2793. MAPLE BACON ICE CREAM

yields 8-10 servings


1 cup grade B maple syrup
4 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
5 egg yolks
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon (about 6 slices)
special equipment: candy thermometer, ice cream maker

In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, reduce the maple syrup to 1/2 cup. Set aside. Over moderate heat in a medium saucepan, heat the half-and-half with 1/2 cup sugar until hot and just bubbling around the edges. In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks with 1/2 cup sugar, then add 1 cup hot half-and-half mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour the whole egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon and registers 170 degrees F on a thermometer. Do not let boil. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl and whisk in the maple syrup. Cover with parchment paper letting the paper touch the surface of the mixture, to prevent a skin from forming. Chill the mixture until very cold, at least 6 hours and up to overnight. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with heavy foil. Place a baking rack over the lined sheet pan and arrange the bacon slices across the rack next to each other. Bake until crispy, about 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, finely chop. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Place the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a fork, until the sugar starts to melt. Stop stirring and cook until the sugar is a golden caramel color, about 10 minutes. Add the bacon and stir to coat. Pour onto prepared baking sheet and let harden. Chop the candied bacon into small pieces. Freeze the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, 20 to 30 minutes and at the last minute, add the candied bacon and let churn until just combined. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Claire Robinson, "Beachy Keen," 5 Ingredient Fix, 2011, Food Network

2792. SOPA DA PANELA (SOUP OF THE KETTLE)

yields eight servings


1 2- to 2 1/2-pound chicken, with giblets
1/4 pound double-smoked slab bacon
6 ounces hot Italian sausages
6 ounces sweet Italian sausages
1/4 pound linguica, chorizo or pepperoni
2 medium yellow onions, peeled
6 large branches parsley
3 quarts cold water
6 ounces day-old French or Italian bread, cut in 1-inch cubes
10 small sprigs mint
3 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large heavy kettle over moderate heat, bring the chicken, its giblets, the bacon, the whole sausages, the onions, parsley and water to a simmer, skimming off froth. Cover and simmer slowly 1 to 1 1/4 hours until the chicken is very tender. Arrange the bread cubes over the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart shallow heatproof casserole and scatter the mint sprigs evenly on top. When the chicken is done, lift it and all sausages from the kettle and cool until easy to handle. Discard the bacon, onions and parsley, then skim as much fat from the kettle liquid as possible. Add the pepper and 2 teaspoons of the salt, raise heat to high and boil uncovered while you cut up the meats. Slice the sausages 1/4 inch thick and lay in the casserole on top of the mint. Coarsely chop the giblets and scatter over all. Separate the chicken meat from the bones and skin, cut in bite-size pieces, and lay in the casserole. Taste the broth for salt and add more if needed. Pour the boiling broth into the casserole and let stand 5 minutes. Ladle into soup plates and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jean Anderson, "In Portugal, Cooking Via Moliere," The New York Times, March 4, 1987

2791. TOMATILLO GRILLED CHEESE and BACON SANDWICHES

serves 4 to 6


12 slices (1/2-inch thick) ciabatta bread
about 1/4 cup butter, softened
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
about 4 tomatillos (6 oz.), husks removed, rinsed, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
8 slices cooked bacon, broken into thirds
1/4 cup cilantro sprigs
6 oz. panela cheese or mozzarella, cut into thin wedges

Spread a side of each bread slice with butter. Turn 6 slices over; top with cheddar, then tomatillos, bacon, cilantro, and panela. Top with remaining bread, buttered side up. Cook sandwiches in a large nonstick frying pan (work in batches or use 2 pans) over medium-low heat until golden on both sides and cheese melts, 7 minutes total.


bacon recipe courtesy of: "In Season," Sunset, August 2012, p. 90

2790. ROASTED BRANZINO with BACON, SHRIMP and FRENCH BEANS

makes two servings


fresh branzino, cleaned and butterflied
2 pieces of good bacon
12 small cleaned shrimp
2 tablespoons good whole grain mustard
1 cup of panko bread crumbs
vegetable oil spray
juice of one fresh lemon
handful French beans ends trimmed

Beans: Steam until tender then sauté with a little butter and lemon juice and season to taste. Add some lemon zest and serve in the fish when ready.

Start by places one strip of bacon on each side of the fish. Now mix together the mustard and the mayo and paint the inside of the fish covering the bacon as well. Place about 12 small cleaned shrimp on the fish scattering evenly and finish with a layer of panko bread crumbs. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and spray a light coating of vegatable oil on the bread crumbs before putting in the oven. Now roast until the fish is golden brown about 15-20 min and you can see the fat has rendered out of the bacon. Now slid onto a plate and serve with the French beans in the middle and a little more lemon juice.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Benny Doro, February 19, 2011

2789. SWEET & SOUR BACON and GREEN BEANS

yields 4-6 servings 


1/2 pound bacon, cut into small chunks
1 onion, chopped
2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed and cut into manageable sized pieces
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and fry until crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate and spoon out several Tablespoons of bacon grease and reserve for another use. Add the onion to the bacon grease and cook until softened. Add the green beans and cook until tender-crispy, or your desired tenderness. Add the sugar and vinegar and stir well. Add the bacon back to the pan and cook, stirring, for another minute or two. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cate, Girl Cooks World, October 31, 2011, adapted from Southern Plate: Classic Comfort Food That Makes Everyone Feel Like Family, by Christy Jordan; William Morrow Cookbooks, 2010

2788. ONION, BACON and BUTTERNUT TART

serves 6 as a main course, 12 as an appetizer


all-purpose flour for rolling dough
14 ounces whole wheat pizza dough, thawed if frozen
5 slices thick-cut bacon
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 (10 ounces) package frozen diced butternut squash (1 1/2 cups), thawed
1 1/2 cup (about 6 ounces) grated Fontina or Gruyère cheese
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough out to a circle about 14 inches in diameter; if the dough pulls back strongly, stop rolling, cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let rest 10 minutes before continuing. Transfer dough to a round pizza pan, stone or large greased baking sheet; reshape dough as needed, but you can leave any edges of the dough hanging over the sides of the pan (they will be folded in later). Cover with a towel and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 475°F and place a rack in the middle of the oven. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisped, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-covered plate to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of grease left in skillet. Return skillet to medium heat and add onion, garlic and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Add squash and cook, tossing gently once or twice, until any excess moisture evaporates, 2 to 3 minutes.

Scrape onion mixture into middle of dough and spread evenly, leaving a 1-inch border around edges. Sprinkle top with cheese. Brush edge of dough with half the oil and fold it over to make a ½-inch rim. Brush rim with remaining oil. Bake until tart is deeply browned and dough is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with thyme and cool 10 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and cut into wedges or squares for serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Whole Foods Market

2787. BACON-BRAISED GOOSE in HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE

1-2 strips of bacon
goose breasts

Honey Mustard Sauce:
1 cup honey
1/2 cup prepared mustard
1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons curry powder

Combine the ingredients in a small cooking pot and heat over low to medium heat, stirring continuously until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. The honey mustard sauce will later be poured over the goose prior to baking. Save any leftover sauce in the refrigerator for the next batch of duck or goose. 

