Sunday, January 31, 2010

1728. SMOKED-BACON COMPOTE

1/2 cup marinade
1 cup veal demiglace
1 cup smoked slab bacon cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups wild mushrooms, such as brown Italian or shiitake, cut to about size of pearl onions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sweet-potato balls (prepare with melon baller before cooking)
1/2-3/4 cup pearl onions, peeled
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup glazed pecans
Salt to taste
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Place marinade in saucepan over medium heat and reduce by half. Add demiglace and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, or until sauce coats back of spoon. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Render bacon in sauté pan over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain and set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in sauté pan over medium heat and cook mushrooms 3 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in medium ovenproof saute pan over medium heat. Add sweet-potato balls and pearl onions and cook 3 minutes. Stir in sugar and vinegar and cook another 2 minutes, then put pan in oven and cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from oven and add reduced marinade mixture, bacon, mushrooms, and glazed pecans. Stir and season with salt and lemon juice; serve with beef tenderloin.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dean Fearing, Mansion on Turtle Creek, 2821 Turtle Creek Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75219 | "A Texas Style Christmas: Feast Meets West, Texas Monthly, December 1992

Saturday, January 30, 2010

1727. BACON, OLIVE, FETA and THYME MUFFINS

yields twelve servings


500 ml cake flour
15 ml baking powder
5 ml salt
1 extra-large egg
225 ml milk
125 grams chopped bacon
50 grams, stoned, chopped kalamata olives
1 round of feta cheese
10 ml chopped fresh thyme

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Beat together egg and milk. Add to the flour, cutting in until just blended. Fry bacon until crisp. Add olives and leave the mixture to cool. Crumble feta cheese and stir into the cooled mixture along with thyme. Fold into the basic mixture. Spoon the mixture into greased muffin tin hollows or paper cups. Place a small sprig of thyme on top of each muffin before baking. Bake at 180 °C for 20 minutes or until golden brown.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Food24: South Africa's biggest food community

Friday, January 29, 2010

1726. FRENCH BEEF and OLIVE CASSEROLE

For the Marinade:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 onion, sliced
3 celery sticks, scrubbed and cut into 3cm pieces
150 ml red wine
150 ml red wine vinegar
bunch of fresh herbs
1 garlic clove, crushed
a few black peppercorns
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

675 grams rump steak, trimmed
180 grams fatty bacon, rinded
180 grams lean bacon, rinded
150 ml red wine
115 grams mixed black and green olives
4 tomatoes, blanched, peeled and sliced

Begin with the marinade. Heat the oil in a pan and add the vegetables. Fry until browned (about 8 minutes) then stir in all the remaining ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.

Slice the meat into thick chunks then place in a bowl and cover with the cooled marinade. Set aside to marinade for 2 hours then remove the meat and add to a casserole dish. In the meantime fry the fatty bacon until it renders its fat and pour into a casserole dish. Dice the lean bacon and add to the pot along with the marinade, wine and olives. Cover with buttered greaseproof paper then add the lid before transferring to an oven pre-heated to 160°C and cook for between 90 and 120 minutes, or until the meat is tender.

Shortly before serving skim-off the excess fat from the surface and add the tomatoes. Traditionally this is served with buttered noodles and grated cheese.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Celtnet.org

Thursday, January 28, 2010

1725. OYSTER and POTATO STEW with CRISP BACON

serves eight


2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 pound baking potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, cored and cut into 1/4 Inch dice
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4 inch dice
3 cups fish stock or 1 1/2 cups bottled clam juice mixed with 1 1/2 cups water
2 cups half and half
1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 dozen shucked oysters, with their liquor
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Melt the butter in a large nonreactive saucepan. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the potatoes, fennel, carrot, fish stock and half-and-half, reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Strain the stew into a bowl; set aside 1 1/2 cups of the vegetables. Transfer the remaining vegetables along with 2 cups of the liquid to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan and stir in the reserved vegetables and liquid.

