3908. BACON-WRAPPED DRIED PLUMS with BLUE CHEESE and BALSAMIC-HONEY GLAZE

Makes 24 Pieces


Plums:
9 ounces of thinly-sliced bacon, cut in half 

2 ounces soft blue cheese

3 ounces cream cheese

½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Pinch of kosher salt

24 pitted dried plums (prunes)

Balsamic Glaze:
½ cup balsamic

1 ½ Tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Bacon: Lay the cut bacon on a cooling rack over a sheet pan. Transfer to the oven and partially cook the bacon (only 5 minutes).

Make Stuffing: Using a hand mixer or fork, mix the blue cheese and cream cheese together. Add the thyme and salt. Chill in freezer for 5 minutes.

Stuff Prunes: Using a pastry bag fitted with ¼-inch tip, stuff each prune with 1 teaspoon of the cheese mixture. Wrap with a piece of partially cooked bacon and fasten with a toothpick.

Broil: Place on a baking pan and broil on one side until the bacon starts to brown (about 2-3 minutes). Turn and finish cooking until the bacon is crisp (another 2-3 minutes). If left too long under the broiler, the cheese will melt and ooze out. Transfer to a platter, garnish platter with a few sprigs of thyme.

Balsamic Glaze: Combine balsamic and honey in a sauté pan and simmer/reduce for 2 minutes. Drizzle or brush over plated prunes.


bacon recipe source: Parties That Cook (@PartiesThatCook), 601 Minnesota Street, Suite 115, San Francisco, CA 94107