salt and black pepper to taste

Fry Spanish thyme or sage leaves in 2 tablespoons of the oil- 10-15 seconds for the former, 3 to 5 seconds for sage. Transfer leaves with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Fry chopped bacon if using, remove to paper towels to drain.

Add remaining olive oil to pot, then cook onion, stirring, until softened. Stir in garlic and remaining herbs and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin/squash and sauté for 5 minutes, turning constantly. Add broth and water and simmer covered, 20-30 minutes until pieces are tender.

Let soup cool a bit and then purée soup in batches in a blender, transferring to a bowl. Return soup to pot and reheat. If necessary, thin to desired consistency with a little water. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve sprinkled with bacon and fried leaves.


bacon recipe courtesy of: A Caribbean Garden | TheGrowSpot.com

1642. POTATO, BACON and SQUASH HASH

3 cups potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/4-inch dice
6 cups plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
3 cups calabaza pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut in 1/4-inch dice (or use regular pumpkin for a denser consistency. Any squash will do for flavor)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, toasted
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, toasted
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, toasted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 4 teaspoons orange aioli (recipe follows)
orange oil (recipe follows)
1/4 cup smoked bacon, finely diced
Kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 fresh chives, chopped
4 potato gaufrettes (optional)

Orange Aioli and Orange Oil
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 egg yolk (or substitute 2 1/2 tablespoons pasteurized egg yolks)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup canola oil
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Combine potatoes and 6 cups oil in heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat until to 170ºF. Adjust heat to maintain temperature and cook until potatoes are fork tender, 12 to 18 minutes, taking care to maintain temperature. Remove potatoes with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels, reserving the oil. Set aside to cool.

In mixing bowl, toss pumpkin with cumin, coriander, black pepper, salt, sugar, paprika, cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Bake on sheet pan in preheated 350ºF oven until pumpkin is fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes; cool.

Prepare Orange Aioli: In a sauté pan over medium heat, reduce orange juice to 1/4 cup; cool. In small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, lemon juice and mustard; slowly whisk in oil. Add half the reduced orange juice. Thin with water to desired consistency.

Prepare Orange Oil: Transfer remaining reduced orange juice to a bowl and whisk in 1/2 cup reserved oil from cooking potatoes.

In sauté pan over medium heat, slowly render bacon until meaty but not crisp, about 5 minutes. Pour off some of the fat. Add potatoes and pumpkin; season to taste with salt and pepper and heat gently. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup Orange Aioli.

Divide potato mixture among 4 ring molds that have been placed on serving plates. Press gently to compact then carefully remove molds. Top each with 1 teaspoon Orange Aioli; drizzle 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Orange Oil around rings. Garnish each with chopped chives and an potato gaufrette.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Idaho Potato Commission, 661 South Rivershore Lane, Eagle, Idaho 83616, 208-334-2350

1641. ESCARGOT FRICASSEE with MUSHROOMS, BRUSSEL SPROUTS and CANDIED BACON JAM

yields two servings


14 snails, cleaned, purged, fully cooked
1/8 lb butter, unsalted
1 cup Brussels sprouts, leaves only
1 cup chanterelles, cleaned and quartered
6 cipollini onions, quartered and peeled
½ lemon
salt, pepper, cayenne or espelette pepper

For Bacon Jam:
1 cup bacon, cut into 2” X 1” X 1/2” pieces
¼ cup yellow onions, julienned
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

For Parsley Puree:
2 bunches fresh parsley
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1 tablespoon orange oil
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

For Bacon Jam: Render bacon in a heavy sauté pan in hot 500-degree F oven until bacon is crispy. Pull from oven and remove bacon. Cook julienned onions in the remaining bacon fat, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan until onions are dark golden. Add brown sugar and stir to coat. Add a third of the chicken stock and place pan back in the oven to simmer. Reduce mixture until thick, almost au sec (approx 5-15 minutes). Watch carefully that it doesn’t burn. Add half of the remaining stock and reduce again until thick. Add all of the remaining stock and remove pan from the oven. Season with salt, pepper, and espelette to taste. Pour contents into a blender and puree until fairly smooth. Pour contents back into sauté pan and stir in honey to combine. Put pan back into oven and cook stirring frequently until deep brick red color is reached. Re-season and mount with butter. Allow to cool to warm temperature. Reserve.