Braise the Goose Breasts: Cook one or two strips of bacon in a cast iron frying pan. Remove the strips and place the goose breasts in the bacon grease on medium to high heat, braising both sides of the breast for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. The bacon grease adds a mouth-watering smoky flavor to the goose that really makes the meat "pop". For a healthy heart version of the recipe use olive oil in lieu of bacon grease.

Place the browned breasts into the bottom of a baking dish and cover halfway with the honey sauce. Cook covered at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until goose is medium rare to medium. Slice the breast across the grain and drizzle with honey mustard sauce from the bottom of the cooking dish. This goes great with wild rice and steamed carrots, beans, or broccoli.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rob Endsley, The Outdoor Line, EXPERT DRIVEN Hunting & Fishing Talk Radio, 710 AM ESPN Seattle, 11713 60th Street NE, Lake Stevens, Washington 98258, December 6, 2009

2786. BACON FAT GINGERSNAPS

makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies 


3/4 cup bacon drippings (from 1 1/2 to 2 pounds bacon), at room temperature 
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for the work surface 
1/4 cup molasses (not blackstrap) or cane syrup 
1 large egg 
2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 
2 teaspoons baking soda 
2 teaspoons ground ginger 
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse just until a smooth, stiff dough forms. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a few hours and up to 2 days. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place about 1/4 cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Break off 1-tablespoon chunks of cookie dough and roll them into balls. Drop them in the sugar, roll to coat, and place them on the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. If desired, gently flatten the dough. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until dark brown. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


bacon recipe courtesy of: CookFight: 2 Cooks, 12 Challenges, 125 Recipes, an Epic Battle for Kitchen Dominance, by Julia Moskin and Kim Severson; Ecco, 2012 | Leite's Culinaria, November 30, 2012

2785. BACON KEBOBS with CITRUS-GINGER GLAZE

serves six


1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger root
2-3 cups of large diced pineapple
3 green or red bell peppers, large diced
1 red onion, large diced
12 strips of applewood smoked bacon
3 in. heavy-duty tooth picks

Heat orange juice in small saucepan with ginger and reduce juice by 1/3. Let sauce cool, and pour sauce over pieces of diced pineapple and peppers. In a sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil, sauté peppers, onion and pineapple over medium high heat until half cooked (about 1-2 minutes). Cool all ingredients and set aside. Cook bacon in the oven until bacon is cooked but not crisp. (This will make the bacon easier to place on the kebob). Assemble ingredients on a tooth pick starting with the end of a bacon strip, pineapple, pepper, fold bacon back onto tooth pick, add onion, pepper, fold bacon again so the end of the bacon strip is on the tooth pick. Chill until ready to serve. To serve, heat kebobs on a greased cookie sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or heat on a grill until meat crisps and vegetables and pineapple are hot-serve. 


bacon recipe courtesy of: Patrick Cudahy, One Sweet Apple-Wood Lane, Cudahy, Wisconsin 53110

2784. MUSSELS with BACON and RAPINI

yields four portions


8 oz. thick-cut bacon, diced
4 thick slices crusty bread 
1 teaspoon pepper 
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon steak spice 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 head rapini 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium-size Spanish onion, halved and sliced 
2 cups whole red cherry tomatoes 
3/4 cup white wine
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded 
3/4 cup water 
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill 
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives 
2 tablespoons butter
lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the cubed up bread to the skillet to soak up all the excess bacon fat, add pepper and let it go on medium to low heat until bread crisps up. Remove from pan and set aside.

For the croutons: Chop up the bread into thick cubes. Toss with the seasonings and oil. Bake until golden and crispy.

For the mussels: Bring a large pot of water to boil for 30 seconds. Add the whole rapini and blanch for 45 seconds. Remove and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain and roughly chop. Set aside.

In another pan, add and the olive oil and onions and cook for 2 minutes, then add the cherry tomatoes and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the wine, cover, and cook for 2 minutes then add mussels and water and cook until they begin to open, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rapini to the pan of muscles and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, discard unopened mussels, add bacon, dill, chives, butter, lemon juice, to taste, salt, and pepper and serve with croutons on top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chuck Hughes, "The Locksmiths," Chuck's Day Off, Cooking Channel TV

2783. APPLEWOOD-SMOKED BACON BEIGNETS with BLACK WASABI and AGAVE NECTAR

Beignets 
2 quarts canola oil
¼ lb butter, medium diced
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
¼ lb bacon, chopped, cooked crispy
1 tablespoon aonori (dried powder Japanese seaweed)
2 tablespoons chives 

Black Wasabi
1 cup Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons wasabi paste
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 packages squid ink
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper, black ground
Agave nectar (to drizzle on the beignets, to taste) 

Black Wasabi: Thoroughly mix all the ingredients for the black wasabi and place in refrigerator to chill. 

Beignets: Place the canola oil in a stockpot and preheat to 350 degrees F. In a medium sized pot bring the butter, water and milk to a simmer. Sauté bacon until crispy. Place on paper towels to drain. Add the flour to the milk mixture and mix thoroughly by hand for 5 minutes or until the dough falls from the sides of the pot. Remove and place dough in a mixer immediately. Turn the mixer on medium and gradually add one egg at a time. Mix thoroughly. Add the cooked bacon, aonori and chives. Mix thoroughly. Place teaspoon-size scoops of dough immediately into the fryer. Constantly stir the beignets while they are frying to achieve even browning (about 5-7 minutes). Remove fried beignets from the fryer and top them with the black wasabi sauce and agave nectar. Serve immediately. 


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Mike Potowski, Benjy's (on Washington), 5922 Washington Avenue, Houston, TX 77007 | Cleverly Stone, Talk 650-CBS Radio Houston & Fox 26 Morning News | HoustonTexasFood.com, April 23, 2010

2782. BACON and TOMATO HASH

serves one


4 rashers streaky bacon
2 teaspoons garlic-infused oil
1 tomato, diced
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
scattering of chopped parsley (about 2 tablespoons)
ground black pepper

Cut each rasher into three or four pieces, and fry in the garlic oil until crispy (the bacon will also give up flavorsome fat of its own). Remove the bacon bits to a piece of kitchen towel.

Tip the chopped tomato, with all its seeded, gluey interior, into the hot oily pan, which will cause a great spitting and sizzling, and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir again, then put the bacon back into the pan, mixing it into the tomato before transferring to a plate.

