3084. RUSTIC CRANBERRY BACON CHUTNEY with ROSEMARY and PORT

6 slices of bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped coarsely
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of freshly cracked pepper
1/2 cup orange juice
12 oz. fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon tawny port

Cut the bacon up into a fairly small pieces. Add the bacon to a medium-size saucepan. Set on the stove over medium-high heat Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If it starts to burn or smoke, turn your heat down. When your bacon is crisp, turn the heat off. Drain off most of the rendered bacon fat, leaving just a teaspoon or two in the pan with the bacon. Add the brown sugar to the bacon and fat in the pan. Toss in the rosemary, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Stir your pot to combine the ingredients well. Break up any lumps of brown sugar against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon. Pour in the orange juice. Stir well, scraping at the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Raise the heat to medium-high so your mixture can start to come up to a simmer. Add the cranberries to the pot. Give the pot a good stir to combine everything. Add the port. Stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes up to a simmer. When it does, turn the heat down a little and cover the pot tightly. Simmer covered for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, uncover the pot. Stir the mixture. As you stir, smoosh the cranberries against the side of the pot to pop them. Keep the heat on medium as you do this. Turn the heat off and transfer the chutney to a bowl to cool. The chutney will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jessie Cross, The Hungry Mouse, December 11, 2008

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

2620. BEEMSTER VEAL PINWHEELS with BACON in PORT SAUCE

serves four


8 slices of Beemster cheese
4 uncoated veal schnitzels
freshly ground salt and pepper
8 strips of bacon
8 sage or basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil or liquid margarine
1 garlic clove, peeled
½ cup ruby port
¾ cup beef stock or meat bouillon
2 tablespoons cold butter, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Arrange the veal schnitzels side by side. If necessary, use a mallet to flatten. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and top each schnitzel with 2 strips of bacon and 2 slices of cheese, and lastly a sage or basil leaf. Roll the schnitzels and the filling tightly, securing with a cocktail toothpick. Heat the olive oil or liquid margarine in a pan and fry the veal pinwheels until brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and place in a casserole dish and bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes. Add the port to the meat juices in the pan and add the stock or bouillon. Reduce the mixture by 1/3. To thicken the sauce, first remove from the heat and add bits of butter, stirring vigorously. Delicious with peapods and mashed potatoes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Beemster: Premium Gourmet Dutch Cheese, Finica International Food Specialties LTD, 5942 Ambler Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 2N3 CANADA

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

2262. RUSTIC CRANBERRY BACON CHUTNEY with ROSEMARY and PORT

6 slices of bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped coarsely
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of freshly cracked pepper
1/2 cup orange juice
12 oz. fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon tawny port

Cut the bacon up into a fairly small pieces. Add the bacon to a medium-size saucepan. Set on the stove over medium-high heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If it starts to burn or smoke, turn your heat down. Your goal is to brown and crisp the bacon. When your bacon is crisp, turn the heat off. Drain off most of the rendered bacon fat, leaving just a teaspoon or two in the pan with the bacon. Save the fat (let it cool, then cover it and stick it in the fridge). Put your pan back on the stove over low heat. Add the brown sugar to the bacon and fat in the pan. Toss in the rosemary, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Stir your pot to combine the ingredients well. Break up any lumps of brown sugar against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon. Don’t fret if anything is sticking to the bottom of your pot. Your heat is on low, so it shouldn’t burn. And you’re going to deglaze the pot next. Pour in the orange juice. Watch your face and hands, as the pot may give off a big poof of steam, depending on how hot it is. Stir well, scraping at the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Raise the heat to medium-high so your mixture can start to come up to a simmer. Add the cranberries to the pot. Cranberries freeze really well and can go straight from freezer to pot for this recipe. Give the pot a good stir to combine everything. Add the port. Stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes up to a simmer. When it does, turn the heat down a little and cover the pot tightly. Simmer covered for about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on your pot. If it starts to bubble over, turn the heat down a little. After 5 minutes, uncover the pot. Stir the mixture. As you stir, smoosh the cranberries against the side of the pot to pop them. Keep the heat on medium as you do this. It will cook as you stir, evaporating some of the liquid and thickening your chutney. It should be really thick at this point. If you have liquid left in the pot, cook over medium heat for a minute or two more, stirring constantly to evaporate it. Turn the heat off and transfer the chutney to a bowl to cool. When it’s totally cool, cover and stick it in the fridge. The chutney will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jessica B. Konopa, The Hungry Mouse, Salem, Massachusetts, December 11, 2008

