3575. BACON-WRAPPED STUFFED ANAHEIM PEPPERS

8 Anaheim chile peppers
1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese
4 ounces (weight) grated sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced sweet red pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chile powder
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

16 slices bacon

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Line a half sheet baking pan (approximately 13- x 18- x 1-inch) with aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack (such as is used for cookies, etc.) in the bottom of the of the pan. Set aside.

Wash Anaheim peppers. With a sharp knife, slice the peppers open on one side only--do not slice completely through the peppers. Carefully scrape out seeds. Set peppers aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cream cheese, grated sharp cheddar cheese, onion, red pepper, jalapeno, garlic, salt, black pepper, chile powder, and hot sauce.

Fill the hollowed out Anaheim peppers with the filling.

Using two pieces of bacon per pepper, wrap the bacon slices around each pepper. Scrunch the bacon close together as you wrap. Remember that it will shrink as it cooks. Secure with toothpicks.

Place peppers on the rack in the baking pan, leaving space between each pepper. Do not over-crowd the pan. If there is a concern about splatters while baking, lay a piece of aluminum foil lightly over the peppers. Do not fold it around the edges because steam from cooking needs a way to escape. 

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven. If a foil covering has been used, remove the foil at this time. Set oven to broil. Move oven rack 5-7 inches from broiler. Broil peppers 1-3 minutes until bacon is brown and crispy.

Remove toothpicks before serving. Be careful when removing the toothpicks because the peppers will be hot.

bacon recipe source: Terri, That's Some Good Cookin', June 14, 2013

3574. CHICKPEA SALAD with BACON, COTIJA and ROASTED CHILES

serves four


1/2 pound dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soaked overnight in cold salted water at room temperature
1 bay leaf

1 carrot, cut into 3-inch segments 

1 onion, split in half 

1 stalk celery, cut into 3-inch segments, divided 

Kosher salt 

2 poblano or Anaheim chilies 

4 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

1 shallot, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons) 

1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon) 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 tablespoons juice from 2 limes, plus 1 extra lime cut into wedges 

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese 

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and light green parts only 

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves 

 

Drain chickpeas and place in a large pot with bay leaf, carrot, onion, and celery. Cover with cold water by 2 inches, season with salt, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the chickpeas are tender but still hold their shape, about 1 hour. Discard bay leaf, carrot, onion, and celery. Drain and rinse under cold running water until chilled. Let drain in a colander set in the sink.

 

Meanwhile, adjust rack to 4 to 5 inches below broiler and preheat broiler to high. Place chilies on a foil-lined broiler pan and broil, turning occasionally, until completely blackened on all surfaces, about 15 minutes total. Crimp foil to seal around the chilies and set aside for 10 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until completely crisp. Remove from heat and stir in shallots and garlic. Immediately transfer to a large bowl. Add olive oil and 2 tablespoons lime juice and whisk to combine.

 

When chilies are cool enough to handle, peel using your fingers. Discard skin, stems, and seeds and slice flesh into thin strips.

 

When beans are cooked and drained, add to bacon mixture. Add chili strips, cotija, scallions, and cilantro and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with lime wedges, or for better results, store overnight in a covered container in the refrigerator. Salad will keep for up to three days.

 

 

bacon recipe source: J. Kenji López-Alt, Managing Culinary Director, Serious Eats (@seriouseats), October 20, 2014

3473. TEQUILA-SPIKED BACON TUNA BURGERS with FOUR CHILES

2 tablespoons ground California (dried Anaheim) chilies

1 tablespoon ground dried guajillo chilies
1 tablespoon ground pasilla (dried chilaca) chilies or ground ancho (dried poblano) chilies
2 teaspoons kosher salt, in all
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds sashimi-grade yellow fin tuna steaks or medallions
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, in all, plus six sprigs for garnish
4 cloves garlic, minced, in all
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good quality tequila, in all
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, in all
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, in all
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 ripe California avocado
12 slices center-cut bacon
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded Queso Chihuahua or Monterrey Jack cheese
2 roma tomatoes (preferably vine-ripened), seeded and chopped
1 4.5 oz. can chopped mild green chilies
Canola oil
6 kaiser rolls

Combine well in a small bowl the ground chilies, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper.