Scatter with some parsley and lots of freshly ground pepper, and serve with bread to dip in the oily juices.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Feast: Food That Celebrates Life, by Nigella Lawson. London: Chatto & Windus, 2004; p. 416

2781. BACON-TOPPED PETITE TURKEY MEATLOAF with BARBECUE SAUCE

makes five servings


3/4 cup grated zucchini, all moisture squeezed dry with paper towel
2 tablespoons onion, minced
2 tablespoons diced red pepper
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 large egg
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1.3 lb raw 93% lean ground turkey
5 slices center cut bacon, cut in half
2 1/2 tablespoons barbecue sauce 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly spray a petite loaf pan with oil (if you don't have a petite loaf pan you could use a muffin tin). In a large bowl, mix the zucchini, onion, red pepper, breadcrumbs, BBQ sauce, egg, paprika and salt. Add the turkey and combine until mixed through. Create 5 equal loafs and place them into the loaf pan. Place the 2 bacon halves over each loaf and top each with 1/2 tbsp additional BBQ sauce. Bake about 25 minutes or until cooked through.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gina Homolka, Skinnytaste, July 11, 2012

2780. BACON, POTATO, ROSEMARY and FONTINA PIZZA

yields 1 (13 by 18-inch) pizza 


1 recipe fresh pizza dough (recipe below)
3 to 4 baby Yukon gold fingerling potatoes, finely sliced
1/2 small onion, finely sliced
6 slices applewood smoked bacon, finely chopped
2 tablespoons rosemary leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to grease pan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
1 cup baby arugula, optional
1/2 lemon, juiced

Fresh Pizza Dough:
2 packages active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups warm water (100 to 110 degrees F.)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for bowl

In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes. If you're using a stand mixer, combine the salt and flour to the bowl and pulse a few times to mix. Add the yeast mixture, at the lowest speed, until the flour incorporates. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough gathers into a ball. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough as you're making it by squeezing a small amount together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water, if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times, kneading until it's smooth and elastic. If you're making the dough by hand, add the yeast mixture to a large bowl and stir in the salt and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then begin stirring in the flour. When the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon, knead in the rest of the flour by hand, adding just enough so that the dough is soft but not too sticky. As you work, squeeze a small amount of dough together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a round and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat the dough entirely with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e., over a gas pilot light) until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Pizza: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put a jelly roll pan or half sheet pan in the oven. In a large mixing bowl, combine the fingerling potatoes, onion, bacon, and rosemary leaves. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss together to coat with olive oil. Take the preheated jelly roll pan out of the oven and drizzle some olive oil over entire surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces and reserve 1 piece for another use. Stretch the pizza dough out so it is just bigger than the pan, then lay it inside the pan so the dough comes up the sides to form a crust on the rim. Pour the potato mixture onto the pizza dough, then sprinkle with shredded fontina. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until crispy and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with arugula and drizzle the lemon juice over the top. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tyler Florence, "Pizza," Tyler's Ultimate, Food Network

2779. BAKED FLOUNDER ROLLS with TOMATO, BELL PEPPER, and BACON

serves six


6 slices of lean bacon, chopped fine
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
2/3 cup minced green bell pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
a 28-ounce can tomatoes including the juice, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried basil
six 1/2-pound flounder fillets, halved lengthwise and seasoned with salt and pepper
1/2 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a skillet cook the bacon over moderate heat until it is crisp, transfer it to paper towels to drain, and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. In the fat remaining in the skillet cook the shallot and the bell pepper over moderately low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes, add the wine, and boil the mixture, scraping up the brown bits, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with the juice, the basil, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until it is thickened.

On a work surface arrange the flounder fillet halves, skinned sides up, beginning with the narrow end roll up each fillet half jelly-roll fashion, and secure each roll with a wooden pick. 

In an oiled flameproof baking pan, 15 by 10 by 2 inches, arrange the fish rolls, seam sides down and not touching each other, pour the sauce evenly over them, and bake the mixture in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 10 minutes. In a bowl stir together the bread crumbs, the parsley, the bacon, and salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle the topping over the rolls. Drizzle the fish rolls with the oil and bake the mixture for 10 minutes, or until the fish just flakes. (For a crisper topping, the cooked mixture may be broiled under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes.) Transfer the fish rolls to a heated platter and spoon the sauce and topping over them.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet, May 1992

2778. GRILLED FLANK STEAK with BACON BALSAMIC GLAZE

yields four servings 


Cooking spray
2 tablespoons triple peppercorn
1 flank steak, about 1 1/4 pounds
Salt
2 teaspoons garlic flakes
4 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat a stove-top grill pan or griddle with cooking spray over medium-high heat to preheat. Place peppercorns in a plastic bag and smash with the flat side of a meat mallet, or bottom of a heavy skillet, until finely crushed. Season both sides of flank steak with crushed peppercorns, salt and garlic flakes.

Place steak on hot pan and cook 5 minutes per side for medium doneness. Remove from heat and let steak rest 10 minutes. Slice meat crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices.

While the steak is cooking, Place diced bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp. Add vinegar and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, or until liquid reduces. In a small bowl, add broth and cornstarch, whisking until cornstarch is completely dissolved, and add to skillet. Simmer 2 minutes bringing to a full boil, until sauce thickens. Remove from heat, spoon sauce over steak slices and top with parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Robin Miller, "Glaze, Bake, Wrap and Dunk," Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller, Food Network, 2007

2777. BLACKBERRY APPLE COBBLER with BACON-SAGE CRUST

yields twelve servings


2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, stems removed
8 apples peeled, cored, cut into wedges
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
freshly grated zest of 1/2 lemon
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
scant 1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 egg 
1/3 cup milk
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled into 1/2″ pieces
2 fresh sage leaves, chopped very finely, or 1/4 teaspoon ground dried sage

Preheat oven to 425. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and set aside. Combine berries, apples, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and 1 tablespoon of the sugar.  Work in the butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips. Lightly beat the egg and milk together, and slowly but firmly (you don’t want too many strokes) stir into the flour mixture. Stir in the chopped bacon and sage. Knead lightly, sprinkling on a bit more flour as necessary to form a smooth dough. Break off portions of the dough and place them on top of the fruit in the pan, pressing and spreading the dough as you go. Cover the entire surface. Sprinkle remaining sugar over the dough and bake until well browned, 35-45 minutes. Serve immediately, with ice cream of course.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cheryl Herrick, CrankyCakes, September 12, 2009 | adapted from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

2776. STRIP STEAK with BACON and MUSHROOM SHERRY SAUCE

2 boneless strip steaks, about 10-12 oz.
4 slices bacon, cut in 1″ pieces
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1/8 cup steak sauce
1/8 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (save some for garnish)
salt
freshly ground pepper

Cook the bacon in a large fry pan on medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and place on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the pan. Add mushrooms to bacon drippings and cook until tender (about 5 minutes) stirring occasionally. Add the bacon, steak sauce, sherry, garlic powder and sugar to the pan and mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add  a few pieces of the fresh rosemary. Cover to keep warm. Salt and pepper both sides of steak. Sear steaks on both sides and then cook to desired doneness (about 10-12 minutes for medium rare). Plate the steaks on warmed plates and top with the sauce, garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kathleen, "Deja Vu" Cook, July 12, 2012

2775. APPLE BACON FRITTERS with MAPLE BOURBON GLAZE

yields one dozen fritters


4 ounces water, heated to 110F
1/4 ounce dry active yeast
1 cup diced tart apple

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

3/4 ounce vegetable shortening

1 ounce sugar

1/8 ounce salt

1/8 teaspoon mace or nutmeg

1/2 ounce non-fat dry milk

1 egg

8 1/2 ounces bread flour

Vegetable oil for frying

Maple Bourbon Glaze (enough to glaze 12 fritters or doughnuts)
1/4 teaspoon gelatin
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons bourbon

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pound powdered sugar

In the bowl of a mixer combine the yeast and the water. Allow to sit for ten minutes.

While the yeast activates mix the apples, bacon, two tablespoons of sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In the same bowl as the yeast mixture mix the shortening, one ounce of sugar, salt, mace or nutmeg, dry milk, egg, and bread flour. Mix with the dough hook on low speed for three minutes. Check the hydration of the dough by touching it; if it is sticky but does not stick it is ready. Mix on medium speed for six minutes.

