2241. MOZZARELLA SOUP with ANISE TOAST and BACON OIL

For the bacon oil:
200 g bacon, uncooked
vegetable oil

Cut the bacon in small pieces and put in a pan. Cover the bacon with the vegetable oil and heat to a simmer (don't boil) for about 40 min. Remove the pan from the stove, cover with cling film and let stand at room temperature over night. Reheat the oil the next day for about 40 min again - strain trough a very fine sieve. Remove most of the fat form the bacon and dice the remaining meat, distribute in four soup cups


For the anise toast:
1 toastbread, whole
2 teaspoons anisseed, ground
some pastis
fleur de sel

Remove the crust of the bread and cut lengthwise in to long sticks. Toast the bread on all sides just before serving. Brush with some pastis, sprinkle with aniseed and fleur de sel


For the soup:
1 shallot
1/2 teaspoon butter
5 mozzarella di bufala balls - cut in medium size pieces
8 dl cream (50% fat)
2 dl milk
salt and white pepper

Sweat the shallot in a medium sized pan with the butter, without letting the shallot take color. Add the milk and cream, bring to a boil and reduce the heat until you reached 50C. Add the cheese and slowly(!) let it melt. Season. Strain before serving to remove the unmelted mozzarella. Drizzle some bacon oil on the soup and serve with the anise


bacon recipe courtesy of: Philippe Berthoud, Philippe's Recipes, February 1, 2011

1981. LIGHT LETTUCE CREAM, BACON FOAM, BRAISED LETTUCE and ESCARGOTS

yields four servings

Light cream
2 nice 600 g (1 1/3 lb.) heads of lettuce
2/3 oz. white onion
2/3 oz. leek, white part only
22/3 oz. smoked pork rind
1 bouquet garni
2 cups light chicken stock
1 clove of garlic
4 tsp. butter
1 cup crème fraîche
salt

Smoked bacon foam
8 tsp. liquid cream
1/3 oz. finely diced smoked bacon
a pinch of curry powder, salt and pepper

Braised lettuce ribs and leaves
Use the ribs and a few leaves from the light cream ingredients
4 tsp. butter
2/3 oz. carrot, in very small dice
3/4 cup light chicken stock
a pinch of chopped parsley
a clove of garlic, peeled and a few thyme flowers
2/3 oz. smoked bacon simmered for 30 minutes with onion, clove and bouquet garni

Escargots (you may substitute chicken "oysters")
20 small snails cooked in court-bouillon
4 tsp. butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
a pinch of chopped parsley
a touch of garlic
a pinch of fine breadcrumbs
a drizzle of lemon juice
1 drop of pastis
a pinch of Madras curry powder

Fried leek
3 oz. leek (white part), julienned
4 cups grapeseed oil for frying
a blend of salt and curry powder
4 sprigs of chervil

Light cream: In a high-sided saucepan, sweat the onions, leek white, garlic, bacon rind and bouquet garni in foaming butter. Finally, add the well-washed lettuce, having set aside the ribs and tender green leaves. Add the hot chicken stock and salt lightly. Cook quickly for 15 minutes, then add the cream and cook 5 minutes longer. Finally, add a few nice green leaves to the cream and blend at high speed for 6-8 minutes to obtain a light green color. Keep hot.

Smoked bacon foam: Bring the 30 g cream to a boil with the finely diced smoked bacon, curry, salt and pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes and blend everything to obtain a bacon and curry-flavored cream. Let rest. Once cooled, add in 10 g (1/3 oz.) whipped cream. Set aside.

Braised lettuce ribs and leaves: In a sauté pan, sauté in butter the finely diced carrot with the cooked smoked bacon, garlic and thyme flowers; add the lettuce ribs and chicken stock and cook, covered, for a few minutes. Finally, add the tender green leaves and chopped parsley. Set aside.

Escargots: In a sauté pan, sauté the well-drained snails in butter, add the chopped shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes. Deglaze with a drop of pastis and a squeeze of lemon juice. Finally, add a touch of garlic, a little chopped parsley and a sprinkling of bread crumbs, salt, pepper and Madras curry powder. Set aside.

Fried leeks: Heat the oil to 140° C (280° F). Fry the thinly sliced leeks for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt, pepper and curry. Keep hot.

