2487. NAVY BEAN SOUP with BACON

serves 12


1 pound dried navy beans, soaked overnight
1 ham bone
6 slices bacon, diced
12 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 pound potatoes, cooked and cubed
1/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Drain beans, place in pot and add 12 cups of stock, bay leaf, tamari and thyme, along with the ham bone. Bring to a boil and simmer 30 – 40 minutes, till beans are tender.

Mix potatoes with 1/2 cup milk and set aside.

Cook bacon, remove and set aside, then saute vegetables, garlic and parsley in three tablespoons of drippings. If there are not enough drippings, add a bit of oil or butter. After they’ve softened, add to beans, and simmer, one hour or so.

Remove about one cup of beans, mash and return to the pot, along with the mashed potato mixture.

Remove bone and any chunks of meat, shred and return meat to the pot.

Cook about 10 more minutes to thicken.

Garnish with the bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Frugal Hausfrau's Blog

2486. NETTLE and BACON RISOTTO

about 2.5 liters of young nettle tops loosely packed, washed
2.5 liters of home made vegetable or chicken stock
50 grams butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
50 grams home cured smoked bacon, finely chopped
20 grams dried tomatoes
400 grams risotto rice
125ml dry white wine
salt & pepper

To serve:
50 grams butter, cut into cubes and chilled
100 grams finely grated hard cheese such as parmesan or pecorino
a few nettle leaves for garnish, deep fried until crisp

Blanch the nettle tops in plenty of salted boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. This will help soften them and preserve their glorious green colour.

Drain and refresh the nettles in cold water. Squeeze out excess water and place in a blender and puree.

Melt the first 50 grams of butter in a sauté pan and gently fry the bacon until the fat renders and it's slightly coloured.

Add the onions and garlic and cook gently until softened but not coloured (about 5 minutes). If you need to, add a little more butter or olive oil.

Add the rice and stir around so that it gets coated with the flavoured butter and heats through.

Add the wine, stir and allow to evaporate completely.

Add the warm stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring the mixture constantly over a medium heat. When the liquid is nearly all incorporated, add the next ladleful.

Do this for about 10 minutes, then bring your heat up and add your nettle puree and tomatoes. Mix in well and turn the heat back to medium. The nettle will make things moister so you may not need to add any more liquid from here. Keep stirring for 5 minutes or so until the rice is soft outside and 'al dente' in the middle. You want the risotto moist (not dry but not soupy) at this stage.

Turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Allow to rest for up to 5 minutes.

Add your chilled butter cubes and hard cheese and beat it into the risotto. Check taste and season appropriately.

Serve garnished with the deep fried nettle leaves.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Carl Legge, Permaculture, The Sustainability Centre, Droxford Road, East Meon, Hampshire GU32 1HR, March 17, 2011

2485. BROWN BUTTER BACON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
4 oz semisweet chocolate bar, diced into 1/4″ pieces
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons milk chocolate, grated
1 cup bacon that’s been fried until crispy and diced into roughly 1/4″ pieces

Put your oven rack in the middle and heat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk 1 3/4 cups flour with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Set this aside.

Fry up a few pieces of bacon. You want the bacon to be as crisp as possible without being burnt. Cut the bacon into roughly (and this is very roughly) 1/4″ pieces.

Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until melted. Continue cooking until it turns a dark, golden brown and smells divine. Swirl this pan constantly and stir the bottom frequently for good measure. As soon as it’s done, take off the heat and pour immediately into a heatproof bowl. Stir in remaining 4 tablespoons of butter so that they melt.

Put the butter in a large mixing bowl and add 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoon vanilla.

Add egg and egg yolk and mix until mixture is fully incorporated.

Let sugar/egg/butter mixture stand for a few minutes. Whisk again for 30 seconds. Do this several times–you want to make sure that the sugar has “melted” into the liquid. When ready, mixture will be smooth, thick and shiny.

Chop chocolate. Grate your milk chocolate

Using wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in grated chocolate, chocolate chunks and bacon pieces. Don’t over mix but make sure no flour pockets remain.

Using a teaspoon, place a heaping teaspoon of cookie dough on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I get about 14 cookies per baking sheet.