Add the apples mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed for three minutes, until the apples and bacon are well combined.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to ferment for two hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Once the dough has fermented turn out onto a well floured board and with the palm of your hand press out the dough into a large rectangle. Cut the dough into the desired shapes, I find squares work well for me, and cover with plastic for thirty minutes.

While the fritters proof heat at least three inches of oil in a deep pot, allowing for two inches of space at the top of the pan to prevent overflow, to 375 F.

Once proofed, fry the fritters in the hot oil for one minute per side. Once fried drain on paper towels while you fry the remaining fritters.

Let the fritters cool slightly while you prepare the glaze.

In a small bowl mix the gelatin with the water.  Allow to bloom for ten minutes.  Once bloomed heat in the microwave for 10 seconds until it is melted.

In a large bowl mix the gelatin with the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.

Dip the warm fritters into the glaze and turn to coat.  Let the excess drip off before transferring to a rack to dry.

Enjoy warm, or at room temperature.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kelly Jaggers, Evil Shenanigans, September 11, 2009

2774. SQUID with BACON and GARLIC OIL

yields 4 appetizer servings 


8 ounces slab bacon, cut into lardons
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds fresh squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves

Place the bacon in a medium saute pan over medium heat and cook until lightly golden brown and the fat has been rendered. Increase the heat to high and add the garlic, olive oil, and squid, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook the squid for 2 to 3 minutes or until just cooked through. Stir in the herbs and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bobby Flay, "Tapas," Boy Meets Grill, Food Network

2773. POLENTA with BACON-WRAPPED SHRIMP and PORT WINE FIG SAUCE

1 cup polenta
6 thick slices bacon, chopped into chunks
1 shallot, chopped
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons butter

Port Wine Fig Sauce:
1 teaspoon butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 cup dried figs, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 cup port wine
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves
10 whole Allspice
10 whole black peppercorns
4 pieces star anise

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp:
6 slices thin cut bacon
12 large shrimp, tail on shelled and deveined
1 tablespoon thyme, picked
Salt and pepper, to taste 
Oil, as needed

Garnish:
Frisee greens (for example arugula) 
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Salt and pepper, to taste

Polenta: Render bacon and caramelize the shallots, then strain the contents and reserve the bacon fat. Add the milk, cream, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer then whisk in the polenta. Simmer on low until most of the liquid has cooked out and the polenta is soft. Stir in the butter.

Port Wine Fig Sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and sauté the shallot, dried fig and red onion. Season with the salt. When the mixture has sweat out, add the sugar and turn the heat to high. Caramelize the sugar, then add the port, red wine, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, black peppercorns and star anise. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Reduce the sauce until it is sauce consistency, nape. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer. Turn the heat off, then let the halved figs sit in the sauce to reconstitute.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp: Cut the bacon strips in half, lay them all out and sprinkle the thyme on each strip. Wrap the shrimp, thyme on the inside, starting at the head end of the shrimp. Then, in a large sauté pan over medium high heat, using a bit of oil, sauté the bacon wrapped shrimp. The pan needs to be hot enough that the bacon doesn't stick to the pan but not too high because you don’t want the bacon to brown before the shrimp is cooked through. When the bacon is golden brown the shrimp should be done. Season to taste.

Assembly: Place the polenta in the center of a small plate, then place the shrimp on top of it in an interlocking position. Drizzle the sauce and place the figs. Two shrimp and two figs per plate. Garnish with some frisee greens tossed with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Grayson Schmitz, Top Chef, Season 9, Episode 2, Elimination Challenge; Bravo

2772. MACARONI and CHEESE PIE with a BACON CRUST

1 3/4 pounds bacon
8 ounces uncooked cellentani (corkscrew-shaped) macaroni
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded sharp colby jack cheese
1/2 cup (about 1 ounce) grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch fresh basil, chopped


Take 1 pound of bacon and tightly weave it into a square, alternating over and under with the strips of bacon, that is roughly the size of your pie tin. Flip the bacon weave into your pie tin and press down, conforming the bacon to the shape of the tin. Place another pie tin on top of the bacon and press down firmly. This will help your bacon pie crust keep its shape while cooking. Create another bacon weave using the remaining 3/4 pound of bacon. This will be the lattice top for the pie, so with this one you’ll want to leave some space in between the slices of bacon. Place the bacon pie crust and lattice top on separate baking sheets and cook at 400°F for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni according to the package directions, drain it and set aside. In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat and stir in the flour. Add milk to the mix slowly while stirring constantly. Stir in the cheeses and cook over low heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce is slightly thick. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. When the bacon is done cooking remove the second pie tin from the top of the crust and let it cool for a few minutes. (Pat the bacon gently with paper towel to absorb any excess grease.) Spoon the macaroni mixture into your bacon pie crust and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with nutmeg and basil leaves. Cover your pie with the bacon lattice top and cook at 400°F for 15 minutes. Once your pie is done cooking let it cool and then dig in and enjoy!


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nick, DudeFoods.com | 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni & Cheese, Wisconsin Cheese/Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, 8418 Excelsior Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53717

2771. PANETTONE PANZANELLA with BACON and BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Apple Vinaigrette: 
2 tablespoons butter
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, quarter, cored, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sweet onion, diced
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup apple cider (may not need all of this)

Croutons: 
9 cups 3/4" cubes Panettone
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Salad:
1 10 oz head of radicchio, halved cored, sliced
12 ounces center cut bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the vinaigrette: In a medium heavy skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add apples and diced onion and saute until brown, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Cover and cook until apples are completely cooked and soft. Place apples, onions and pan juices into a blender and let cool for a bit. Add honey, oil and vinegar and process until smooth. Add cider a little bit at a time until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper.

For the croutons: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place Panettone cubes into a large bowl. In a small skillet, melt butter then add garlic, sage and thyme. Saute for a minute or two, until fragrant. Pour butter mixture over the Panettone and toss to coast. Sprinkle cheese over all and season with salt and pepper. Spread cubes onto prepared baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, about 6-8 minutes, stirring halfway through bake time. Do not over brown these. You'll want them golden and crispy on the outside, but still soft on the inside. Cool on baking sheet.

For the salad: Place radicchio in a large bowl of ice water. Chill for at least an hour. Oven roast the Brussels sprouts at the same time you're toasting your croutons. Toss Brussels sprouts with the 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes or until lightly caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to use. You'll want these at room temperature. Combine croutons, bacon and Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Drain radicchio very well and then add to salad. Add vinaigrette to coat, tossing to blend well.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Maggie Lauer, The Other Side of Fifty, October 21, 2009

2770. ESPRESSO-MAPLE LACQUERED BACON

makes ½ pound of bacon and 1 cup of espresso-maple syrup


½ pound thick-cut, nitrate-free smoked bacon (about 6–8 slices)
3 shots espresso
½ cup pure maple syrup
6 whole cardamom pods

Stir together the espresso and the syrup. Add the cardamom pods and let steep together in the fridge overnight. Remove the cardamom pods.

