3551. FRIED CATFISH, BACON and GREEN TOMATO KABOBS

yields 20 kabobs


oil, for frying
1 cup sweet chili sauce 
2 tablespoons soy sauce 
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 
2 teaspoons hot sauce 
1 1/2 pounds catfish fillets, cut into 2-inch cubes 
2 medium-sized unripe tomatoes, cut into wedges 
1 large Spanish onion, cut into wedges 
3 cups cornmeal 
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning 
20 slices bacon
special equipment: 20 long wooden skewers

Heat the oil in a tall, narrow stockpot to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chili sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Add the catfish cubes, tomatoes and onions and toss to coat. In a shallow, wide dish, combine the cornmeal and Cajun seasoning. To assemble the kabobs: First skewer through one end of a bacon slice and then a cube of catfish. Wrap the bacon around and then skewer a wedge of tomato. Wrap the bacon around again, skewer a wedge of onion and then wrap the bacon and skewer one last time. Repeat with the remaining skewers and ingredients. Roll the kabobs in the cornmeal mixture, drop in the oil in batches and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining skewers. Serve on the stick!


bacon recipe source: Ben Sargent, "Oklahoma," Hook, Line & Dinner, Cooking Channel TV 

3470. BACON JAM with BOURBON, MAPLE, and ESPRESSO

makes 3-4 cups of bacon jam


2 lb. extra thick cut bacon
2 extra large Spanish/red onions, quartered and sliced in thick strips
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 cup maple syrup
2 double-shots espresso (4 shots total)
1/4 cup bourbon (or whisky)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Cut bacon into small strips (about 1/5th an inch across).

Place all the bacon into a large pot and cook over medium-high, stirring often. Avoid crisping the bacon but cook until it gains color. Depending on your pot this could take 15-25 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon and remove the bacon from the pan/pot. Drain all fat into a bowl and turn heat to medium high. Add 2 tablespoons of bacon fat back into pot and wait a few minutes. Store extra fat in a jar and use it for frying and/or conditioning your cast iron pots.

Add onions and cayenne to pot, turn to medium and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.

Add maple syrup, espresso, bourbon and bacon to the pot and return temperature to medium-high.  simmer, stirring every few minutes until sauce reduces and turns into a thick sauce (enough to coat the bacon without dripping off the spoon).

Add balsamic at end, stir to incorporate.

Place in a jar and store in the fridge for up to a week.


bacon recipe source: Joel MacCharles, Well Preserved (@WellPreserved), April 30, 2014

3120. CRISPY BACON and HASH BROWN QUESADILLAS with FRIED QUAIL EGGS

yields eight servings


Crispy Bacon 
8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons and cooked until golden brown

Hash Browns 
2 large Idaho potatoes, scrubbed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil, divided
2 large Spanish onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 poblano chile, finely diced
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon paprika

Tomato Relish 
2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes or 4 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Quesadilla
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
2 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder

Fried Quail Eggs 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 quail eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Special equipment: Ramekins 

For the hash browns: Place potatoes in a medium pot of cold, salted water, bring to a boil and cook until fully cooked about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, let cool slightly, and grate on a grater using the large holes. Heat 2 tablespoons oil or remaining bacon fat, in a large saute pan over medium heat and add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick saute pan over high heat, add the potatoes and cook until golden brown. Stir in the onions, poblano chile, ancho chile powder, paprika, and salt and pepper and cook until just warmed through.

For the tomato relish: Combine the diced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and black pepper in a bowl and let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving.

For the quesadillas: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place 4 tortillas on a work surface and top with cheese, hash browns, and bacon. Cover with 4 more tortillas to make 4 2-layer quesadillas. Brush the tops with oil and sprinkle with the ancho powder. Transfer the quesadillas to a large baking sheet and bake in the oven until golden brown and cheese has melted, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cut each quesadilla into quarters.

For the quail eggs: Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium nonstick saute pan until it begins to shimmer. Crack each egg into a ramekin and carefully slide into the pan (cook 4 at a time). Season with salt and pepper and cook until the white has set and the yolk is slightly firm, carefully flip over and continue cooking for another minute.