Bake for 10-14 minutes, until cookies are golden-brown and set along the edges but the middle is still soft. Remove from oven and set baking sheet on a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes, keeping the cookies on the baking sheet.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kristina, Mouth from the South, August 3, 2009 | adapted from Cook's Illustrated, America's Test Kitchen

2484. CREAMY CORN SOUP with BACON, BUTTER POACHED LOBSTER and CHIVE OIL

serves six


8 ears corn
4 slices thick cut bacon
2 tablespoons ubsalted butter
1 medium onion, preferably sweet such as maui, vidalia or walla walla, diced
1 large shallot, diced
8 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs sage
6 cups chicken stock
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to tatse
1 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 butter poached lobster tails, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons chive oil

Cut all the kernels from the cobs. Discard all but 2 of the cobs. Cut the remaining cobs in half crosswise.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon slices in a single layer and cook until they have rendered their fat, but not yet browned. Add the butter, onions and shallots to the pot, increasing the temperature to medium-high. Sweat the onions and shallots with the bacon, stirring occasionally until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Using kitchen twine tie the thyme, parsley and sage sprigs together in a bundle adding them to the pot. Add the chicken stock, potatoes, and the corn cob pieces. Season generously with salt and white pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and cook the mixture until the potatoes soften, about 20 minutes.

Add the cream and the corn kernels, stirring to combine. Simmer about 5 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and discard the bacon, herb bundle and corncobs. Then, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until completely pureed. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Pass the soup through a fine meshed sieve into a sauce pan. It should be velvety, but not too thick. Adjust with a little water or more chicken stock if needed. Gently reheat the soup.

To serve: Divide the soup evenly between 6 soup bowls. Mound some of the butter poached lobster on top and drizzle each one with about 1 tablespoon chive oil. Serve warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Greg Henry, Sippity Sup, June 22, 2010

2483. PURSLANE SALAD with HOT BACON VINAIGRETTE and GARLIC CROUTONS

serves 4 to


5 strips applewood smoked bacon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup cubed ciabatta-style bread (1/2-inch cubes)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon plus a pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 medium shallots, finely minced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 pound purslane, tips and larger leaves only (5 to 6 cups loosely packed), cleaned

Position rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350º. Place the bacon in a cold sauté pan over medium heat. Slowly cook the bacon until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once. Remove the bacon with tongs or a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Take 1 teaspoon of the bacon fat and put it in a small bowl. Leave the remaining bacon fat in the pan to finish the salad. (There should be about 2 tablespoons.) Slice the bacon strips into 1/4-inch pieces. Set aside.

Whisk 1 tablespoon of the oil into the bacon fat in the bowl. Add the bread cubes, tossing to coat evenly with the oil and bacon fat. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pinch of pepper. Spread the bread in a single layer on another baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the bacon fat in the sauté pan and place over medium heat. When the fat mixture is hot but not smoking, add the shallots and garlic and cook until tender and softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in the vinegar, mustard, sugar, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. When the mixture is hot and bubbling, add the purslane. Stir quickly to coat the greens evenly with the dressing and just warm them. This should take no more than 30 seconds, or the purslane will start to lose its fresh, tender crunch. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with some of the bacon and croutons. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Wild Table: Seasonal Foraged Food and Recipes by Connie Green and Sarah Scott, 2010 | CUESA: Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture, One Ferry Building, Suite 50, San Francisco, California 94111

2482. GEMELLI with BROCCOLI RABE, BACON and CHICKPEAS

yields four servings


1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and coarsely chopped
8 ounces uncooked gemelli pasta
6 slices center-cut bacon
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add broccoli rabe to pan; cook 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain well. Coarsely chop. Return water to a boil. Add pasta to pan; cook according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl; reserve 3/4 cup pasta water. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add garlic and chickpeas to drippings in pan; sauté 2 minutes or until garlic is golden. Stir in broccoli rabe, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; cook 3 minutes or until broccoli rabe is heated. Stir in pasta, 3/4 cup pasta water, and bacon; toss well.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Marge Perry, Cooking Light, September 2010