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Rewarm the stew over moderate heat. Add the oysters with their liquor and the bacon and cook until the oysters are just firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley. Transfer to shallow soup plates and serve at once.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Food & Wine

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

1724. SEA BASS with POTATO ROSTI and BACON and CHERRY TOMATO SALSA

serves four


Ingredients For the Rösti
2 large baking potatoes
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil, for frying

For the Sea Bass
4 x 5 oz. sea bass fillets
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil, for frying

For the Salsa
5 oz. smoked bacon
1 small red bird's eye chile
20 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
½ ripe avocado, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the rösti, boil the potatoes in their jackets for exactly seven minutes. Cool a little, then peel and grate coarsely. Add the spring onions, garlic and plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mold into patty-shaped röstis and chill for 20 minutes. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry the röstis over a medium heat for four minutes on each side until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen towel. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

For the seabass, season the fillets well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry the fillets for a couple of minutes, skin-side down, then flip over and place in the oven for two minutes.

For the salsa, fry the bacon until crisp, then simply combine in a bowl with all the other ingredients.

To serve, place a fillet of sea bass on top of a rösti on each of four warmed plates and spoon over some refreshing salsa.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Simon Rimmer, LifeStyle Food.com.au, Australia

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

1723. BACON-WRAPPED OCEAN TROUT with TOMATO REDUCTION

serves two

2 ocean trout fillets
2 large bacon rashers
olive oil
freshly ground salt and pepper

Tomato Reduction:
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of sugar

Preheat oven to 200’C. Heat olive oil in frying pan. Fry garlic until soft. Add tomato paste and fry for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, salt, sugar and pepper and gently fry until softened and forming a sauce (about 5-10 minutes). Set aside in serving dish. Keep warm. In a clean pan, fry ocean trout, skin side down to crisp skin. Then flip and cook flesh a little (approximately 2 minutes skin side, 30 seconds - 1 minute flesh side). Wrap bacon rashers around fillets and top with pepper. In a baking dish, cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is crispy and fish is cooked through.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Anna, Morsels & Musings, Sydney, Australia, January 19, 2010

Monday, January 25, 2010

1722. KALE, CANNELLINI BEANS and BACON BOWL

serves two


2 bunches of kale, washed, stems removed, roughly chopped
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans
3 oz. bacon, cut in small pieces
¼ cup beef or chicken stock
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper


In a large saucepan, sauté the bacon until golden brown. Remove from pan and reserve. In the same pan, add onion. After the onion softens, add the garlic. Sauté until the onion begins to brown. Add kale to the pan. Add the stock. Cover and let the kale steam for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove the lid and allow some of the liquid to evaporate. Add the beans and mix gently until hot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle the bacon on top of the kale and bean mixture.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Eve Chenu and Tobin McGill, Edible Austin, Austin, Texas 78704, info@edibleaustin.com

Sunday, January 24, 2010

1721. BACON, SPINACH and TOMATO SALSA SANDWICH

makes four servings


2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 1-3/4 cups)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh jalapeño chile pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt or salt
8 slices bacon
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
4 10-inch vegetable-flavor flour tortillas or flour tortillas
2 cups fresh baby spinach

For tomato salsa, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and chile pepper. Stir in lime juice and salt. Set aside.

Cook bacon according to package directions. Drain well on paper towels; cut bacon in large pieces.

For sandwiches, spread mayonnaise on tortillas; top with spinach. With a slotted spoon, scoop salsa on spinach. Top with bacon. Roll up tortillas to enclose filling. Cut each tortilla in half.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Better Homes and Gardens

Saturday, January 23, 2010

1720. CHICKEN with BOURSIN and BACON

1 skinned and boned chicken breast per person
1 rasher of unsmoked bacon per person
boursin

Spread each chicken breast with boursin and top with bacon rasher. Place in ovenproof dish and cover dish with foil. Bake at 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4 for 20 minutes. Remove foils and bake for further 10 minutes or until bacon is browned.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nola, Phillip, Amy and Oliver Dutton, The Dutton Family Online, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, England

Friday, January 22, 2010

1719. LENTIL SOUP with TUBETTI and BACON

serves four


1/4 pound bacon, slices cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 pound lentils (about 2 1/3 cups)
1 1/2 quarts canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
3 cups water
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup canned tomatoes in thick puree, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup tubetti or other small macaroni