Presentation: In wide-rimmed bowls, place a 6 cm (2 1/2") metal ring. Place the braised lettuce ribs and leaves inside. On top, place the snails in a circle around the perimeter of the ring. Drizzle the cream around the outside of the ring. Top with the bacon foam. Place the fried leeks on the snails and add a few sprigs of chervil. Remove the ring and serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Patrick Henriroux, Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux, La Pyramide, 14, boulevard Fernand Point, 38200 Vienne (Isère), France

1802. MONKFISH and BACON KEBABS with PASTIS MAYONNAISE

yields four servings


1 pound monkfish fillets
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig fennel leaves
6 bay leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 tomatoes
1 large onion
1/4 pound bacon
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the pastis mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade with olive oil
2 tablespoons pastis (Ricard or Pernod brand)
1 teaspoon chopped fennel
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut the monkfish into three-fourths-inch slices. Pull the thyme leaves off the sprig and chop up the fennel. Cut the bay leaves into thirds. Place the herbs in a bowl with the fish and add the oil and lemon juice. Stir and leave to marinate for one hour before cooking.

Cut the tomato and onion into wedges. Remove the rind from the bacon and cut it into one-inch pieces. Thread four skewers with the monkfish, pieces of bay leaf, bacon, tomato and onion. Chill until needed. Mix the pastis mayonnaise ingredients.

Preheat broiler or barbecue. Brush the kababs with some of the marinade and grill for about seven minutes, turning occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the mayonnaise, and a green salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Moira Hodgson, "The English Find a Revolution on Their Own Shores," The New York Times, October 2, 1988

1626. BAKED SNAILS in GARLIC BUTTER served with a CRISPY BACON CITRUS BITTER LEAF SALAD

serves four


48 snails, drained, plus 48 snail shells
500 grams butter, softened
12 cloves garlic, finely chopped and crushed
8 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 shot Pastis
6 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 pinch black pepper

For the salad:
1 packet rocket
1 bunch watercress, torn into sprigs
1 small radicchio, cut in half and finely sliced across
8 slices rindless streaky bacon
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 pinch black pepper
12 orange segments
12 grapefruit, segments
2 endive, belgian, leaves only

Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas 3. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the snails and simmer for about two minutes. Drain, refresh with cold water and drain again.

Place the butter, garlic, parsley, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, pastis, breadcrumbs, salt and freshly ground pepper and process until smooth.

Put a little of the garlic butter into each shell then add one snail per shell. Cover each snail with more garlic butter until the shells are full.

Place the snails in an ovenproof serving dish. (The holes must face up so the butter when it is cooked stays in the shell). Bake for around 8-10 minutes in the oven until the butter bubbles.

In the meantime, make the salad. Mix together the rocket, watercress and radicchio. Grill the bacon until crispy. Combine together the olive oil, lemon juice and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, then mix through the leaves.

Place the Belgian endive on the outside of the plate in a star shape, put the dressed salad leaves in middle of the plate, scatter the orange and grapefruit segments around the leaves and place the crispy bacon on the top.

Take the snails out of the oven and serve immediately with the salad.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Michel Lemoine, Market Kitchen, Good Food Channel

971. BAKED SNAILS in GARLIC BUTTER served with a CRISPY BACON CITRUS BITTER LEAVE SALAD

makes 4 servings


48 snails, drained, plus 48 snail shells
500 grams butter, softened
12 garlic cloves, finely chopped and crushed
8 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 shot Pastis
6 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the salad:
1 packet rocket leaves
1 bunch watercress, torn into sprigs
1 small radicchio, cut in half and finely sliced across
8 slices rindless streaky bacon
4 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper
12 orange segments
12 grapefruit segments
2 endive, belgian, leaves only

Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas 3. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the snails and simmer for about two minutes. Drain, refresh with cold water and drain again.

Place the butter, garlic, parsley, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, pastis, breadcrumbs, salt and freshly ground pepper and process until smooth.

Put a little of the garlic butter into each shell then add one snail per shell. Cover each snail with more garlic butter until the shells are full.

Place the snails in an ovenproof serving dish. (The holes must face up so the butter when it is cooked stays in the shell). Bake for around 8-10 minutes in the oven until the butter bubbles.

In the meantime, make the salad. Mix together the rocket, watercress and radicchio. Grill the bacon until crispy. Combine together the olive oil, lemon juice and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, then mix through the leaves.

Place the Belgian endive on the outside of the plate in a star shape, put the dressed salad leaves in middle of the plate, scatter the orange and grapefruit segments around the leaves and place the crispy bacon on the top.

Take the snails out of the oven and serve immediately with the salad.


courtesy of: Michel Lemoine, from "Christmas Live," UKTV-Food