2481. SALAD of MACKEREL, BACON and POTATOES

serves 4 as a light main course


For the salad:
1 small and sweet onion
3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
500 grams small salad potatoes
mixed leaves frisée, watercress, rocket

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons groundnut oil
1 heaped teaspoon capers
4 bushy sprigs dill

For the fish:
6 thin rashers smoked streaky bacon
4 fresh fillets mackerel
plain flour a little for coating
groundnut oil a little

Peel and finely slice the onion into rings. Put them into a small bowl with the white-wine vinegar and set aside for 30 minutes or more, tossing occasionally. This removes any harshness and will slightly soften the onion's flesh.

Boil the potatoes in deep, generously salted water for 15 minutes until they are tender. Drain, and when they are ready, slice each thickly and add them to the dressing below.

While the potatoes are boiling make the dressing by putting a generous pinch of salt in a bowl, adding the cider vinegar and stirring to dissolve. Mix in the mustard, oil and then add the capers, rinsed briefly. Chop the dill leaves and stalks finely then add to the dressing and set aside. Add the drained and sliced potatoes as soon as they're ready.

Drain the onion rings, discard the vinegar, add the onions to the potatoes and stir gently. Set aside.

Warm a little oil in a nonstick frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the bacon rashers and fry until crisp, rest them briefly on a piece of kitchen paper, then snip into pieces the size of a postage stamp. Turn the heat off under the pan, but leave any bacon fat in the pan for cooking the fish.

Put a thin layer of flour on a plate and season with salt and finely ground black pepper. Lay the fillets in the flour, pat firmly then turn and coat the other side.

Warm the bacon fat, lower the fillets into the pan skin side down and leave to brown lightly. When the skin is just starting to crisp, slide a palette knife under the fish and turn it over. Lightly brown the other side, remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Gently break or cut each fish fillet into four or five rough pieces.

Divide the salad leaves between four plates or shallow dishes. Pile the potatoes and onion rings on top leaving any dressing behind in the bowl. Add the pieces of warm fish and scatter over the bacon. Spoon over any remaining dressing from the potato bowl and serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nigel Slater, The Observer, March 19, 2011

2480. GARLIC-RUBBED GRILLED CHEESE with BACON and TOMATOES

makes 4 sandwiches


8 slices bacon
3 oz (about 1 1/4 cups) grated Gruyère
3 oz (about 1 cup) grated fontina
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
8 1/2-inch-thick slices Italian bread
2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 to 2 large cloves garlic, halved and peeled for rubbing

Cook the bacon in a heavy-bottomed skillet until browned and crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off the grease from the pan and wipe clean.

Combine the cheeses and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Lay 4 slices of the bread on your work surface, and distribute half of the cheese evenly among the bread. Top the cheese with 2 slices of bacon and then 2 or 3 slices of tomatoes (enough to cover the cheese and bacon). Evenly distribute the remaining cheese among the 4 sandwiches. Lightly butter one side of the remaining four slices of bread, and put them on top of the sandwiches, butter side up.

Heat your heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwiches butter side down in the pan and cook on the first side until the bread is golden brown and toasted. Meanwhile, butter the top slice of bread on each sandwich. Flip the sandwiches using a spatula and continue to cook on the other side until the bread is golden brown. You can use the spatula to compress the sandwich as it cooks on the second side. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and immediately rub both sides with the cut side of a garlic clove. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tracey's Culinary Adventures, August 19, 2011

2479. WILTED SPINACH SALAD with TUNA and BACON

6 slices of bacon, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1 bunch fresh spinach (or 1 pound baby spinach), coarse stems discarded, leaves roughly torn and washed well
2 cans of olive oil-packed tuna fish

In a large skillet cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer it to a paper towel to drain. Pour off all but 2-3 tablespoons of the fat. Place skillet back on the burner and cook the shallot for about 1 minute. Whisk in the vinegar and mustard. Salt and pepper to taste. Put spinach in a large bowl and toss with the warm dressing, bacon, and tuna until the spinach is just wilted.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Crankin' Kitchen, May 15, 2011