In a large pot, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Remove. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add the carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the lentils, broth, water, rosemary, tomatoes, salt, red-pepper flakes, black pepper and bacon. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the pasta and simmer until the lentils are tender and the pasta is done, 10 to 15 minutes longer.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Food & Wine

Thursday, January 21, 2010

1718. BACON-WRAPPED MINCED BEEF BALLS

3 bacon rashers
250 grams minced beef
2 teaspoons french mustard
1 tablespoon stale breadcrumbs
2 green shallots chopped
2 tablespoons grated tasty cheese

In a bowl combine the beef, mustard, shallots, cheese and breadcrumbs then mix well. Shape tablespoons of mixture into balls then wrap each ball into a thin strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place in a single layer in a shallow microwave dish and cook on high for about 3 minutes or until mince balls are cooked through. Serve with sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sunshine Recipes

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

1717. TORTELLINI SOUP with BACON and VEGETABLES

yields four servings


150 grams dried tortellini with cheese filling
150 grams bacon
1 onion
1-2 tablespoons olive oil for frying
200 grams celery stalks
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1/2 litres chicken/beef broth
1 teaspoon paprika
1 medium size leek
2 carrots
1 bunch of fresh cut parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the tortellini according to package just al dente, not too long as it will stay in the soup in the end. Chop bacon and onion small and fry in the soup pot in some olive oil. finely chop the celery and add to the pot and broil on with the bacon and onion. Then add broth, tomato pure and paprika spice and cook for 15 minutes.

Rinse the leek by cutting it once lengthwise and rinse over running water. Then thinly slice it from top to bottom using both white and green end. Cut the carrots in juliennes (small stalks) and chop the parsley.

Add remaining vegetables to the soup and cook for another 5 minutes.

Finally add the cooked tortellini, taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve with a good bread.


bacon recipe courtesy of: BakeSpace.com

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

1716. BARBEQUE ROASTED POTATOES with SOUR CREAM BACON SAUCE

yields four servings


For Potatoes:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons barbeque seasoning
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 pounds baby white potatoes, quartered

For Sauce:
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons crumbled bacon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dried chives
1 teaspoon hot sauce

Potatoes: Preheat grill to medium heat. In a large bowl add olive oil, barbeque seasoning, garlic and lemon juice. Mix well to combine. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Place potatoes in an aluminum foil pouch and seal. Place on the grill or in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Put the potatoes into a medium bowl and pour in the sauce. Toss well to coat the potatoes or serve the sauce on the side.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sandra Lee, "Log Cabin Camping," Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee, Food Network, 2008

Monday, January 18, 2010

1715. NOPAL SOUFFLE with BACON, GRUYERE and MANCHEGO CHEESE

serves six


14 small nopals (or 8 medium), rinsed and dried
1 small handful of small onions, or ¼ medium yellow onion
6 eggs
50 grams bacon
1 ½ cups heavy cream
125 grams mixed gruyere and manchego cheese
200 grams (1/2 lb) puff pastry
salt
pepper
nutmeg
½ teaspoon prepared mustard
Equipment: 9-inch cake mold

Red Pepper Sauce:
1 small can roasted red peppers
¾ cup heavy cream
Reserved bacon (from above)

Render the bacon until crispy and reserve the bacon and fat separately. Slice the baby onions very fine and fry in the reserved bacon fat. Roll out the puff pastry until very thin and carefully place in the mold. Finely dice the nopal and place in a large sauté pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly. The nopals will release their “drool” and cook through, be patient. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, seasonings, and mustard until thoroughly combined. Add the cooked nopals, onions, and cheeses and stir. Pour into the mold over the puff pastry and bake at 350°F for 1 hour. You can make this ahead of time and reheat for serving.