Assembly: Top each quesadilla quarter with a fried quail egg and a few heaping tablespoons tomato relish and garnish with chopped chives. Arrange on a platter.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bobby Flay, "Bite Size Brunch," Brunch at Bobby's, Cooking Channel TV

2942. CHICKEN and BACON CORN CHOWDER

yields 1½ gallons


1 large (approximately 6 pounds) chicken

1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Kosher salt
1/2 pound thick bacon, diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 stalks celery, diced
2 medium Spanish onions, diced
2 medium russet or all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
8 ears fresh corn, removed from the cob
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
3 cups heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper

To poach the chicken: Combine the chicken, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, thyme, pepper and a tablespoon of salt large pot. Add water to cover, at least 3 quarts. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat, skimming occasionally. Skim, add more water if necessary to keep the chicken covered, and continue to gently simmer until the chicken is fully cooked (the juices from the thigh will run clear), about 40 minutes. Drain the chicken reserving the broth. Allow the chicken to cool then remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and refrigerate the meat until ready to make the chowder. Measure out 1 1/2 quarts of the broth and reserve for the chowder. Freeze or refrigerate any remaining broth until needed for another purpose.

To make the chowder: Heat the bacon and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook until the bacon fat is rendered and the meat firming but not yet crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the potatoes, corn, and thyme. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are fully soft, about 8 additional minutes.

Add the chicken broth to the pot. Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and reserved chicken. Return the chowder to a simmer, season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into warm bowls and serve.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Red Lion Inn, 30 Main Street, PO Box 954, Stockbridge MA 01262-0954; "Berkshires," FoodNation With Bobby Flay, Food Network

2844. GRILLED CHEESE with SHARP CHEDDAR, TALEGGIO CHEESE and BACON MARMALADE

serves four


8 slices artisan sandwich bread
4 slices aged yellow cheddar cheese
2 ¼-inch slices taleggio cheese, cut into small cubes
4 tablespoons bacon marmalade (recipe follows)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

For the bacon marmalade:
1½ pounds applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 Spanish onions, diced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
¾ cup coffee

Make the marmalade: In a heavy bottomed pot, render the bacon until slightly browned. Remove the cooked bacon bits from the pot and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Sauté the onions in the bacon fat until translucent. Add the vinegar, sugar, syrup and coffee to the pot. Once the sugar liquefies, add the bacon back to the pot and cook slowly until concentrated. Cool and store, refrigerated, for up to three weeks.

Lay out four slices of the bread and top each with one slice cheddar, one tablespoon of the bacon marmalade and divide the cubed taleggio between each of the four sandwiches. Top each with the top piece of bread and spread the soft butter on the top and bottom of each sandwich.

Cook on a flattop or wide sauté pan over medium high heat until the bread is toasted and the cheeses are melted. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Michael Paley, Proof on Main, 702 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202; Oprah, March 16, 2012

2784. MUSSELS with BACON and RAPINI

yields four portions


8 oz. thick-cut bacon, diced
4 thick slices crusty bread 
1 teaspoon pepper 
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon steak spice 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 head rapini 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium-size Spanish onion, halved and sliced 
2 cups whole red cherry tomatoes 
3/4 cup white wine
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded 
3/4 cup water 
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill 
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives 
2 tablespoons butter
lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the cubed up bread to the skillet to soak up all the excess bacon fat, add pepper and let it go on medium to low heat until bread crisps up. Remove from pan and set aside.

For the croutons: Chop up the bread into thick cubes. Toss with the seasonings and oil. Bake until golden and crispy.

For the mussels: Bring a large pot of water to boil for 30 seconds. Add the whole rapini and blanch for 45 seconds. Remove and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain and roughly chop. Set aside.

In another pan, add and the olive oil and onions and cook for 2 minutes, then add the cherry tomatoes and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the wine, cover, and cook for 2 minutes then add mussels and water and cook until they begin to open, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rapini to the pan of muscles and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, discard unopened mussels, add bacon, dill, chives, butter, lemon juice, to taste, salt, and pepper and serve with croutons on top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chuck Hughes, "The Locksmiths," Chuck's Day Off, Cooking Channel TV

2577. KIELBASA and BACON BRAISED CABBAGE MACARONI AND CHEESE

1/2 head green cabbage

1 pound elbow macaroni
6 strips bacon, chopped
1/2 large Spanish onion, diced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 pound kielbasa, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
1/8 cup Tabasco
1 1/2 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper

Garnish
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, snipped
3 green onions, sliced
                                