2478. FRIED UDON with BACON, BROCCOLI and MUSHROOMS

serves two


200 grams udon noodle
2 rashers of bacon
1/2 onion, small
4 florets broccoli
100 grams oyster mushroom
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
bonito flake (optional)

Boil a pan of water and cook udon noodle. Drain, and set aside. Slice onion and garlic. Cut broccoli into small pieces. Cut the stem from the mushroom and separate. Trim bacon, and chop up. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Fry bacon for 2 minutes. Add onion, garlic and mushroom. Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add broccoli, then water to the pan. Turn up the heat to high. Loosen up the udon noodle under running water, drain, and add to the pan. Add soy sauce and oyster sauce. Stir-fry until combined. Mix through the bonito flake, or garnish on top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ume, umeboss, Perth, Australia, September 6, 2010

2477. OMELET of NIGHTCRAWLERS, AMARANTH, ROASTED SHIITAKES and BACON

2 tablespoons canola oil
8 ounces shiitake
2 tablespoons garlic
2 tablespoons shallots
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 tablespoon amaranth
salt and pepper, to taste
4 eggs
1 cup nightcrawler worms – blanched
3 shallots, sliced
1/2 cup Sherry vinegar

Heat pan. Add oil. When hot, add shitake mushrooms, garlic, rosemary and shallots. Roast for 4 minutes than add amaranth and cook for 2 minutes. Blanch the worms and cut. Beat egg with salt and pepper. Add worms and cooked mushrooms. Heat omelet pan and finish in the oven. Heat the sliced shallots and vinegar, cook for 2 minutes. Serve omelet with pickled shallots on top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Floyd Cardoz, Top Chef Masters, Season 3, Episode 3, Quickfire Challenge, Bravo TV

2476. WARM BACON TARRAGON POTATO SALAD

yields four servings


2 pounds medium red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 tablespoon table salt
8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard, German-style preferred
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped

Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water to 1-inch above the potatoes. Season the water with the table salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until a knife gently plunges through the potatoes, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking water, drain the potatoes and put back into the pot (off the heat) to keep warm.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, stirring occasionally. Reserve the bacon and drain all but 1/4 cup bacon fat. Add the onions and saute until slightly golden. Add the vinegar and, with a wooden spoon, scrape up any bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add in the reserved cooking water and reduce until it thickens, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard and season with salt and pepper. Add in the potatoes, bacon and tarragon and toss to combine. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Jeff Mauro (winner of Season 7 of Food Network Star), for Good Morning America

2475. SWEET CHIPOTLE CHILI CON CARNE with BACON

serves six


3 dried red chiles
1 cup pitted prunes
boiling water
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
2 pounds ground beef
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28 ounce) can crushed roasted tomatoes

Place red chiles and prunes in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 15 minutes, then reserve 1/3 cup of liquid and drain. Reserve.

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat for about 7 minutes, then remove from pan and add onion, garlic, and paprika to skillet. Cook for another 8 minutes. Then add ground beef to skillet with onions and cook for another 5 minutes, until browned.

In a blender or food processor, process the soaked chiles and prunes. Add chipotle peppers, tomato paste and the 1/3 cup liquid from soaking the chiles, and pulse to combine. Add the mixture to the beef and onions.

Add remaining ingredients, along with the reserved bacon, and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for at least 20 minutes, then serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: "ChefLuigi" of North Carolina, for Man Tested Recipes, Reader's Digest Association Limited, 413 Pine Street, Suite 500, Seattle, Washington 98101, May 11, 2011

2474. WARM STRAWBERRY BACON ORZO and SPINACH SALAD

serves two


1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo
2 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup whole pecans
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups raw spinach
4 large strawberries, sliced
1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
fresh basil for garnish
salt and pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add bacon. Fry until golden brown and crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Add pecans and toast for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally so they do not burn. Remove and drain on a paper towel. In the meantime, boil water for orzo and cook according to directions.