For the Red Pepper Cream Sauce: Blend the peppers. Mix with the cream and a drop of milk. Drain and stir in the bacon bits. Pour the sauce over the soufflé and decorate with a flower made of nopals and a tomato in the center.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sophia Brittan and Emma Piper-Burket, Kitchen Caravan: Healthy Online Cooking Show, info@kitchencaravan.com, February 26, 2009

Sunday, January 17, 2010

1714. BACON-WRAPPED PIQUANT HARE

1 hare, jointed
8 oz. bacon
½ bottle dry white wine
1 glass white wine vinegar
3 carrots
3 small onions
sprigs fresh parsley, thyme, tarragon
black pepper
olive oil
1 oz. dry mustard
1 oz. tomato puree
3 oz. flour
¼ pint fresh double cream

Wrap portions of hare in bacon. Prepare the marinade with wine vinegar sliced carrots onions herbs and pepper. Marinade for approx 2 hours, drain well. Heat oil and brown meat on all sides. Add approx half marinade liquor, mustard, puree, and cook for 1 hour. When joints are cooked remove and keep hot. Add flour to gravy and boil remove from pan add cream, pour over joints.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Trevor N. Forster, Shotgun Coach, 01782 782757, UK

Saturday, January 16, 2010

1713. CIDER and MUSTARD BACON JOINT

serves four


1 kg bacon joint
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
500 ml cider
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
400 grams potatoes, peeled and diced
500 grams leeks, trimmed and sliced into rings
1 savoy cabbage, trimmed and chopped
300 grams frozen peas
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Place the bacon joint in a large, flame-proof casserole dish and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then drain, rinse the bacon joint and return to a clean pan with the oil. Cook for 5 minutes over a high heat to seal the bacon joint all over.

Add the cider to the pan with the bay leaves, mustard and potatoes, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the leeks and cabbage and cook for another 30 minutes. Toss in the peas and parsley and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Lift out the joint and slice thinly. Serve 2 to 3 slices of bacon per person with a serving of the vegetables and juices.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Morrisons, Hilmore House, Gain Lane, Bradford, BD3 7DL

Friday, January 15, 2010

1712. BACON-WRAPPED OSTRICH with a BALSAMIC RED WINE SAUCE

serves four


1 x 1kg boneless ostrich joint
a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
a few sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked
10 rindless streaky bacon rashers
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, diced
1 leek, trimmed and diced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
150 ml full bodied red wine such as cabernet sauvignon
300 ml beef stock

Preheat the oven to 230°C / 450°F / gas mark 8.

Sit the joint on a chopping board. Season with the thyme and rosemary leaves by pressing the edge of a sharp knife into the joint to create little pockets all over, then spearing the flesh with herbs. Add a good grinding of black pepper.

Wrap the joint with bacon, overlapping the rashers or slices and secure with cocktail sticks. Drizzle with the olive oil, and placed in a roasting tray with the onion, carrot and leek. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 200 degrees C and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Remove the meat to a plate when cooked, (hopefully it will still be pink in the center) cover with foil and leave to rest in a warm place.

Add the balsamic vinegar, wine and stock to the pan and stir through to deglaze. Strain into a clean pan and discard the vegetables. Reduce the sauce until it has thickened slightly. Slice the joint and pour the sauce over the top. Serve with game chips and mashed root vegetables such as swede and carrots or sweet potato.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Exotic Meat Cookbook: From Antelope to Zebra by Jeanette Edgar and Rachel Godwin. The Friday Project Limited, October 1, 2009

Thursday, January 14, 2010

1711. TOMATO BACON CANAPES

makes thirty-six appetizers


1 loaf of soft sliced bread
8 to 10 Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoons minced fresh basil
8 slices of bacon

Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut 3 rounds out of each slice of bread. Cut Roma tomatoes into 1/4-inch rounds. Using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese. Add the mayonnaise and whip until smooth, adding the basil last. Dice the bacon and cook until crisp--then drain on paper towel. Spread cream cheese mixture on bread round, top with tomato round and a touch of cooked bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Regina Charboneau, Twin Oaks Bed & Breakfast, 71 Homochitto Street, Natchez, Mississippi 39120-3966, (601) 445-0338 | The Atlantic, Food, December 11, 2009

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

1710. BACON and GREEN ONION CORNBREAD DRESSING

yields over eight to ten servings


1 tablespoon softened butter
8 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 eggs
8 cups coarsely crumbled cornbread

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Butter a 3-quart baking dish with the softened butter.