Preheat oven to 350°. Lay the bacon out on a sheet pan. Bake, turning once until the bacon is mostly crisp but not too dry. Remove from the pan. Brush ½ teaspoon of the espresso-maple syrup on each slice of bacon and let cool a bit before devouring.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Toby’s Estate Coffee, 125 N. Sixth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249 | Edible Brooklyn: The Edible Blog, October 18, 2012

2769. DRIED PLUM and BACON STRATA

serves eight


no-stick cooking spray

1 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 cups French bread, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup (about 6 ounces) quartered dried plums
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
3 cups milk
8 large eggs
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
1 teaspoon salt

Lightly coat 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. In large nonstick skillet, add bacon; cook and stir 8 minutes over medium-high heat or until bacon is crisp. Drain. In large bowl, combine bread, dried plums, cheese and bacon. Arrange in baking dish; set aside. In medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, Italian herb seasoning and salt until well blended; pour over bread mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Heat oven to 350ºF. Bake, covered, 55 to 65 minutes or until top is golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean. Serve warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: California Dried Plums Board, 3840 Rosin Court, Sacramento, California 95834

2768. FIERY HOT BACON-SWISS DIP with MELBA ROUNDS

makes four servings


2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 of a 3 oz. package of real bacon pieces (fully cooked, or make your own)
green onion tops, chopped (about 1/2 of a bunch)
Ritz crackers, crushed (about 2/3 of an inner packet)
2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
Melba toast rounds

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, and 1/2 package of real bacon pieces. Stir ingredients completely. Now, add 1/2 bunch chopped green onion tops, and gently fold them in. Spread the mixture evenly into an oven-proof baking dish. Make your cracker crumb topping by mixing 2/3 inner packet of Ritz cracker crumbs with 2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine, until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the bacon-Swiss cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is beginning to bubble, and the topping is beginning to brown. Remove from the oven, and serve with Melba toast rounds.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Betty (member), for ifood.tv

2767. CROSTINI with WILD MUSHROOM, BACON and ROSEMARY

makes 10-15 crostini


1/4 pound bacon, diced into small pieces

1 shallot or small red onion, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 pound wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced or torn
1/4 cup of vermouth
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, minced

olive oil, for brushing on crostini
1 baguette, sliced 1/2” thick

Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the bacon, turn the heat down to medium and render the fat out of the bacon. After a few minutes, add the shallot and rosemary and stir. Cook for another few minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan, raise the heat and stir until a lot of the water has evaporated out of the mushrooms, about 5 minutes. Leave the mushrooms to brown and caramelize on the bottom of the pan and then deglaze the pan with the vermouth, scraping up any browned bits. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the Italian parsley and keep warm. Heat a broiler or grill. Lightly brush olive oil onto the sliced bread and cook under the broiler or grill until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Top each piece of crostini with some of the mushroom mixture, garnishing with rosemary flowers if you have them.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Becky Selengut, Cornucopia Cuisine, Seattle, Washington

2766. ORECCHIETTE with ARTICHOKES and BACON

serves six


¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta pot
1 pound orecchiette
6 medium artichokes
2 lemons
8 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
¼ teaspoon peperoncino flakes
⅓ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Once it is boiling, plop in the orecchiette and cook until al dente. Clean and prepare the artichokes as detailed on page 18. Then cut all of the artichokes into ½- inch-thick slices, and leave in the water while you start the sauce. Put the bacon, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the crushed garlic in a large straight- sided skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until most of the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Drain the artichokes, pat dry, and add to the skillet along with the juice of the remaining lemon. Season with the salt and peperoncino. Cover, and let the artichokes cook gently until they begin to soften and caramelize, about 10 minutes. Uncover, and add about 1 cup pasta water, then bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the artichokes are tender, about 10 minutes more. When the pasta is al dente, scoop it out of the water and add to the sauce. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and add the chopped parsley. Cook, tossing to coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from heat, sprinkle with the grated Pecorino Romano, and toss. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Knopf, 2011 | Lidia's Italy

2765. STAR ANISE BACON SOUP

serves 3-4


1-2 tablespoons butter
12 oz. bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 - 1 cup onions
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 bag cole slaw veggie mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5-6 dried star anise stars
2 cups or more other vegetables and/or mushrooms
salt or tamari to taste, if desired

To a large soup pot on high heat, add butter, bacon, onions, garlic powder, and ginger. Stir continuously until onions sizzle and turn translucent. Add cole slaw mix, black pepper, star anise stars, and continue to stir for about 2 more minutes. Add water and other vegetables, and cook an additional 10-15 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Pick out star anise stars, and serve hot.




bacon recipe courtesy of: Primal Kitchen: A Family Grokumentary, November 22, 2010

2764. BACON, ASPARAGUS and BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD

serves 4-6


8 oz. asparagus spears
1 bunch butter lettuce, torn in pieces
1 handful of arugula leaves
3 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
12 black pitted olives
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
8 slices bacon, fried medium crisp and crumbled (divided)
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed 1/4 inch

Dressing:
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
sea salt
black pepper

Steam asparagus for 4 minutes. Rinse in cold water. Cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Toss all the ingredients together and arrange on salad plates. Drizzle dressing over top. Top with a few reserved bacon crumbles.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nueske's, 203 N. Genesee Street, Wittenberg, Wisconsin 54499

2763. QUINOA, BACON, and BLUE CHEESE FRITTERS with HORSERADISH-YOGURT SAUCE

makes two dozen fritters 


1/3 cup red quinoa, or a mix of red and white, rinsed
2/3 cup water
1 cup quinoa flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 large egg
3/4 cup whole milk
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (3 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 to 1 cup canola oil, as needed for frying
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon bottled horseradish
1 tablespoon minced chives

In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Preheat the oven to 200°F. In a small bowl, stir together the quinoa flour, salt, and baking powder. In another small bowl, whisk the egg, then add the milk and whisk to combine. Pour the egg mixture into the quinoa flour mixture and whisk to combine. Fold in the bacon, quinoa, blue cheese, and parsley. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Pour enough oil into a large nonstick skillet to cover the bottom by about 1/4 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Test the oil's temperature by dropping in a tiny bit of batter; if it sizzles, it's hot enough. Spoon heaping teaspoons of batter into the skillet. Do not overcrowd. Fry until browned, about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining batter and additional oil, as needed. Keep cooked fritters warm in a 200°F oven. Stir together the yogurt, horseradish, and chives in a small bowl, and serve with the fritters for dipping. Fritters should be served hot, as soon as possible after frying.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Quinoa Cuisine: 150 Creative Recipes for Super Nutritious, Amazingly Delicious Dishes by Jessica Harlan and Kelley Sparwasser, 2012 | Epicurious.com  | October 2012

2762. COTTAGE CHEESE and BACON QUICHE

makes one quiche


1 (9 inch deep dish) pie shell
1 (16 ounce) container large curd cottage cheese
2 eggs
5 slices bacon
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Mexican style cheese, shredded
1/2 cup colby jack cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste

Drain the cottage cheese in a colander. Cook the bacon until crispy and set aside. Beat eggs, then add cottage cheese. Add salt, pepper and onions to egg mixture. Layer the pie in the following order: (1) 1/2 cup shredded cheese in bottom of shell, (2) 1 piece of the bacon, crumbled, (3) 1 cup cottage cheese mixture, (4) 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese, (5) 1 piece of bacon, crumbled, (6) 1 cup cottage cheese mixture, (7) 1/2 cup colby jack cheese, (8) 1 piece bacon, crumbled, (9) Remainder of the cottage cheese mixture, (10) 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, (11) 1 piece of bacon crumbled. You should have one slice of bacon left over for the top once the pie is cooked. Cook pie in preheated 350 degree oven 45 to 50 minutes. Let pie cool before slicing.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Judy, The Southern Lady Cooks, September 16, 2011