For Parsley Puree: Blanch, shock, and drain parsley with stems in tact. Puree in blender with oils and a pinch of salt until smooth. Reserve.

For Snails: Melt butter in sauté pan. Add cipollini onions and cook in 500-degree F oven until golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Add chanterelles to pan and place back in oven. Cook until caramelized. Add Brussels sprout leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add snails and cook until heated through. Season and add juice and zest of ½ a lemon. Add a few splashed of cold water to emulsify sauce. Reserve.

To Serve: Spoon a tablespoon of bacon jam onto the plate. Using spoon, stretch the jam to make an elongated shape. Drain fricassee on towels and spoon onto plate slightly overlapping bacon jam. Sprinkle lightly with espelette. Drizzle a small spoonful of parsley puree in front of both components.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Kevin Gillespie, Quickfire Challenge Winner, Top Chef, Season 6, Episode 4

1640. BACON-WRAPPED CRAB-STUFFED SHRIMP with LEMON BASIL CREAM

yields four servings


1 pound lump crabmeat, picked clean
1/2 butter crackers, crushed (recommended: Ritz)
3 scallions, tops and whites finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon table salt
pinch cayenne pepper
16 large shrimp, peeled
16 slices bacon

Pesto:
2 lightly packed cups fresh basil
1 cup walnuts
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Roux:
1 cup all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons butter

Lemon Basil Cream:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced onion
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons pesto (see recipe above)
1 teaspoon roux (see recipe above)

Preheat the oven for 350 degrees F.

To make the crab stuffing: Combine the crab, crackers, scallions, pepper, mayonnaise, egg, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, lemon, and garlic. Season the stuffing with salt and pepper and mix well. Set the stuffing aside.

Using a paring knife, slice the shrimp down the backs and remove and discard the 'veins'. Deepen the incisions if necessary, then spoon stuffing into each shrimp. Wrap each stuffed shrimp with bacon and arrange them in a large baking dish.

To make the pesto: pulse the basil, walnuts, cheese, and garlic together in a food processor (or grind in a mortar) then gradually incorporate the oil. Adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and set aside.

To make the roux: Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, and cook, stirring, until the mixture, although still pale, looks dryer and no longer smells raw, about 5 minutes. Remove the roux from the heat.

Transfer the shrimp to the oven and roast until the bacon begins to render and brown, about 10 minutes. Flip the shrimp and roast on the second side until the shrimp are opaque, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Meanwhile make the lemon basil cream: Heat the oil and butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is fragrant and golden, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes then add the cream. Simmer until the sauce has reduced by half. Add the lemon juice and pesto, then whisk in the roux a tablespoon at a time (use just enough to thicken the sauce). Keep the sauce warm over very low heat.

Arrange the shrimp on 4 warm plates and serve with lemon basil cream sauce on the side.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Jacob Warner, The Lady & Sons, 102 West Congress Street, Savannah, Georgia 31401, 912.233.2600

1639. CRAB-AND-CORN CHOWDER with BACON and CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS

makes 6 to 8 servings


6 ears fresh yellow corn
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons olive oil
7 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups finely chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 2 medium)
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 3/4 pounds white-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
6 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons dry Sherry
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 pound fresh crabmeat
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cut kernels off corn cobs. Set kernels aside. Combine cobs, broth, and cream in heavy large saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons pan drippings; add onion, leeks, celery, and fennel seeds to pot. Sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in potatoes. Discard cobs from cream mixture; strain cream mixture into potato mixture. Simmer until potatoes are almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in corn kernels. Simmer chowder until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in Sherry and thyme. Add mushroom mixture to chowder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sauté crabmeat in same large skillet over medium-low heat just until heated through, about 3 minutes. Divide crabmeat, reserved bacon, and parsley among bowls. Ladle chowder over and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bon Appétit, January 2003