Cut the tuna into rough cubes equal to its thickness. Pulse tuna in a food processor until it has the look of ground beef. Depending upon the size of the food processor, this may require two batches. Transfer tuna to a large bowl and combine with 1/2 of the ground chile mix, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, 2 cloves of the minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of the tequila, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, 1 tablespoon of the toasted sesame oil, and the minced shallot. Form 6 patties, approximately 1 inch thick. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Halve and pit the avocado. Carefully scoop the halves out of the rind with a large spoon. Slice each half lengthwise into (at least) 9 thin slices. Place slices in a shallow bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Gently toss the slices to coat, cover, and set aside.

Preheat the remaining 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet on a side burner or directly on the grill racks over medium heat. Spread the remaining 1/2 of the ground chile mix on a plate and press the bacon slices into it, coating both sides. Fry the bacon in the skillet until crisp, turning at least once. Do not char. Transfer bacon to a paper towel to drain. Remove skillet from heat. Carefully tilt skillet and soak up any pooled bacon grease with a handful of paper towels, leaving a thin coating of bacon grease (about 1 tablespoon) and all browned bits (fond) from the bacon and chilies. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of tequila to the pan and ignite the tequila with a long lighter or match. Gently shake the pan until the alcohol burns out. Return the pan to the heat and add the heavy cream and the remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic. Bring to a boil and whisk until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Pan sauce should be a rich orange color. Remove skillet from the heat. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup of cilantro, the shredded cheese, the tomatoes, and the canned green chilies. Cover and set aside.

Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Brush racks with canola oil. Brush tuna burgers on both sides with canola oil. Grill tuna burgers 2 1/2 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove to a plate and loosely cover with foil.

Brush bun faces with canola oil. Toast on grill. Do not allow to char.

With a rubber spatula, spread the pan sauce on the inside faces of the bun bottoms and tops. Divide avocado slices among bun bottoms, 3 slices per burger. Place the burgers on the avocado slices. Place 2 bacon slices in an X on each burger. Halve the burgers and secure with toothpicks. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. 


bacon recipe source: Sutter Home Family Vineyards, 277 St. Helena Hwy (Hwy 29), South St. Helena, CA 94574

3365. ROASTED CHILE, CHEESE, and BACON MINI-TAMALE PIES

yields 12 mini tamale pies 

Filling:

 

7 strips thick sliced peppered bacon1 small onion, chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
2 to 3 roasted and peeled Anaheim chiles, diced
Handful cilantro, chopped

Tamale Masa:
1 1/2 cups masa harina
1 chicken bouillon cube, dissolved in 1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Toppings:
1 ½ cups Quesadilla or Monterey Jack cheese 

Make filling: Chop bacon into ½-inch pieces and fry in a large skillet until cooked but not crispy; drain and set aside. Discard the drippings. In the same skillet used for cooking the bacon, sauté the onion and tomato about 5 to 7 minutes. Add cooked bacon, diced chiles, and cilantro and stir together. Simmer for a few minutes allowing the flavors to come together. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Make tamale masa: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well with your hands until combined. The dough should hold together when squeezed in your hand.

Assemble: Lightly spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide the masa evenly among the wells of a muffin pan (about 2 tablespoons per well). Using your fingers, press the masa evenly into a thin layer on the bottom and up the sides of each well. The mixture may feel dry to the touch. Evenly divide the bacon and green chile filling among the masa-lined wells. Bake on middle rack for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese over the filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a small knife around the perimeter of each well to loosen and remove the pies. Serve warm or at room temperature.


bacon recipe source: Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, Muy Bueno Cookbook, January 17, 2013

1526. GRILL-ROASTED PORK CHOPS with BACON TOMATILLO SALSA

Brine
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground chipolte chile powder
zest of 1 lime

Salsa
4 slices of bacon
10 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed
2 medium Anaheim chile peppers, roughly chopped
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

Whisk the brine ingredients with 1 quart of cold water until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Place pork chops in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the brine. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Place in a bowl and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels, but leave the melted bacon fat in the skillet. Add tomatillos, chile peppers, onion, and garlic. Cover skillet and cook over medium heat until tomatillos begin to collapse and chiles are tender. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. Add the remaining salsa ingredients. Process until smooth. Finely chop the drained bacon and add to salsa.

Remove pork from bag and discard the brine. Pat dry with paper towels. Lightly coat pork with oil and season evenly with salt, pepper, and garlic. Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

Grill over direct medium heat. Turning and rotating every 10 minutes for even cooking. Remove when done. Reheat salsa and serve warm with your delicious pork chops.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Heartland Steaks, 7501 Industrial Drive, Forest Park, Illinois 60130, 1-800-365-5502