2761. BRAISED BACON, PEA SHOOT and WATERCRESS SALAD

yields six servings


6 4 oz. pieces molasses and soy braised bacon, warm (recipe below)
3 ounce pea shoot, washed and spun dry
1.5 ounces of watercress
6 ounces of buttermilk herb dressing (recipe below)
3 deviled yard eggs
6 pieces slow roasted tomato

Molasses and Soy Braised Bacon
1 pound slab of bacon, cut into 4 oz. pieces
1.5 ounces of ginger root, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 jar of molasses
1 cup of soy sauce
star anise
1 teaspoon of sriracha chili sauce

Score the fat presentation side of the bacon pieces. Brown the tops in a hot skillet. Remove from the pan and pour out most of the fat. Sauté garlic and ginger in the same pan. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil and then put the bacon back into the pan. Braise the bacon In a 225-250 degrees oven for 1.5 hours. This dish is easily burned so keep the oven very low and checked often. It’s okay to turn over the bacon during the cooking process. The bacon should be tender.

Buttermilk Herb Salad Dressing (yields four servings)
1/8 an ounce of chives
1 ounce of basil
1/8 of a bunch of flat leaf parsley
1/8 of a clove of garlic
1 teaspoon of dry mustard
1/16 of a cup of white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of honey
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon of salt

In a blender, combine herbs, garlic, mustard, vinegar, and honey. Puree. Mix together mayo, buttermilk, and salt. Add herb mixture, stir to fully combine.

Toss together the pea shoots, watercress and the dressing. Place the braised bacon on one end of the bowl, top with greens. With a squeeze bottle, squeeze a zig zag on the other side of the plate. Place egg and tomato on that side of the plate.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ralph's on the Park, 900 City Park Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119

2760. BACON and EGG SPINACH SALAD with POPPY SEED DRESSING

yields 10-12 servings 


Poppy Seed Dressing 
1/3 cup red wine vinegar 
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon 
3/4 teaspoon ground dried mustard 
2 teaspoons salt 
3 tablespoons yellow onion, finely minced 
2/3 cup sugar 
1 tablespoon poppy seeds 
1 cup canola oil

Bacon and Egg Salad 
12-15 oz baby spinach 
4-6 slices crisp bacon, crumbled 
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 
1 small or 1/2 large red onion, sliced very thin 
1 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms, about 5-6 medium 
1/2 cup dried cranberries 
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese, (4 ounces) 
1/2 cup candied walnuts

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake to combine. Or add to a food processor and while processing, slowly add the oil. In this case the onion could be coarsely chopped as it will become fine during processing. Place the spinach, bacon, eggs, red onion, mushrooms, cranberries, cheese and walnuts to a large bowl. Pour dressing over all and gently toss. May save some eggs and bacon to garnish top of salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Helen Horton, Saucy Cuisine, September 3, 2011

2759. CHERRY COKE BRAISED BACON

2-3 lbs slab of smoked bacon with skin
3 tablespoons cherry jam
1/4 cups dried cherries
1 vanilla bean split in half lengthwise
15 whole cloves
2 liter bottle of Coke
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced
1 small head of cabbage, cored and shredded

Put the bacon in a large bowl and cover with water. Put it in the fridge overnight to reduce the amount of salt. Put the rack in the lower position and preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Place the bacon into a heavy pot that it will fit snugly into (you may want to cut it into 2-3 smaller pieces). Add the jam, vanilla, cloves, and cherries and pour enough Coke over to cover the pork. Bring it to a boil over the stove, cover and put it in the oven until the meat is fork tender (about 3 1/2 to 4 hours). Remove the bacon from the braising liquid and place it skin-side up on a rack over a baking sheet and tent with foil. Skim off the fat from the braising liquid and strain half of it into a sauce pan. Boil this until it is a nice syrupy sauce. Put the cabbage and apples into the other half and simmer until both are tender about 30-40 minutes. When you’re ready to serve, move the rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Uncover the bacon and put it in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the the skin is nice and crispy. Serve immediately with reduced braising liquid drizzled on top along with some of the braised cabbage and apples.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Marc Matsumoto, No Recipes, March 23, 2008

2758. ROASTED HAMILTON POUSSIN wrapped with STREAKY BACON and stuffed with POTATOES and SAGE

serves four 


4 poussin chickens 
12 rashers dry-curled streaky bacon 
1 lb. potato, peeled 
handful fresh sage or handful fresh rosemary, or handful fresh thyme 
12 cloves garlic, peeled 
1 1/2 cups white wine
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper 
olive oil

Preheat your oven and an appropriately sized roasting tray to 425 to 450 degrees. Boil your potatoes in salted water until perfectly cooked (don't overcook). Drain and allow to cool. Remove any fat from inside the chicken cavity. Wash and pat dry with kitchen paper. Slice your potatoes thickly, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add your freshly torn herbs and enough olive oil just to coat. Toss over and then stuff your chickens with the potatoes. Place them into the tray with about 12 cloves of garlic and cook for 30 minutes. After this time, the chicken should be looking as handsome as its inventor and the skin should be crisp and golden. At this point, lay your streaky bacon snugly over the breast meat and add a 1/2 cup of wine to the pan to get some sticky marmitey juices happening. Cook for another 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven. Take them out of the tray and allow them to rest for 5 minutes while you make a quick bit of gravy. I normally remove as much fat as possible from the tray before placing on gentle heat. Splash the remaining 1 cup of white wine into it. Then boil up and scrape away all the goodness from the sides of the tray. Simmer this for a couple of minutes until tasty. It's not a thick, robust gravy, just a tasty gesture. Served with something nice and green like steamed spinach and the potatoes pulled out from the chickens.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jamie Oliver, Naked Chef, for Asian Food Channel, 3 Fusionopolis Way, 12-21 Symbiosis, Singapore 138633

2757. CORN PUDDING with BACON

makes 6 to 8 servings


2 packages (16 oz. each) frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups crushed buttery crackers, such as Ritz

In a 4-quart electric slow cooker, combine the corn, red onion, crumbled bacon, and sugar. Mix well. In a bowl, whisk together the cream, half-and-half, and eggs until thoroughly blended. Season with the black pepper and cayenne. Pour over the corn and stir to blend. Last, mix in 1 1/4 cups of the crushed crackers. Cover and cook on the high heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the pudding is set. Uncover and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup crushed crackers over the top. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Slow & Easy: Fast-Fix Recipes for your Electric Slow Cooker by Natalie Haughton, 2009, p. 294

2756. SPEKA PIRAGI (BACON TURNOVERS)

makes about 60

 

1 1/4 cups milk

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/4-oz. packages active dry yeast

5 cups flour

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 lb. double-smoked bacon, cut into 1/8″ cubes

1 small yellow onion, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 egg yolk

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Make the dough: Heat milk, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves; set aside. Whisk together remaining sugar, yeast, and 1/4 cup water heated to 115° in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Whisk in milk mixture, add flour, and mix on low speed until dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let sit until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Heat oil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat, and add bacon; cook, stirring, until fat renders, about 6 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is lightly caramelized but bacon is not crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Let cool completely.