Add sliced red onion to the skillet with a sprinkle of salt and stir to coat with bacon grease. Saute until onions are soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add in garlic and spinach and cook until spinach wilts. Add in strawberries and orzo and mix to coat. Season with salt and pepper, then add in pecans and bacon. Remove from heat and stir in crumbled goat cheese. Top with fresh basil to garnish if you’d like. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jessica, How Sweet It Is, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 31, 2011

2473. BACON, ONION, HOT PEPPER CHEESE and FRESH TARRAGON OMELET

yields two servings


4 eggs
1/2 cup bacon, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter
12 fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped
2 ounces hot pepper cheese, sliced or crumbled
sea salt and black pepper to taste, fresh ground
dash of garlic powder

Cook bacon in a non-stick skillet. Add half the onions when the bacon is about 3/4 done. Continue cooking until onions are translucent. Drain by putting bacon and onions on paper towels in a plate. In a bowl, beat eggs, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and tarragon together. Wipe the non-stick skillet clean of the bacon drippings. Add the tablespoon of butter to the skillet and melt. Return the cooked bacon and onions to the skillet set at medium-low heat. Add the rest of the chopped onion to the skillet and cook for a minute or two. Add the egg mixture to the skillet. Cook the eggs until they are almost set. Add the hot pepper cheese to half the omelet and fold over. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted and omelet is golden brown. Serve with toasted homemade bread and lots of apple butter.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Yankee Magazine, Yankee Publishing Inc., PO Box 520, Dublin, New Hampshire 03444

2472. OX CHEEKS with SNAILS, BACON and MUSHROOMS

serves six


For the ox cheeks
3 pairs of ox cheeks
1 medium onion
1 carrot
1 stick celery
1 head garlic
5 sprigs of thyme
1 pint red wine
1/4 pint port
5 pints beef or veal stock
flour

For the bacon and mushrooms
2 shallots
5oz (150g) button mushrooms
5oz (150g) baby onions
5oz (150g) snails
3 rashers of streaky bacon
handful of parsley, chopped
1oz (25g) butter

For the mashed potato
12.5oz (375g) peeled potatoes
12.5fl oz (375ml) water
1 teaspoon salt
2oz (50g) cream
2oz (50g) butter

Trim all skin and sinew off the ox cheeks

Roughly chop one onion, one carrot, half a head of garlic and one stick of celery. Place this in a heavy roasting pan along with the cheeks, thyme, red wine and port, making sure the beef is covered. Leave this to marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours, but the longer you can marinate, the better it will taste.

Remove the ox cheeks from the wine and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly coat in flour and seal in a hot frying pan with a little oil until dark and golden in colour.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Botanist, No.7 Sloane Square, London, SW1W 8EE England

2471. APPLE and CELERY ROOT SOUP with BACON and CHIVE OIL

serves 6-8 as a soup course


1/2 stick butter
4 cups celery root, peeled and diced (about 1 1/4 lb celery root)
3 cups (2 medium) empire apples, peeled, cored and cubed
1 large onion, diced
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup chives, chopped
1/3 cup safflower oil
Kosher salt to taste
Pepper to taste
3 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and finely crumbled

Melt butter in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery root and apples. Stir to combine. Cook until onions are soft and begin to become translucent. Do not brown. Add chicken broth and a pinch of kosher salt. Simmer covered for 45 minutes, or until celery root is soft, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

In small batches, puree soup in blender being careful to vent the top and allow steam to escape. Pulse the hot soup several times, increase to blend and then to liquify. Return soup to pot and add salt and pepper to taste.

Puree chives and oil in blender until smooth.

To serve: Pour soup into bowl. Drizzle or dot chive oil on top of soup (I use a cheap condiment container from the Dollar Store to place the chive oil on the soup). Add a small mound of bacon crumbles to the top and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ramona Padovano, for D.C. Foodies, November 12, 2007

2470. BRUSSEL SPROUTS with BACON, ASIAN FISH SAUCE and TOGARASHI

1 lb Brussel sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
2 slices bacon, julienned
1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon togarashi
1/8 cup sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup water

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add julienned bacon. Cook until bacon pieces are crisp and remove them onto a paper towel.

Add the ginger and garlic to the skillet, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any cooked on bacon bits. Cook until garlic and ginger are browned but not burnt.