2025. NEW YORK STRIP STEAKS with a SMOKEY BACON PORT SAUCE

yields six servings


6 New York strip steaks
Kosher salt
black pepper
2 pounds smoked bacon, finely diced
1 1/2 liters port wine
1 cup finely diced shallots
6 ounces green peppercorns
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups water
salt

port sauce: Render the bacon in a saucepan over medium-low heat until golden brown. Once bacon has been rendered, strain off the excess fat and put the pan back on the fire. Deglaze the pan with 2/3 of the Port wine and scrape the bottom of the saucepan to get all the bacon off the bottom and sides of the pan. Turn up the heat to medium and the alcohol should ignite. Reduce the wine by 1/4 and skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. Next, add the rest of the wine, the diced shallots, and peppercorns. Reduce by 1/3. In a small bowl, make a slurry with corn starch and water. Whisk the slurry into the pan until the sauce is slightly thick. Adjust seasoning with salt.

Oil and preheat the grill.

Season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper. Place steaks on grill at a 45 degree angle to establish nice grill marks. Cook steaks to desired doneness or until the internal temperature reaches 125 to 130 degrees F for medium-rare, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the steaks from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the Smokey Bacon Port Sauce over the meat. Serve with your favorite side dishes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Saddle Ranch Chop House | "BBQ Trails," BBQ with Bobby Flay, Food Network

1869. ROAST COLLAR of BACON with BLACKENED CRACKLING and CUMBERLAND SAUCE

serves eight



2.25kg/4lb 15¼oz collar of bacon
1 tablespoon molasses or black treacle
salt flakes

For the Cumberland sauce
1 medium lemon
1 medium orange
4 heaped tablespoons good-quality redcurrant jelly
4 tablespoons port
1 heaped teaspoon mustard powder
1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
braised red cabbage, to serve

Preheat the oven to 240C/460F/Gas 9.

First of all, using a very sharp pointed knife, score the skin of the bacon in a criss-cross pattern, making little 1cm/½in diamonds (insert the tip of the knife only, hold the skin taut with one hand and drag the tip of the knife down in long movements).

To cook the bacon, warm the molasses or black treacle slightly (if it's very cold) then use a pastry brush to lightly coat all the little diamonds. Next, sprinkle the skin with salt flakes, pressing them well in, then place the joint in a roasting tin skin-side up (if it won't stand straight, use a couple of wodges of foil to prop it up).

Place the roasting tin in the oven and after 25 minutes turn the heat down to 180C/350F/Gas 4, and continue to cook for a further 1¾-2 hours. It should feel tender all the way through when tested with a skewer. Leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes after coming out of the oven.

For the Cumberland sauce, first, thinly pare off the zest of both the lemon and the orange using a potato peeler, then cut into very small strips 1cm/½in long and as thin as possible. Boil them in water for 5 minutes to extract any bitterness and drain well.

Now place the redcurrant jelly in a saucepan with the port and melt, whisking them together with a mini whisk over a low heat for 5 or 10 minutes.

In a serving bowl, mix the mustard and ginger with the juice of half the lemon until smooth, then add the juice of the whole orange, the port and redcurrant mixture, and finally the zests. Whisk well and the sauce is ready to use.