Dice cabbage and soak in cold water for 3 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook elbow macaroni until al dente, drain. Spray a large skillet with Pam and saute sliced kielbasa until the edges are blistered. Remove kielbasa. Cook bacon in the large skillet til done, remove bacon but leave the fat in the skillet. Saute onions in the bacon fat until they are translucent. Drain the cabbage and add it to the skillet. Stir. Mix together the vinegar and sugar. Add the mixture to the skillet, stir,  and reduce the heat. Cover the skillet and cook on low until the cabbage is tender. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, kielbasa, bacon, braised cabbage, cream, cheeses, Tabasco and honey. Stir until thoroughly mixed.  Season with salt and pepper and mix again. Spray a large casserole dish with Pam and transfer the mixture into it. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Mix panko breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, and green onions together in a small bowl. Remove foil from pan after 30 minutes and sprinkle panko mixture over top of casserole. Bake uncovered until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Elizabeth, Recipe Journey, February 3, 2011 | adapted from Chef/Owner Chris Bonfili, Avenue B, 5501 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232

2493. DOCK PUDDING with BACON and PORK SAUSAGES

900 grams fresh young dock leaves
200 grams nettles
2 large Spanish onions
water
salt and pepper
1 handful of oatmeal
3 rashers unsmoked rindless bacon
2 good pork sausages
1 knob butter
oil
1 egg

Remove the stalks from the dock leaves and the nettles. Chop the onions. Place the dock leaves with a pinch of salt in a sauce pan with boiling water. Add the onions and nettles and boil for 50 minutes. Add the oatmeal and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Drain the contents of the pan thoroughly in a colander. Fry the bacon and sausage together in a pan. Once the bacon and sausages are cooked. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Transfer the dock mixture to the bacon frying pan and fry for 5 minutes in a little butter. In a separate pan, fry the egg in a little oil. Serve the sausages, bacon and dock pudding with a fried egg on top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Doris Hirst (two-time winner of World Dock Pudding Competition), Crow Pie: Traditional British Foods and Drinks, c/o Alternative Technology Centre, Hebble End, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 6HJ UK

2367. SOURDOUGH, WILD MUSHROOM and BACON DRESSING

makes 8 servings


unsalted butter, for the baking dish
1 1/4 pounds sourdough bread, crusts trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 to 6 cups chicken stock, homemade or store-bought, as needed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish.

Spread the bread on a large baking sheet (or 2 smaller baking sheets) in an even layer and bake, stirring a few times, until light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Put the cubes into a very large bowl.

Raise the oven temperature to 375°F.

Combine the mushrooms in a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet, toss with 3 tablespoons of the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven, stirring several times, until soft and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

While the mushrooms are roasting, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the sauté pan and return to the stove over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add 3 cups of the chicken stock, the sage, thyme, and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

Add the mushrooms to the bread. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and then whisk in a few tablespoons of the warm stock mixture. Add the eggs and the rest of the stock mixture to the bread, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. The dressing should be very wet; add more stock as needed. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson, Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook | Epicurious, October 2011

2056. COUNTRY SPLIT PEA SOUP with BACON and POTATOES

makes 8 to 10 servings


3 tablespoons butter
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, sliced
8 large carrots, peeled and sliced
3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
1 pound dried green split peas
10 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons dry sherry
5 dashes Tabasco sauce
2 cooked Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
12 slices bacon, cooked until crisp (reserve some for garnish)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Melt the butter in a 6- to 8-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the split peas and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 1 hour, or until the split peas are soft and tender.

Remove from the stove. Add the sherry and Tabasco sauce. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender, or work in batches with a regular blender until smooth. Add the cooked potatoes and bacon. Stir to combine thoroughly. Garnish each bowl with crumbled bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: New England Soup Factory Cookbook: More Than 100 Recipes from the Nation's Best Purveyor of Fine Soup by Marjorie Druker and Clara Silverstein. Thomas Nelson, 2007

1971. BRAISED OSSO BUCCO with BACON

yields four servings


1 cup bacon, cut into thick pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 lb. veal shanks, 3" cross cut
3/4 cup Spanish onions, sliced
1 1/2 cup carrots, diced
1 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped fine
2 each sprigs rosemary
1 tablespoon marjoram, chopped fine
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups water (enough to cover the shanks
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Over medium-high heat in a sauté pan, render the bacon until it is crisp and brown. Drain the bacon and discard the fat. Thoroughly combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the veal shanks in the flour mixture. In a large braiser or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat, add the veal shanks to the pan (without overcrowding the pan) and brown the pieces on both sides. Remove any browned pieces of veal to oven roasting pan. Add the vegetables to the same pan you cooked the veal in, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan until the vegetables are lightly browned. Add the herbs and water and stir until all the drippings are dissolved and the liquid in the pan is lightly thickened. Pour the liquid, vegetables and herbs over the veal in the oven pan and cover it tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Cook the veal for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the shanks and vegetables to a serving platter and keep warm. Over high heat, bring the sauce to a boil and reduce it in volume by 1/2 to concentrate the flavor and thicken it slightly. Season the sauce. Serve one shank and vegetables in the sauce over your favorite pasta or rice.