Add Brussel sprouts to the skillet, sprinkle with togarashi, tossing well to coat the sprouts evenly. Cook until they begin to brown, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mix fish sauce, sugar and water together and pour over Brussel sprouts. Return bacon bits to the skillet. Cook until sauce reduces by half, about another 6 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jill & Margo, Saucy Cooks, December 28, 2011

2469. BACON RELLENO con POLLO

chicken breast
2 slices of bacon
1 packet Sazon Goya con culantro y achiote
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil
assorted veggies

Place your chicken breast in a sandwich ziplock bag. Add the water. Add the Sazon packet to the water and the chicken. Swirl around till you get a rich red. Add the olive oil to a pan, where you carefully place the chicken. Cook about 5 minutes. Place bacon in the pan. Cook till it isn't floppy anymore. Strategically wrap the bacon around the chicken. Add cooked veggies.


bacon recipe courtesy of: mad tasty, February 18, 2010

2468. CLAM, CHARD and BACON PIZZA

makes 4 to 6 servings


All-purpose flour (for dusting)
1 1-pound store-bought pizza dough
1 10-ounce can whole baby clams
2 slices thick-cut bacon (2 ounces), cut into 1"-wide pieces
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 1-pound bunch Swiss chard, center stalks removed, leaves torn
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 500°F. Fill a large bowl with boiling water. Place a baking sheet over; dust with flour. Place dough on baking sheet; cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes to soften. Flip dough; cover and let sit 10 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, drain clams, reserving liquid. Cook bacon in a 12" cast-iron skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4–5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Add garlic and shallot to drippings in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in chard and 1/2 cup reserved clam liquid and cook, stirring, until chard is just wilted, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in butter, vinegar, and as many clams as you'd like. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.

Wipe out skillet and heat over medium-high heat until very hot. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12" round. Sprinkle skillet with cornmeal and transfer dough to skillet. Brush top of dough with oil. Cook, shaking pan occasionally and turning pan to avoid hot spots, until bottom of dough is golden and crispy, 6–8 minutes.

Spread chard mixture over dough. Bake until crust is golden and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Scatter bacon and cheese over; cook just until cheese is melted, 2–3 minutes longer.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen, Bon Appétit, February 2012

2467. ROASTED SWORDFISH with HERBS, SMOKED BACON and RED WINE BUTTER

serves 4-6


3 pounds evenly cut swordfish
1/2 pound smoked slab bacon, cut into matchstick-size pieces
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped, mixed fresh herbs (thyme, basil, chervil, tarragon)
peanut oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper
5 garlic cloves, finely minced

Sauce
4 shallots, peeled and chopped tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
bay leaf
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound butter, cut into small pieces and kept cold

Have the fishmonger cut an even-sized section of boneless, skinless swordfish. Naturally, it must be spanking fresh. Divide it in half.

Cook the smoked bacon in its own fat until medium-rare. Remove the bacon from the fat. (The fat may be reserved for another use.)

With a larding needle or knife, insert the bacon pieces into the swordfish, spacing evenly over the two sections of fish. (This is the same procedure often used with game meats, such as venison.) Now, rub olive oil over the swordfish and rub about 1/3 of the herbs on the fish.

Bring a large, heavy skillet to a moderately hot temperature, add the peanut oil to the pan, and sear the fish well on all sides. Remove the fish from the heat and allow it to rest.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the fish with a little sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Then top the entire length of the fish with the remaining herbs and the minced fresh garlic. Put the fish in a small roasting pan and place it in the oven. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes.

While the fish is roasting, make the sauce: In a medium-sized saucepan, gently stew the chopped shallots in the olive oil. Add the red wine vinegar, black pepper, and bay leaf and reduce to 3 tablespoons. Add the red wine and reduce to 1/4 cup. Add the heavy cream and reduce the entire mixture till it thickens.

Beat in the butter, bit by bit, until it is all incorporated, and then strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer and keep warm.

Remove swordfish from the oven and allow to rest in a warm place for 5 to 10 minutes.

Slice the swordfish into portions. If the fish is too rare in the center for your taste, just lay it out in the pan and warm it in the oven for a few more minutes.