Heat oven to 400°. Whisk together cream and egg yolk in a small bowl; set egg wash aside. Transfer dough to a floured work surface and cut in half. Working with one half at a time, roll dough until 1/4″ thick. Using a 2 1/2″ round cutter, cut out dough rounds. Place 1 heaping tsp. bacon filling in center of each round, and, using your fingers, moisten edges of round with egg white; fold over to enclose filling, and pinch edges together to seal. Transfer turnovers, seam side down, to parchment paper—lined baking sheets, spaced 3″ apart. Using a pastry brush, brush wash over each bun; bake until golden brown, 12–15 minutes.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Gabriella Gershenson, "Riga Revisited: A Latvian Homecoming," Saveur, May 2011

2755. ROASTED SWEET POTATO SPEARS with BACON VINAIGRETTE

serves eight


1/2 lb. bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
4 lbs. medium sweet potatoes (about 7)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts kept separate
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon water

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

Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel sweet potatoes and cut each lengthwise into 6 spears. Cut spears in half crosswise if desired, and arrange in one layer on a large baking sheet.

Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour bacon fat through a fine-mesh sieve onto potato spears and toss with two spatulas to coat. Sprinkle spears with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast, turning every 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender and edges are browned, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to a serving dish.

Return bacon to cleaned skillet add oil, and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Stir in white parts of scallions and remove from heat. Stir in vinegar, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Pour bacon mixture over potato spears and sprinkle with scallion greens.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet Today: More Than 1000 All-New Recipes from the Contemporary Kitchen, edited by Ruth Reichl; Boston/New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009, p. 635

2754. SHRIMP and BACON QUESADILLAS

serves two


4 bacon slices, chopped
8 oz. peeled and deveined medium shrimp (36 to 42 per lb.), halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
2 flour tortillas (10-inches wide)
1 cup shredded jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
sliced avocado
salsa
sour cream

Cook bacon in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Pour off grease, then add shrimp to pan and cook until pink, about 1 minute, stirring often. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Set a tortilla in pan and sprinkle half of it with half the bacon, shrimp, cheese, and onions. Fold tortilla over filling and press down gently. Cook, covered, until browned, turning once, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat to make second quesadilla.

Cut each quesadilla into 4 pieces. Serve with avocado, salsa, and sour cream.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kathryn Rex, Redmond, Oregon, "Fast & Fresh," Sunset: Living in the West, October 2011

2753. OXTAIL and BARLEY SOUP with BACON

serves 4-6


3 tablespoons olive oil
3 slice bacon, chopped
4 lbs. oxtails, cut into 3-inch segments
2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes, with juice
4 cups beef stock
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
1 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
croutons (recommended: garlic croutons)

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add bacon and saute until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside. Increase heat to medium-high and add half the oxtails, cut ends down, to the pot; let cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 8 minutes. Turn to brown the other end, then brown the sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a warm plate. Repeat with remaining oxtails. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, celery and onion to the pot; saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Return the oxtails and any accumulated juices to the pot and add garlic, tomatoes with juice, stock, wine, salt, marjoram, five-spice powder (if using) and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until meat is falling off the bones, about 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring water to a boil over medium heat. Add barley and a pinch of salt; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove oxtails from the pot with a slotted spoon and let cool slightly, then pick the meat from the bones. Discard bones. Skim the fat from the surface of the soup with a large spoon. Return meat to the pot and add reserved bacon; reheat, if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide barley among heated bowls and top with soup. Garnish with parsley and croutons.


bacon recipe courtesy of: 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, 2008, pp. 166-167

2752. SALTINE TOFFEE BACON BARK

1 pack of saltine crackers

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup cream

9-12 oz. dark chocolate (disks, chips or chunks)

1/2 cup (or more) toasted chopped pecans (or other nuts)

2-3 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Line the crackers facing up, side to side in a lined baking pan. In a saucepan, heat the brown sugar and cream to boiling and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, stirring.
 Carefully pour the brown sugar toffee over the crackers in your pan and bake in the oven on preheated 350F for about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate all over the toffee. Let rest for a few minutes, then using a spatula, spread the melted chocolate out evenly. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and bacon and allow to cool for 15 more minutes. Place in the refrigerator to help set the chocolate for about 20 minutes or more.

Break into pieces and serve, or you can hold in an airtight container or freezer for a couple days. 


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cathy Shambly, ShowFood Chef, February 26, 2011

2751. TILAPIA with BACON HORSERADISH SAUCE

makes four servings 


1 lb tilapia, catfish, red snapper or salmon fillets, 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 slices bacon, chopped

Half onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 

Arrange fish on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; brush with oil. Roast in 400°F oven until fish flakes easily when tested, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes; drain off fat. Add onion and garlic; cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and horseradish; cook over high heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in half of the chopped parsley. Arrange fish on plate; spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Canadian Living Test Kitchen, Canadian Living Magazine, August 2002

2750. APPLE PIE with CHEDDAR CRUST and BACON STREUSEL

Filling
6 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with lemon juice and set aside. Pour water into a Dutch oven over medium heat. Combine the sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Add to water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the apple slices, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the apples are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Bacon Streusel
10 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces

In a large skillet, cook the bacon pieces over medium-low heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper plate to drain. Pour off the bacon drippings, and wipe out the skillet with another paper towel. Return the bacon to the pan. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the brown sugar over the bacon and cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is melted and has coated the bacon pieces. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a baking sheet and chop it into bits. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, and the remaining 4 tablespoons of brown sugar. Add the butter pieces and mix together with a fork until crumbly. Stir in the bacon bits.

Cheddar Crust (makes two crusts)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup ice water

Process flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter; pulse until pea-size lumps appear. Pulse in cheese. With processor running, add ice water; process just until dough comes together. Turn dough out; gather into a block and split in two. Wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. Dough can be frozen up to 3 weeks. Roll out one dough round and transfer to a pie plate. Fill with apple goodness and top with bacon streusel. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 30-35 minutes, until the apples are quite tender and the topping is bubbling and crisp. If the topping is browning too quickly or too much, cover it with foil. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before cutting.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Suzanna Winter, Galley Kitchen, December 15, 2010

2749. SPINACH, ARUGULA, MIZUNA and BACON SALAD

1 bunch arugula, stems cut to base of leaf, washed
1 bunch mizuna, stems cut to base of leaf, washed
1 8 oz. bag of spinach; remove excess stems, wash thoroughly
 8 strips of bacon, fried until crispy (reserve fat for dressing)

The warm vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons warm bacon fat (reserved from frying bacon)
3 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon sugar

Salad: Combine arugula, mizuna and spinach in a salad bowl and coarsely crumble bacon on top. 