Serve with braised red cabbage and Cumberland Sauce, which is always served at room temperature. (Cumberland Sauce keeps well in a screw-top jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.)


bacon recipe courtesy of: Delia Smith, Delia's Classic Christmas, BBC-Food

1840. CURD with CHIVE and BREAD CRUST with BACON

serves four


Curd
1/3 lb. curd
1.8 oz. double cream
salt and pepper
1 bunch of minced chives
2 teaspoon vinaigrette, composed of walnut oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar
4 small dandelions, washed
4 small round forms of 1.6 in, oiled

The bacon bread crusts
3 oz. liquid leaven (sour dough)
2 slices of smoked bacon
butter
onion compote
1/2 lb. hacked onions
3/4 oz. butter
2/5 cups red wine vinegar
2/5 cups water
salt and pepper

The reduction:
2/5 cups port wine
2/5 cups red wine

Curd preparation: Mix the curd with double cream. Season with salt and pepper and fill the 4 round forms. Season the 4 dandelions with some vinaigrette. Pour the remaining vinaigrette over the chive and put is on the curd forms. Store it cold.

Preparation of the bacon bread crust: Butter a cake form and, using a brush, spread the liquid leaven over a dimension of 4.7- 1.6 in. Mince the bacon slice and spread them, diagonally, on the bread crusts. Cook in the oven at 428 degrees F, like for sugared biscuit.

Preparation of the onion compote: Sweat the hacked onions in butter with salt and pepper. Deice with red wine vinegar and water. Let it very gently cook on the flame, until the onions turn into a compote.

Reduction preparation: Boil down the port wine and red wine until obtaining a syrup-like consistency.

Ending and presentation: Place a small curd with chive in a concave dish. Remove the circle. Put a nice scoop of onion compote and a dandelion at the side. Sting a bread crust in the curd and pour some drops of the reduction around it.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Georges Wenger, Hotel-Restaurant Georges W, 2, rue de la gare, Le Noirmont, France

1187. ROASTED LEG OF LAMB with BACON, BANYULS and SPINACH STUFFING

1 leg of lamb de-boned
several feet of kitchen string
4 slices cured, smoked bacon
6-8 cups (one bunch) spinach
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup banyuls blanc or a white port
1 cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375.

Begin by frying the bacon in a large sauce pan. Once the bacon is crisp remove the bacon to a plate covered with a few paper towels to drain the excess grease. Pour off the excess grease from the saute pan but leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan. Add the onions and garlic and saute them over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the onions are very soft and translucent. Add the spinach all at once and place a tight lid on top of the saute pan. Let the spinach simmer for a minute or two to allow it to reduce in volume. Continue cooking the spinach for another five minutes tossing occasionally with a spatula or tongs with the lid off.

Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces and add it to the spinach mixture along with the toasted pine nuts,nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove the spinach mixture to a large bowl and allow it to cool.

Lay the lamb leg out flat on a cutting board fat side down. Spoon the spinach mixture into the center of the leg where the bone used to be. Once all the spinach mixture is placed in the leg roll the leg back up and secure with some peices of kitchen string.

Place the leg in a roasting rack above a roasting pan. In the base of the roasting pan add the chicken stock and banyuls. Place the roast in the lowest rack of your oven. Baste the leg of lamb periodically with the banyuls and stock mixture.

Cook the leg of lamb for 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the largest portion of the leg reads 145 degrees.

Once the leg is cooked remove the leg to a cutting board to rest. At the same time place the roasting pan on your stove top and heat the stock and banyuls to a rapid boil. Reduce the stock to approximately once cup. Serve the reduced stock either on top of or alongside the meat.


courtesy of: Vanessa Touset and Matt Hiltebrand, Sublime Delights

880. GOOSE LIVER and BACON PATE and PORT SYRUP

1 2-lb. pack goose livers
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 large spanish onion, sliced (or other sweet yellow onion)
8 oz. Ruby port
8 oz. mayonnaise

Render bacon in pan until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, reserving bacon grease. Saute sliced onion in reserved bacon grease. When onion slices are golden add port and cook for 3 minutes. Set aside. Saute livers in reserved bacon grease to medium doneness (slightly pink inside). Set aside. Puree livers, bacon, and onions while still warm in food processor. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste, and chill immediately (spread into a shallow pan for best chilling). When chilled, spoon or pipe with pastry bag onto crackers, brioche, crostini, etc. Garnish with snipped chives or Port Syrup.