Ladle a few ounces of the warm butter sauce onto each plate and top with the fish. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Feast of Sunlight by Norman Van Aken. Harvard Common Press, 1997

2466. BACON SOUR

1¼ parts bourbon
1 part St-Germain liqueur infused with applewood-smoked bacon (recipe below)
1 part freshly squeezed and strained lemon juice
1/2 part diluted maple syrup (1:1 ratio syrup to water)
1 dash bitters
1/4 part pasteurized egg white

Bacon Infused St-Germain
9 thick slices of spplewood-smoked bacon
2 750 ml bottle of St-Germain® liqueur

Cook bacon in the oven until it is crispy on the outsides but still chewy in the center. Place bacon on paper towel to remove some of the rendering. Place cooked bacon in a glass jar with two 750 ml bottles of St-Germain and allow it to infuse for 24 hours at room temperature. Remove bacon. Place liqueur in the freezer so renderings congeal and you can remove them. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and cheese cloth to remove as much rendering as possible. Repeat freezer step if needed and strain again. Refrigerate until ready for use. Combine bourbon, bacon-infused St-Germain, lemon juice, diluted maple syrup, bitters and egg white into a mixing glass and shake vigorously with ice. Strain over fresh ice into a double-old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange slice and a piece of the St-Germain.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Patricia Richards, Las Vegas, Nevada, for Couturelite, New York, New York, June 2011

2465. BROCCOLI, BACON and CASHEW SALAD

1 broccoli, cut into florets and stalk diced
3 rashers of bacon, fat removed, diced
½ cup toasted cashews
1 tablespoon oil

Boil broccoli in water on high heat for 5‐7 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Remove water and place broccoli in a large serving bowl. Cook bacon in a frying pan for 4‐5 minutes or until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and place into serving bowl along with broccoli and cashews. Combine well. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jason Ferruggia, Paleo Recipes, Renegade Strength & Conditioning

2464. CHICKEN MUSHROOM and BACON PIE

yields two servings


3 rashers streaky bacon, cut or scissored into 1-inch strips
1 teaspoon garlic infused oil
2 cups chestnut mushrooms, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
8 ounces chicken thigh fillets cut into 1-inch pieces
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/4 cups hot chicken stock
1 tablespoon Marsala
1 (13-ounce) 9 by 16-inch sheet all-butter ready-rolled puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fry the bacon strips in the oil until beginning to crisp, then add the sliced mushrooms and soften them in the pan with the bacon.

Turn the chicken strips in the flour and thyme (you could toss them about in a freezer bag), and then melt the butter in the pan before adding the floury chicken and all the flour left in the bag. Stir around with the bacon and mushrooms until the chicken begins to color.

Pour in the hot stock and Marsala, stirring to form a sauce and let this bubble away for about 5 minutes.

Make a pastry rim for each of your pots for the pies, by this I mean an approximately 1/2-inch strip curled around the top of the pots. Dampen the edges to make them stick.

Cut a circle bigger than the top of each pie-pot for the lid, and then divide the chicken filling between the two.

Dampen the edges again and then pop on the top of each pie sealing the edges with your fingers or the underneath of the prongs of a fork.

Cook the pies for about 20 minutes turning them around half way through cooking. Once cooked, they should puff up magnificently.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nigella Lawson, "Instant Calmer," Nigella Express, Food Network | Nigella Express: 130 Recipes for Good Food, Fast, 2007

2463. STAMPPOT with BEETS and BACON

serves 5-6 as a one-dish meal


4 beets
8 medium potatoes
1 onion, chopped
¼ cup vinegar (optional)
1 tablespoon corn starch
8 slices bacon, chopped

Boil potatoes in a large pot, with their skins on. When they are soft, after approximately 30 minutes, turn off the heat, drain and set aside.

At the same time, boil the beets (skins on) in another pot until they’re soft, approximately 1.5 hours. Reserve about a cup of the beet water.

When cooled, peel the beets and the potatoes. Cube the potatoes and place them back in the large pot. Slice the beets. Heat the reserved beet water, and add the slices to it. Mix the cornstarch into a bit of water or vinegar, and add it to the beet mix.