Add the chopped bacon to a 10-inch skillet and set over medium high heat. Cook the bacon, stirring as needed, for 5 minutes until crispy and fat is rendered. Drain all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from the pan and reserve. Return the pan of bacon to the heat.

Add the onion, pepper, thyme, cayenne, black pepper, and salt to the bacon. Continue to cook, stirring as needed, for 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds longer. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the green onion and parsley.

In a small bowl whisk together the chicken stock and eggs.

Add the crumbled cornbread to a large mixing bowl. Add the vegetables and chicken stock mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. Transfer to the prepared baking pan.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat over the top. Grease a sheet of foil large enough to cover the dressing with 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat and place over the dressing. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 15 minutes longer, or until the top is crispy to the touch and the interior of the dressing remains moist. Remove from the oven and set aside. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, courtesy Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. | Good Morning America, ABC News

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

1709. BANANA and BACON STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

serves six


1 lb. bacon, cooked until crisp
1(500 grams) loaf of brioche (substitute egg bread)
3-4 bananas, sliced lengthwise (each banana should yield 4 slices)
1 pkg. of mascarpone (substitute cream cheese)
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teapoon orange zest
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
6 tablespoons butter
fresh maple syrup, warm
1 pint of fresh berries for garnish
powdered sugar for dusting

Slice brioche into 6 slices approximately 1" wide. Cut each slice almost all the way in half leaving a "hinged" edge. Spread a thin layer of mascarpone cheese on the inside of one side of each slice. Place two banana slices atop the mascarpone and finally, add two slices of the cooked bacon. Press together. In a large bowl add eggs, milk, cream, cinnamon, vanilla, orange zest, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Working in batches in a large skillet or on a griddle, melt the butter. Dip each stuffed bread into the egg mixture, being careful not to allow the bacon and bananas to fall out. Grill on each side until golden brown.

Pour warm maple syrup on a large plate and place one piece of stuffed bread on the syrup. Sprinkle fresh berries on top of the bread and dust the entire plate with powdered sugar.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Paula Deen, Paula's Kitchen, Smithfield

Monday, January 11, 2010

1708. ROASTED and SPATCHCOCKED CHICKENS with LENTILS and BACON

serves four


2 chickens (or game birds), spatchcocked (backbone and sternum removed, and flattened for cooking)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 bacon rashers, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup Puy lentils
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups dry white wine
lemon thyme leaves
100 grams baby spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 200°C. To prepare the spatchcocks, use kitchen scissors to cut down both sides of the backbone of each spatchcock. Remove backbones. Use a large, sharp knife to cut through the breastbone and slice each bird in half.

Heat oil in a large flameproof roasting pan over high heat. Add the spatchcock, skin-side down, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion, carrot, celery, bacon and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the lentils and stir to combine. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Place the spatchcock, skin-side up, over the lentil mixture. Sprinkle with lemon thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until chicken and lentils are tender.

Place the spinach leaves on plates. Spoon over the lentils and top with the chicken. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sarah Hobbs, Notebook, page 133, August 2007

Sunday, January 10, 2010

1707. RED GRAPE, BACON and PISTACHIO SALAD with SHALLOT SHERRY VINAIGRETTE

serves four to six


4 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large shallots, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper (about 5 or 6 grinds)
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
6 ounces baby arugula or mixed greens
2 cups red grapes
1/2 cup shelled, roasted salted pistachios
2 ounces microgreens

Render the bacon until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes, in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Lift the bacon from the grease with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel-lined plate. Add the shallots to the bacon grease in the pan and sauté 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Transfer the warm shallots to a small mixing bowl. Discard remaining grease. Whisk the shallots with the mustard, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the oil in a slow drizzle, whisking vigorously. Toss the crisp bacon pieces with the baby arugula, grapes and pistachios. Top with microgreens and then drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tara Mataraza Desmond, "Meat Lite," Serious Eats.com, June 23, 2009

Saturday, January 09, 2010

1706. BACON RUM NUTS

yields sixteen rum nuts

1/2 lb. bacon
8 oz. water chestnuts
1/4 cups dark rum
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Marinate water chestnuts in rum and soy sauce for one hour, turning frequently. Roll each chestnut in sugar. Coat well. Cut 4 bacon slices in half. Then cut lengthwise in halves to make 16 strips. Wrap bacon around chestnuts and secure with toothpicks. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Drain well and serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kitchen Cooking Recipes.com

Friday, January 08, 2010

1705. ALLIGATOR TAIL wrapped in BACON with NARANJILLA SAUCE

yields four servings


1 1/2 pounds alligator tail meat
1/4 pound bacon
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1/2 naranjilla sauce (recipe below)

Cut alligator meat into small medallions and wrap each with a strip of bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Heat sunflower oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat; add medallions and brown on both sides until cooked through.