Port Syrup: Heat 8 oz. of Ruby Port in a sauce pan over medium high heat until reduced by two thirds. This thickens the port and intensifies the flavor, making a wonderful syrup for garnish.


courtesy of: Chef Jeffrey Trujillo, Tweeds Restaurant and Buffalo Bar, Riverhead, New York

878. ZUNI ROLLS with RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE SAUCE SMOKED TURKEY, CHEESE and BACON TORTILLA ROLLS

serves 2


For chipotle sauce:
1 cup fresh raspberries or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Ruby Port
1 drained canned whole chipotle chile in adobo

For Zuni rolls:
2 scallions
two 9- to 10-inch flour tortillas
2/3 cup coarsely grated Jack cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/4 pound thinly sliced smoked turkey breast
6 slices crisp-cooked bacon

Make chipotle sauce:
In a small saucepan combine sauce ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. In a blender or food processor puree sauce and strain, if desired.

Make Zuni rolls:
Finely chop scallions. Arrange tortillas on a work surface and divide Jack, turkey, bacon, and scallions evenly between them. Drizzle some chipotle sauce over filling and gently roll up tortillas.

In a lightly oiled skillet toast rolls, starting with seam sides down, over moderately high heat, turning them, until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Alternatively they can be baked in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes. Diagonally halve tortillas crosswise and serve remaining sauce separately.


courtesy of: Coop Food Stores, Hanover & Lebanon, New Hampshire / Hanover Co-op Food Store, 45 South Park Street, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, (603) 643-2667 / Lebanon Co-op Food Store, 12 Centerra Parkway, Suite 75, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03766, (603) 643-4889

693. ROAST PORK with GINGERBREAD and CELERY ROOT with BACON

makes 8 servings


8 oz. thick-sliced bacon
5 lb. celery root
1 center-cut pork loin rib roast (4 1/2-5lb.), bones cracked and fat trimmed to 1/8-inch thick
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper
gingersnaps, optional
thin orange slices
gingerbread sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the bacon crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir bacon until lightly browned and slightly crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat in pan.

Peel celery root and cut into about 1/2-inch cubes (see notes). In a 12- by 17-inch roasting pan, mix celery root and the 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat. Bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, rinse pork and pat dry. Sprinkle lightly all over with salt and pepper. Stir celery root, then set a rack above mixture (it can rest on pan rim). Set roast, fat side up, on rack.

Bake in the 350F oven until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part or roast reaches 155F, 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Transfer roast to a platter or board and let rest in a warm place, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir bacon into celery root and return to oven; bake until celery root is lightly browned and tender when pierced, 8 to 15 minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to the mixture to taste. Wrap gingersnaps in foil and warm in oven, 8 to 10 minutes, then break into wedges.

Spoon celery root alongside pork roast. Garnish with orange slices and serve with gingerbread sauce and snaps.

NOTE: You can cut the celery root (also called celeriac) up to 1 day ahead; immerse in a bowl of water, cover, and chill. Drain well before using.


GINGERBREAD SAUCE

makes about 1 1/2 cups; 8 servings


In a 3- to 4-quart pan, combine 1 1/2 cups Merlot or other dry red wine, 3/4 cup tawny Port, and 2/3 cup orange juice, Bring to a boil over high heat and stir occasionally until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup hot water and 1 1/2 tablespoons concentrated veal or veal and beef demi-glace. Crumble enough of the gingersnaps to make 2/3 cup. Add gingersnaps and demi-glace mixture to wine mixture; let stand until gingersnaps have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour into a blender. Add 1/4 cup whipping cream and whirl until smooth. Return to pan. Stir over low heat until hot. Whisk in 1 tablespoon butter until blended and smooth. Add salt to taste.