Meanwhile, sauté onions until golden brown. In a separate saucepan, fry the bacon on medium-low until crispy, and reserve the bacon grease. Pour the beet slurry over cubed potatoes, and mash. Add the sautéed onions, stirring over a bit of heat until heated through.

Serve in individual bowls, sprinkle with reserved bacon and drizzle with bacon grease.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Shortlists, September 13, 2010

2462. WILD MUSHROOM SAUTE with BACON, HERBS and COUSCOUS

makes four servings


1 cup brown rice couscous, cooked according package directions
4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces
10 ounces wild mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed into bite-size pieces
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
a bunch of fresh herbs (rosemary and thyme)

OPTIONAL GARNISH
shaved Parmesan or Romano Cheese
crumbles of feta
a dash of smoked paprika

In a medium sauté pan heat butter and olive oil over medium high heat, lightly brown garlic in pan. Add mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Mix in some herbs and chopped bacon. Plate with couscous, fresh herbs and cheese if desired.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Marla, Family Fresh Cooking, August 17, 2011

2461. BACON-INFUSED CAROLINA FISH MUDDLE

makes six servings


1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound wild American shrimp, peeled, deveined, shells reserved
8 sprigs thyme
4 bay leaves
2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes with juices
1 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/2" cubes, or thick-cut bacon, sliced into 1/2" strips
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
1 leek (white and pale-green parts only), finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeño (with seeds), finely chopped
1 pound new potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2" cubes
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Hot pepper sauce (such as Cholula or Tabasco; optional)
1 pound black or striped bass fillet, cut into 1"–2" pieces
1 pound black or red grouper fillet, cut into 1"–2" pieces
6 slices baguette, toasted
6 cups cooked stone-ground grits or rice
Chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring constantly, until pink. Add 3 cups water and bring to a simmer. Cook gently until liquid is reduced to 2 cups. Strain stock, discarding shells. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill stock and shrimp separately.

Tie thyme sprigs and bay leaves into a bundle with kitchen twine; set aside. Pulse tomatoes with juices in a food processor until chunky purée forms; set aside. Heat bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until some of fat is rendered and bacon is just beginning to crisp, 10–15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings for croutons.

Add celery, carrots, onions, and leek to pot. Increase heat to medium and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, and herb bundle; cook for 2 minutes. Add reserved tomato purée; cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes. Add shrimp stock (or, if omitting the first step, add 2 cups fish stock or clam juice) and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes and cooked bacon and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Season stew with salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Add fish and shrimp; bring to a gentle simmer. Cover; cook until fish and shrimp are just opaque in center, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush bacon fat onto toast to make croutons. Ladle muddle into bowls over grits or rice, sprinkle with parsley, and garnish each bowl with a crouton.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, 2011 11th Avenue South, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 | Bon Appétit, February 2012

2460. TACO SOUP with BACON and CACTUS

½ lb. ground (hamburger) beef
2 slices bacon
½ onion, chopped
¼ cup jalapeno, sliced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup cactus, chopped, with serrano peppers
1 can whole tomatoes
1 can pinto beans with jalapenos
1 handful baby carrots, quartered
4 potatoes, chopped
1 can corn
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
lime juice (to taste)
Tabasco sauce (to taste)

Cook hamburger with onion, garlic, jalapenos, and cactus. Drain. Cook bacon in sauce pan, add to hamburger mixture. Not, too crispy, it should still be fatty-white. In large stockpan, combine all ingredients and cook for 1 hour, or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Stir occasionally. Add Tabasco and lime juice to taste.


bacon recipe courtesy of: "buffy871" of Longview, Texas, for Frugal Village

2459. BACON EGG and MUENSTER SANDWICH

serves four


10 slices thick bacon
4 slices muenster cheese
4–8 eggs (depending on length of bread)
8 slices rustic bread
3 tablespoons butter, softened

Cook bacon over medium low heat until golden brown. Put on paper towels to drain. Butter 2 slices of bread. Cook 1–2 eggs and place on bread. Add bacon slices and muenster.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bryan Bowers, A Foodie Blog, January 15, 2012