Vinaigrette: Whisk warm bacon fat into vinegar, add mustard and sugar; mix thoroughly. Dress salad and serve while dressing is still warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Anton Burkett, Early Morning Farm, 9658 State Route 90, Genoa, New York 13071

2748. SPRING LEEKS, FAVA BEANS and BACON

serves two 


3 or 4 young, slim leeks  
6 slices unsmoked bacon

1 thick slice butter
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
2 lb. fava beans in their pods
2 loosely packed tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 

 

Bring a deep pan of water to a boil. Wash and thickly slice the leeks. Remove the rind from the bacon slices and cut each slice into finger-thick strips. Warm the butter in a shallow pan and add the strips of bacon. Let the bacon color lightly in the hot butter until its fat is starting to turn pale gold, then add the sliced leeks and the garlic clove. Partially cover with a lid and let the leeks soften but not color.

 

While the bacon and leeks are cooking, shell the beans and add them to the boiling water. Salt the water and let the beans cook for four or five minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water until cool enough to skin. Leave the tiniest of beans unskinned, but it is probably better to skin anything larger than a thumbnail-just squeeze each bean between thumb and finger and pop it out of its skin.

When the leeks and bacon are soft and fragrant, stir in the tarragon, parsley, and the drained and skinned beans, then season. Stir gently, allow to heat through for a minute or two, then serve on warm plates.


bacon recipe courtesy of:  Tender: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch by Nigel Slater, Ten Speed Press, 2010, p. 296

2747. YELLOWTAIL TARTAR with BACON and TANGERINE DRESSING

yields four servings


Bacon and Tangerine Dressing:
3 tangerines, zested and juiced
1 pound sliced bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

Crostini:
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 baguette, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Yellowtail Tartar:
1 pound yellowtail tuna, 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, picked and chopped
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon chipotle puree
3 scallions, thinly sliced
3 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 shallot, brunoised
1/2 lemon, juiced
Olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bull's blood, for garnish
Chervil, for garnish

Special Equipment: 2 1/2-inch ring mold

Note: Bull's blood is a variety of heirloom beet, typically grown and used for its dark purple leaves.

For the bacon and tangerine dressing: Strain the tangerine juice through a mesh strainer into a small saute pan. Bring the juice to a simmer and reduce to a syrup consistency, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon in a little olive oil until crispy, about 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving the fat from the pan in a small bowl.
Whisk together the mustard, 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat, the tangerine zest and the tangerine reduction in a small bowl.

For the crostini: Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Toast the fennel seeds in a small saute pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes, and then grind in a spice grinder. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with a little olive oil and season generously with salt, black pepper and ground fennel seed. Grill until the bread is toasted, 3 minutes per side. Remove and reserve.

For the tartar: Combine the yellowtail, parsley, capers, vinegar, mustard, chipotle puree, scallions, thyme, shallots, lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil in a large bowl. Adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Plate with the ring mold.

Drizzle some of the dressing around the plate and garnish with reserved bacon pieces. Dress the bull's blood and chervil with some of the vinaigrette, season with salt and black pepper, and use to garnish the tartar. Serve with the crostini on the side.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bobby Flay, "Worst to First: The Final Battle," Worst Cookes in America, Food Network

2746. MASHED ROOT VEGETABLES with BACON VINAIGRETTE

makes 8 to 10 servings

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds

4-5 pounds mixed root vegetables (such as parsnips, kohlrabi, celery root, turnips, and rutabagas), peeled, cut into 1" cubes

1/2 pound thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, diced

1 large white onion, diced

1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Bring vinegar, mustard seeds, and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small pot; cook until seeds are plump, 20-25 minutes. Drain; set aside seeds and cooking liquid separately. 

Place a steamer basket inside a large pot. Add water to a depth of 1". Bring to a boil. Add root vegetables to steamer basket. Cover and cook, adding water by 1/2-cupfuls if needed to maintain level of water in pot, until vegetables are very tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, place bacon in a large skillet; set over medium-low heat and cook until bacon softens and fat begins to render, about 4 minutes. Add onion; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion and bacon are browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. 

Add reserved mustard seeds to bacon mixture and cook until seeds begin to pop, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and stir in brown sugar and reserved mustard seed cooking liquid. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. 

Drain vegetables and return to pot. Using a fork or potato masher, coarsely mash. Stir in vinaigrette; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 13x9x2" baking dish; cover with foil. DO AHEAD: Vegetable mash can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.

 

Rewarm vegetable mash, covered, in a 350°F oven until just warmed through, 45-55 minutes. Alternatively, place in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until warmed through (time will vary). 

Stir parsley into mash. Transfer to a bowl; serve warm or at room temperature.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Victoria Granof, Bon Appetit, November 2012

2745. BLT BASIL CROSTINI

makes 8-10


8-10 French baguette slices (about 1/2-inch/1-cm thick slices)
1/4 mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 Roma (plum) tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F. Preheat broiler with rack 4 inches from heat. Arrange baguette slices on a large baking sheet. Baked in preheated oven for 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, parsley and basil. Spread mayonnaise mixture equally over bread rounds. Top with crumbled bacon, tomatoes and shredded cheese. Broil crostini for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately and top with additional basil, if desired.

bacon recipe courtesy of/excerpted from: 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches by Alison Lewis © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca. All rights reserved: May not be reprinted without publisher permission.

2744. SPINACH, ARTICHOKE and BACON DIP with CRISPY PITAS

yields 4 cups of dip; yields 96 pita crisps


1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
10 bacon strips, fried until crisp and crumbled
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups sour cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Crispy Pitas, recipe follows

Heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium low heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot softens and the garlic begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Put the spinach in a colander and squeeze out all of the excess water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the artichoke hearts, crumbled bacon, cooked garlic and shallot, lemon zest, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix well with a rubber spatula, and transfer to a decorative bowl. Allow to sit for 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can blend. Serve with crispy pitas.

Crispy Pitas:
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
8 pitas, cut into 12 wedges each

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all of the herbs and spices in a small bowl. Put the pita wedges into a large mixing bowl and add the spice mix. Drizzle the oil over all and toss well to coat. Put the pitas onto a baking sheet, shake it to even them out and place the pan into the top half of the preheated oven until they are crispy and lightly brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool 10 minutes and mound around the dip bowl.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, "DVD Night," Party Line with the Hearty Boys, Food Network

2743. RAVIOLI with PEAS and CRISPY BACON

serves four


16-18 oz. cheese ravioli (fresh or frozen)
6 slices bacon
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 10-oz. package frozen peas
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 oz. ricotta salata, grated (1/4 cup)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool, then break into pieces. Return the skillet to medium heat, add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the peas and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pasta, the reserved cooking water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss. Sprinkle with the bacon and ricotta salata.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Real Simple's Dinner Tonight: Done!—189 Quick and Delicious Recipes, edited by Allie Lewis Clapp and Lygeia Grace, 2011, p. 274

2742. BACON PIEROGI BAKE

1 (16-ounce) package frozen potato and onion pierogies
cooking spray
2 center-cut bacon slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 ounces cream cheese
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup thinly diagonally sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped seeded plum tomato
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. Arrange the pierogies in an 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cook bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until crisp; remove from pan. Set aside and crumble once cooled. Pour out all but about ½ teaspoon of bacon drippings. Add garlic to pan, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add ⅓ cup cream cheese to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until cream cheese begins to melt, stirring frequently. Gradually add chicken broth to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over pierogies. Top evenly with ½ cup cheddar cheese. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon, green onions, tomato, and pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Julianna Grimes, Cooking Light, December 2010