1638. CORNBREAD with BACON CRUST

makes 12 to 16 servings


10 thick-cut bacon slices
1 1/2 cups medium-grind cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons honey or agave syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups frozen corn kernels (unthawed)

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Crumble bacon into small pieces.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 12-inch diameter ovenproof skillet with bacon drippings. Whisk cornmeal and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk milk, eggs, honey, and butter in medium bowl. Stir milk mixture into dry ingredients. Mix in corn.

Place prepared skillet in oven until very hot, about 10 minutes. Pour batter into skillet. Sprinkle bacon over. Bake cornbread until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool in skillet at least 30 minutes. Serve cornbread directly from skillet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. If desired, rewarm uncovered in 350°F oven 10 to 15 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Peter Reinhart, Bon Appétit, November 2009

1637. BACON and BOURBON PECAN PIE

8 oz. whole pecans
5 strips of medium thickness bacon cut into thirds

for crust
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons frozen bacon grease
1 stick (8 tablespoons) frozen unsalted butter cut into 1/4″ cubes
1 cold egg whisked with 1 tbs ice water

for filling
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar packed
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 tablespoons bourbon
1 tablespoons vanilla extract

Move the oven rack to the middle position then preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet then roast in the oven for around 10 minutes or until they are fragrant.

Fry the bacon over medium low heat until brown and very crisp then transfer to a paper towel lined plate to cool. Measure 2 Tbs of bacon lard into a glass or metal container then allow it to come to room temperature before placing it in the freezer. Put 6 pieces of the fried bacon (2 whole strips) in the freezer as well.

Put the frozen bacon into the work bowl of a food processor and blitz until the bacon is powderized. Add the flour and sugar, processing until it’s well incorporated into the flour. Add the frozen bacon grease, and butter then pulse until there are pebble sized pieces of fat. Add 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture then pulse to combine. Continue to add egg and pulse until the dough is crumbly but just starting to come together (pictured above). You shouldn’t need to use all of the egg mixture.

Turn the pebbles of dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press together. Using as few motions as possible, flatten the dough with the palm of your hand then use the plastic wrap to fold the dough over itself. The idea is to flatten the beads of cold butter into layers, which will make the dough flakey. Too much handling though and you will form gluten in the flour which will make the dough tough. Flatten once more, fold over and shape into a puck. Wrap with the plastic and put it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough so it’s bigger than a standard pie plate. Roll it onto your pin and slide it over your pie plate. Unroll it making sure it’s centered. Gently press the dough into the corners then use kitchen sheers to trim the dough with 1/2″ of overhang. Tuck the overhang under itself then flute the edge with your fingers. Return to the fridge until hard.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and cover the crust with aluminum foil, pressing the foil against the dough. Use a fork to poke holes through the foil and through the dough. Dump some dried beans or pie weights onto the foil and put the crust into a preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is set. Remove the foil with the pie weights and return the crust to the oven until it just starts turning brown 7-10 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 275 degrees.

Setup a double boiler with a metal bowl over a pot filled with water and bring the water to a gentle simmer. Melt the butter, then add the sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Once they’re dissolved, whisk in the eggs one at a time until combined. Switch to a heatproof spatula and mix in the vanilla and bourbon. Continue stirring, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl until the mixture reaches 130 degrees F. Remove it from the heat, add the pecans and pour it onto the warm crust.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center is mostly set. Insert the remaining 8 pieces of bacon into the top while the pie is still warm. Allow it to cool completely before cutting.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Marc Matsumoto, [No Recipes], October 25, 2009