courtesy of: Sunset, December 2005, pp. 123-124

455. RABBIT with CALVADOS, PORT, THYME, BACON and JUNIPER

Serves 4


2 rabbits, skinned and jointed
2oz bacon, derinded and chopped
7oz onion, peeled and chopped
6-7 juniper berries
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2fl oz Calvados (can use brandy or cider)
2fl oz Port (can use red wine)
8fl oz water
1oz butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 350F. In a deep fireproof casserole dish, melt the butter and oil and sweat the onions and bacon for about 2 minutes or until soft. Remove the onion and bacon (keep warm) and brown the rabbit joints on all sides in the residue. Return the onion and bacon, add the thyme and crushed juniper berries. Flambé with the calvados, add the port and water to moisten. Season. Cover and cook in the oven for about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with mashed potato, carrots and green vegetables or red cabbage and orange or even rich brown lentils and glazed carrots.


courtesy of: Burrastow House Hotel, Walls, Shetland. ZE2 9PD / Tel: 01595 809307

410. BACON-WRAPPED TURKEY TENDERLOINS with PORT SAUCE

yields 18


PREP
36 Slices bacon, blanched
As needed freshly cracked black pepper
36 3 to 4 Ounce turkey tenderloin medallions, pounded to an even thickness
2 Tablespoons kosher salt
1 Tablespoon white pepper
2 Tablespoons ground coriander
1 Tablespoon ground cumin

Lay out the bacon flat on a hotel pan and season with coarsely cracked pepper. Turn bacon over and repeat. Wrap each turkey medallion with a slice of peppered bacon, secure with a toothpick and set aside. Mix the seasonings together in a bowl and reserve. Season both sides of each turkey medallion with the seasoning mixture.


TURKEY
1/2 Cup olive oil

In hot oil, saute medallions about 2 minutes. Turn and saute an additional 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with a small amount of port. Remove medallions. Place medallions on a sizzler plate and cook in a 350 degree F oven to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F or for about 10 minutes.


PORT SAUCE
2-1/2 Quarts port wine
1/3 Cup fresh thyme, chopped

While the medallions are in the oven, finish the port wine sauce. Add the remaining port wine and thyme to the saute pan. Reduce volume to about 4-1/2 cups, set aside and keep warm.


PLATING and SERVICE
4-1/2 Pounds mushroom pasta, cooked and drained
4-1/2 Pounds root vegetables, roasted
As needed fresh thyme sprigs

To plate each entree, place 4 ounces mushroom pasta in the center of a heated plate.
Top with 2 turkey medallions and 1/4 cup port sauce. Serve with roasted root vegetables. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.


courtesy of: Executive Sous Chef Joseph Worden of The Remingtons Restaurant, Park Plaza Valley Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Neenah, Wisconsin

409. CURLY ENDIVE SALAD with CRANBERRY-BACON VINAIGRETTE and BLUE CHEESE PASTRIES

serves 6


1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17 1/4-ounce package), thawed
1 egg, beaten to blend (glaze)
9 smoked bacon slices, chopped
1/3 cup minced shallots
1 cup ruby Port
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

6 heaping tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

9 cups bite-size curly endive

Preheat oven to 400°F. Unfold pastry onto work service. Using 2-inch- diameter scalloped cookie cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Using 1-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out centers of 6 pastry rounds. Discard centers. Pierce 2-inch rounds all over with fork. Brush edges with egg glaze. Top with pastry rings, pressing gently. Transfer to large baking sheet. Bake until puffed and golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. Pull out uncooked portion from centers of pastries and discard. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cook bacon in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour 3 tablespoons bacon drippings into small bowl. Discard all but 1 teaspoon of remaining drippings from skillet. Add shallots to drippings in skillet; sauté over medium-high heat until tender, about 3 minutes. Add Port and cranberries and bring to boil, scraping any browned bits. Boil until cranberries are soft and liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add reserved 3 tablespoons bacon drippings and stir just until warm. Pour vinegar into small bowl. Gradually whisk in Port mixture.

Meanwhile, place pastries on baking sheet. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon cheese into center of each. Bake until cheese is soft, about 6 minutes.

Place endive in large bowl. Pour warm dressing over and toss. Divide greens among 6 plates. Sprinkle with bacon. Top each with 1 pastry and serve.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, "R.S.V.P." November 1995, L'Etoile, Madison, Wisconsin