Naranjilla Sauce

4 fresh naranjilla or Florida key limes
2 ounces white rum
3/4 cup sugar
4 ounces balsamic vinegar

Cut the naranjillas in half; scoop seeds and pulp into a sauté pan. Discard the rind. Add the rum, sugar and balsamic vinegar to pan. Heat mixture over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrup. Remove from heat and keep warm.

To Serve: Arrange alligator medallions and drizzle with Naranjilla Sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Hugo Jimenez Rojas, Casa Ceibo, Baja de Caraquez, Ecuador (Third Place Winner) | 2nd Annual Alligator Signature Recipe Competition, American Culinary Federation Central Florida, FRLA Restaurant Show, Orlando, September 2009

Thursday, January 07, 2010

1704. APPLE VEGGIE SKILLET with BACON

serves eight


1 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup diced onion
3 cups diced eggplant
2 cups diced tomato
2 1/2 cups diced (not peeled) crisp sweet apple such as gala, pink lady or Fuji
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup real bacon bits

Spray large caste iron skillet with cooking spray and heat until hot. Then add oil and turn heat to medium high. Whenever it is hot, sauté pepper and onion for about 2-3 minutes. Cover skillet with lid for about 2 minutes. Add eggplant, stir and cover for 4 minutes until slightly softened. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium, add tomatoes and cook for one minute covered. Then add apples, stir well and cover for an additional minute. Remove from stove, sprinkle with cheese and then bacon bits, Place under broiler on high for 2-3 minutes until cheese melts well.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Harriet Carter, Durham, North Carolina | 2007 North Carolina State Fair Second Place Winner | North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, 1001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1001

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

1703. CHICKEN STIR FRY with BACON, JICAMA, RED PEPPERS and TOMATILLOS

makes four servings


1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/4 cup Italian dressing
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 cup sliced jicama (about 1 medium)
1 cup quartered tomatillos
1 cup sliced red bell peppers (about 1 medium)
1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 cups hot cooked rice

Place chicken in resealable plastic bag. Add dressing; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with dressing. Refrigerate at least 30 min. or up to 1 hour to marinate. Cook bacon in large skillet on medium heat until crisp. Drain fat from skillet; set bacon aside. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Add chicken to same skillet; cook 4 min. or until evenly browned, stirring frequently. Add jicama, tomatillos, red bell peppers and crushed red pepper; mix well. Cook 3 min. or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Serve over the rice.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kraft Foods, Three Lakes Drive, Northfield, Illinois 60093

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

1702. GOLDEN STUFFED CHICKEN with BACON, QUAIL'S EGGS and BLACK PUDDING

serves two


For the stuffing
1 shallots, finely chopped
50 grams pork sausage meat
4 basil

For the chicken and bacon
2 x 175 grams corn fed chicken breast supremes
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 slices bacon

For the mashed potato
2 potatoes
2 teaspoons butter
2-3 tablespoons hot milk
salt and black pepper

For the eggs
6 slices black pudding
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 quail's eggs

For the mange tout
50 grams mangetout, shredded
1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the garnish
few sprigs chervil

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. For the stuffing; combine the shallot, sausage meat and shredded basil. Fill the stuffing into the pocket between the skin and the chicken supreme meat.

Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan and seal the chicken, on both sides, until golden brown. Season well and continue cooking the chicken in the oven for about 10 minutes, until cooked through.

While the chicken is in the oven, stretch the bacon rashers out using the back of a knife - this helps stop them from shrinking as they bake. Lay them on a baking tray and cook in the oven at the same time and temperature as the chicken for about 8 minutes, until crisp.