bacon recipe courtesy of: You're the Chef, Episode #709 | Pennsylvania College of Technology, One College Avenue, Williamsport, PA 17701

1933. BACON-SCENTED CREAMED CORN with POLENTA

serves six


3/4 pounds diced bacon
1 cup small diced Spanish onion
2 quarts fresh corn kernels cut off the cob
1 liter heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup quick cooking polenta
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons reserved fat from bacon drippings
2 cups Panko bread crumbs

Cook the bacon until crisp in a saute pan. Remove 3 Tablespoons of the fat for later use. Add the onion to the bacon in the saute pan and saute until golden in color. Add the corn kernels and cook until corn is almost tender. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. While gently stirring, add the polenta sprinkling evenly over the mixture to avoid lumps. Cook for five minutes stirring constantly until the creamed corn is thickened. Fold in parmesan cheese and add one half of the parsley and adjust seasoning as needed. In the meantime, heat reserved bacon fat in a clean saute pan and add the Panko breadcrumbs. Toss the Panko breadcrumbs until golden and add remaining parsley. Spoon out the creamed corn mixture into a oven proof casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with Panko bread crumb mixture and spread out evenly. Place under broiler for just a minute until bread crumbs are golden in color.


bacon recipe courtesy of: food52

1817. BACON, BROWNED ONION and CAMEMBERT TART

serves six


Pastry:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter, very cold and cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons nonfat milk or very cold water

Filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 Spanish onions , cut into 1/2-inch strips
4 strips bacon , cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 ounces Camembert cheese , cut into 1/4-inch strips

Combine flour, butter, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse 6 to 8 times until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse just until mixture forms a ball. Remove dough and shape into a 5-inch disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare filling: In 2 large sauté pans (or in batches), divide oil and onions, and cook slowly over medium-low heat until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Add bacon and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in rosemary, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and cool in pan.

Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap dough and let sit on floured parchment paper until just pliable, 10 to 15 minutes. Roll dough with a floured rolling pin only in forward and backward motions; rotate dough a quarter turn with every roll, making sure dough is not sticking, until it is 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick and 11 inches in diameter.

Place half of Camembert cheese in center of dough in a pattern resembling spokes of a wheel. Top with cooled onion mixture, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Place remaining cheese strips on onions in the same pattern, and carefully fold up edges of crust, pleating slightly. Slide tart with parchment onto a large, rimless baking sheet; place on the center rack of the oven. Bake until crust is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. If onions are browning too quickly, cover them with foil (don't cover crust). Remove tart from oven; cool at least 20 minutes before moving off baking sheet or serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rori Trovato, O Magazine, March 11, 2010

1708. ROASTED and SPATCHCOCKED CHICKENS with LENTILS and BACON

serves four


2 chickens (or game birds), spatchcocked (backbone and sternum removed, and flattened for cooking)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 bacon rashers, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup Puy lentils
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups dry white wine
lemon thyme leaves
100 grams baby spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 200°C. To prepare the spatchcocks, use kitchen scissors to cut down both sides of the backbone of each spatchcock. Remove backbones. Use a large, sharp knife to cut through the breastbone and slice each bird in half.

Heat oil in a large flameproof roasting pan over high heat. Add the spatchcock, skin-side down, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion, carrot, celery, bacon and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the lentils and stir to combine. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Place the spatchcock, skin-side up, over the lentil mixture. Sprinkle with lemon thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until chicken and lentils are tender.

Place the spinach leaves on plates. Spoon over the lentils and top with the chicken. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sarah Hobbs, Notebook, page 133, August 2007

1681. BOILED BACON HOCK and CHICKEN with DUMPLINGS

serves eight


1 3/4 lb. bacon hock
2 1/2 lb. chicken
6 medium-sized potatoes, quartered
2 Spanish onions, quartered
6 medium-sized carrots, cut into chunks
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 small cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

For the cornmeal dumplings
2 1/2 oz. cornmeal
2 1/2 oz. self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 oz. butter
1/2 egg, beaten
4 - 5 tablespoons milk

Put the hock and the chicken into a heavy 8 pint saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Add the potatoes and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Add the onions and carrots and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper (the bacon may have made the stock already salty) and simmer for 15 minutes. Check the bacon and chicken; if they are cooked, remove them and keep them warm.

Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings. Sift the cornmeal, flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the beaten egg and milk to make a soft dough.

Add the cabbage wedges to the saucepan and push them down into the simmering stock.

Drop rounded teaspoons of dough into the simmering stock. Cover and cook gently for 10-15 minutes, or until the dumplings are fluffy and firm and the vegetables are tender.

Remove the bacon hock to a board. with a sharp knife, remove and discard the skin and fat and cut the meat into chunks. Place the chicken on the board, remove and discard the skin and cut into 8 portions. Divide the meat between 8 individual heated soup bowls.

Divide the vegetables, dumplings and broth between the bowls and sprinkle each one with finely chopped parsley. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: COOKITSIMPLY.com

1263. BEEF STEW with BACON and MARJORAM DUMPLINGS

serves four


Braised beef:
25 grams unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
900 grams chuck steak, trimmed and diced
sea salt, black pepper
1 Spanish onion, peeled, halved and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 bay leaf
minute pinch each of ground cinnamon and cloves
400ml red wine

To serve:
25 grams unsalted butter
4 tablespoons marjoram leaves

Dumplings:
15 grams unsalted butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram leaves
110 grams unsmoked back bacon, rind and fat removed, sliced
75 grams breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon plain white flour, sifted
1 medium egg yolk

To make the stew, heat the oven to 170C fan oven/180C or 350F electric oven/Gas 4. Heat the butter and oil over a high heat in a medium-size flameproof casserole. Once it is sizzling, add half the meat and colour on all sides. Remove to a bowl and repeat with the remaining meat. Add to the bowl and season. Add the onion to the casserole, turn the heat down to medium and sweat for 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden, adding the garlic, bay leaf and spices towards the end. Return the meat to the casserole and pour over the wine. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 1 1/4 hours, stirring occasionally. By this time, the meat should be tender and the sauce well-flavoured. The stew can be made in advance and reheated.

While the stew is cooking make the dumplings. Melt the butter in a frying pan and sweat the onion with the marjoram until it is nicely scented and soft. Place the bacon in a processor and reduce to a coarsely chopped mass. Add the breadcrumbs, garlic, Parmesan, flour and the sweated marjoram, and whizz to a crumb-like mixture. Add the egg yolk to bind. Shape into balls a little smaller than a walnut, place on a plate, cover with clingfilm and chill until required.

About 20 minutes before the stew is ready, bring a pan of water to the boil. Turn it down to a simmer, lower the dumplings into the water using a slotted spoon and poach for five minutes, taking care that the water doesn't boil vigorously. Just before they're cooked, heat the 25g of butter in a frying pan and sweat the marjoram leaves until they turn crisp. Remove the dumplings to a plate, using a slotted spoon. Serve the stew with the dumplings on top, scattered with the marjoram.


courtesy of: the Independent, Independent House, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS, UK, Saturday, December 8, 2001

919. HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD with SWEET ONIONS and GRILLED BACON

serves 4


2 large Spanish onions
6 cloves garlic, peeled and blanched in fresh water three times
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for dressing
2 ounces chicken stock
2 tablespoons Banyuls vinegar
1 tablespoon Gula Jawa (Indonesian red-palm sugar)
2 tablespoons bush basil, chopped
1/2 pound good-quality slab bacon, sliced into quarter-inch slices
Mix of 4 medium or large heirloom tomatoes
1 pint mixed small heirloom tomatoes
1 bunch purslane
1 bunch lovage
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the onion marmalade: Dice 1 of the onions and the blanched garlic. In a sauté pan, sweat the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil, covered, over low heat, for 30 minutes. Add stock, vinegar, and Gula Jawa, return to heat, and reduce mixture by half until it has the consistency of a marmalade. Season with salt and pepper, cool to room temperature, and then fold in chopped bush basil. While the marmalade is cooling, cook the bacon on a grill plate until both sides achieve a good char. (1) Slice the large tomatoes in half-inch rounds; halve the small tomatoes. Slice the remaining onion in quarter-inch rings, removing the center pieces. Pick the purslane and lovage into dime-size pieces. To serve: Arrange the tomatoes on 4 plates and season with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Toss the onion rings with the onion marmalade and the lovage. In another bowl, toss the purslane with a drizzle of olive oil.

Layer the tomatoes with the dressed onion rings and the bacon. Finish with the purslane.


courtesy of: Ryan Skeen, Resto, 111 East 29 Street (Park Avenue), New York, New York 10016, (212) 685-5585 / Robin Raisfeld & Rob Patronite, New York Magazine, September 17, 2007