Peel the potatoes and boil until tender, before draining. Mash well and beat in the butter and milk. Shape into quenelles (small ovals, about 2cm in length) and keep warm.

Warm the black pudding in a frying pan and set aside. Heat the olive oil in the same frying pan and fry the quail eggs until just set. Trim the cooked eggs so that they're the same size as the black pudding, and place on top of each slice.

In the same pan, fry the mangetout and ginger for about 30 seconds. Spoon onto plates and dress with the vinegar and oil.

Arrange the quail eggs and black pudding on plates. Surround with the bacon, chicken, quenelles and mangetout. Scatter over the chervil and shitzu shoots before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Andrew Nutter, Market Kitchen, Good Food Channel, UKTV

Monday, January 04, 2010

1701. ROASTED ASPARAGUS with ROSEMARY and ANCHOVIES wrapped in BACON

serves four


24 medium-sized spears of asparagus
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 anchovy fillets
4 good slices of dry-cured smoky bacon rashers
½ a lemon
olive oil
1 knob of butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Remove the stalk ends of the asparagus by bending them and snapping where it clicks naturally. Feel free to boil your asparagus for a minute if they're not as tender as they should be. Grab 6 spears of asparagus, sandwich one of the rosemary sprigs and one of the anchovy fillets among the spears, and wrap a slice of pancetta round the middle to hold everything in place. Make 3 more bundles the same way, and put them into a small roasting tray or pan with ½ a lemon. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast in the preheated oven for 4 to 5 minutes, until the pancetta is crispy. Remove from the oven, add your knob of butter, and squeeze over the juice of your roasted lemon. Season if need be. This will make a fantastic smoky sauce with your melted anchovies – absolutely scrumptious.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jamie Oliver, Happy Days with the Naked Chef. Hyperion, 2002

Sunday, January 03, 2010

1700. CROWN ROAST of PORK with PRUNE and BACON STUFFING

yields twelve servings


2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried savory
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 12-rib crown roast of pork

Stuffing
3/4 cup pitted prunes, halved
1/2 cup apple cider
4 cups cubed day-old crustless bread
5 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch strips
2 onions, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Stuffing: Soak prunes in apple cider for 30 minutes; strain and reserve cider. Set aside.

Meanwhile, on baking sheet, bake bread in 400°F oven, stirring halfway through, until golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; set aside.

In skillet, cook bacon over medium-low heat until fat is rendered, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain all but 2 tbsp fat from pan. Stir in onions, celery, salt and cloves; cook over medium heat until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in reserved cider, scraping up brown bits; cook until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add to bowl.

Add prunes and parsley to bowl; set aside.

With mortar and pestle or mini-chopper, purée together oil, garlic, savory, salt and pepper until paste; rub over pork, excluding bones.

Place pork on foil in roasting pan. Spoon stuffing into centre of roast. Wrap each exposed bone tip in foil; place foil on stuffing.

Roast in 325°F oven until meat thermometer registers 160°F , 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Transfer to serving platter and remove foil; tent with foil and let stand for 20 minutes before carving between ribs to serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Matthew Kimura, The Canadian Living Test Kitchen | Canadian Living Magazine, December 2009

Saturday, January 02, 2010

1699. VEGETABLE SOUP with BACON and TILSIT TOAST

serves six


4 slices bacon, cooked and diced
1 lb. fresh mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, peas), chopped
5 cups beef broth
6 slices white or whole wheat bread
shredded tilsit cheese
chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Cook diced bacon in 3 quart saucepan 3-4 minutes or until crisp. Add vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and peas. Add beef broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and simmer 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into 6 heatproof bowls. Float 1 slice white or whole wheat toast in each and sprinkle each slice with shredded tilsit. Broil briefly until cheese is golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: YumYum.com

Friday, January 01, 2010

1698. SAUTEED SPINACH with RED ONION, BACON and BLUE CHEESE

makes two servings


2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 10-ounce bag fresh spinach, tough stems removed
2 strips center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in bacon and sprinkle cheese on top. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: AARP The Magazine, 601 E Street NW, Washington DC 20049