3726. STILTON and BACON CHEESECAKES

serves six 


For the crusts

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup finely crushed digestive biscuits or graham crackers

 

For the filling

6 strips bacon, finely diced

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 oz. stilton, softened

½ cups shelled walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

2 strips cooked bacon, broken into thirds

2 cups mixed young lettuce leaves

¾ cups fruit chutney (optional)

 

For the crusts: Grease six 2" × 2" ring molds with 1 tbsp. of the butter; set molds on a cookie sheet. Melt remaining 3 tbsp. butter and transfer to a small bowl. Add biscuit crumbs and mix well. Put equal amounts of the crumb mixture into prepared molds, firmly pressing on crumbs to form an even crust at base of molds. Chill crusts in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

 

For the filling: Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels, saving rendered bacon grease for another use. Using a fork, mix cheeses together in a medium bowl. Add bacon and walnuts (if using) and stir well. Pack equal amounts of the filling into molds, smoothing tops with the back of a small warm metal spoon. Cover cheesecakes with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

 

Run a small knife around inside of molds and slide cheesecakes onto six plates, crust side down. Serve cheesecakes at room temperature, garnished with a piece of bacon, with lettuces and chutney (if using) on the side.

 

 

bacon recipe source: Take Big Bites by Linda Ellerbe (Putnam, 2005); Saveur, February 2, 2009

3513. STILTON and BACON TOAST

serves one

3 tablespoons olive oil 

3 slices white bread 

3½ oz. Stilton, sliced

1 plum tomato, sliced

3 rashers smoked streaky bacon 

3 sprigs fresh chervil, to garnish

Preheat the grill to medium. Heat a griddle pan until smoking hot. Drizzle each slice of bread with a tablespoon of olive oil and chargrill each slice on both sides. Remove from the heat and lay the sliced Stilton on top, followed by the sliced tomato. Place under the grill and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Place the bacon onto a baking sheet and grill until crisp. To serve, cut the bacon rashers in half and place on top of the cheese toast. Serve garnished with fresh chervil.

bacon recipe source: Richard Phillips, Ready Steady Cook, BBC-Food

3512. COLLARD GREENS, BLUE POTATO and BACON SALAD

makes 8 servings 

 

 

6 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice 

1 pound baby blue potatoes, quartered  

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground pepper  

1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

8 quail eggs

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar  

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

pinch of sugar 

1 1/2 pounds young collard greens—stems discarded and leaves halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch-thick ribbons  

4 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled 

 

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels.  

 

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the quartered potatoes with the rendered bacon fat and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes, stirring once, until the potatoes are tender and browned. Let cool. 

 

Meanwhile, spread the walnuts in a pie plate. Bake for about 12 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop the walnuts.  

 

In a small saucepan, cover the quail eggs with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the eggs and cool them under cold running water. Peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise. 

 

In a very large bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar, mustard and sugar. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. Add the collards, bacon and potatoes and toss well. Scatter the toasted walnuts, eggs and Stilton on top and serve.

 

 

bacon recipe source: Melia Marden, Food & Wine, April 2014

3163. PRESSED STILTON, PEAR, DATE and BACON SANDWICHES

makes four sandwiches

 

 

8 slices thick cut bacon, coarsely chopped

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

12 Medjool dates

1 Asian pear, scrubbed, cored, and sliced into 20 wedges

8 ounces Stilton or other blue cheese 

4 (6-inch) pieces baguette, split in half lengthwise 

 

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, about 8 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Pour rendered fat into bowl; reserve.

 

Spread cut side of each bottom half of bread with 1 teaspoon mustard. With fingers, remove and discard pits from dates. Press 3 dates onto bread (over mustard), spreading lightly with fingertips. Divide bacon evenly among bread pieces, sprinkling over dates. Arrange 5 pear slices over bacon, then top with 2 ounces Stilton.

 

Press remaining 4 baguette pieces onto cheese, then, brush both sides of each sandwich with reserved bacon fat. Cook sandwiches over medium heat in now empty skillet, pressing down with spatula, until cheese begins to melt and bread is golden, about 4 minutes per side. Serve. Alternatively, press sandwiches in a panini press until toasted and heated through. Serve.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: María del Mar Sacasa of High Heels & Frijoles, for Serious Eats, October 15, 2012

3162. HOME-GROUND BUFFALO BURGERS with BACON, CHEESE and FRESH THYME

serves 4 to 6


1 1/2 pounds buffalo, diced into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound chuck, diced into 1-inch cubes
6 ounces bacon, chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces Stilton, Gorgonzola, or your favorite blue cheese, crumbled
4 to 6 sesame-seed hamburger rolls, lightly toasted
1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
thinly sliced tomato
mayonnaise, for serving
ketchup, for serving
mustard, for serving

pickles, for serving

Place buffalo and chuck in a bowl. Assemble a home grinder according to the manufacturer's instructions, using a medium die for grinding. Grind meats and toss gently to combine.

Set a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat and add bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crispy and most of the fat has rendered, 7 to 8 minutes. Add onion and continue to cook until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add thyme and toss to combine. Remove pan from heat and pour over meat mixture; drizzle with Worcestershire and season with salt pepper. Toss gently but thoroughly to combine. Set aside to marinate for 1 hour.

Gently form meat mixture into either 4 large or 6 slightly smaller patties, being careful not to overwork. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Remove patties from refrigerator and set aside at room temperature for about an hour before grilling. Preheat a grill to medium and lightly oil the grates; place burgers on grill. Cook large patties for 7 to 8 minutes; smaller ones for 6 to 8 minutes. Flip; divide blue cheese evenly over top of each burger. Continue to cook another 7 to 8 minutes for large patties for medium to medium rare, 2 to 3 minutes longer for smaller patties, or until burgers are cooked to desired degree of doneness. Place burgers on bottom halves of buns. Dress with lettuce and tomatoes and add mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and pickles as desired.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, "Hamburger 101," Emeril's Table

1827. STILTON, LEEK and BACON PASTA

5 rashers bacon
3 large leeks
a nob of butter
2 tablespoons flour
1.5 glasses milk
500 grams pasta
150 grams stilton

Boil salted water and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Chop the bacon into little pieces. Melt the butter in a medium hot pan and then fry the bacon in the butter. While the bacon is frying, remove the outer leaves and ends from the leeks, then slice them and wash them. Add the leeks to the pan along with the bacon. You will need a rather large pan. Mix well so that all the bacon and butter is evenly mixed in with the leeks. Saute/steam the leeks for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the flour on top. Mix well and cook on the heat for another minute. You are forming a roux here mixed in with the leeks, which is the base for a white sauce. Add about a glass and a half of milk to the pan, about half a pint, maybe a bit less. Keep the sauce over a low heat, and stir frequently until it just begins to thicken and bubble. Remove from the heat and mix the sauce in with the pasta. Crumble the Stilton into the pan while stirring. The heat of the pasta and sauce should be enough to melt the cheese and form a nice sauce. Serve immediately with some salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ryan's Recipe Blog, Royston, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, August 11, 2008

650. CREAM OF STILTON and BACON SOUP

serves 6


2 starchy potatoes
1 1/2 cups milk
8 slices of bacon
4 oz. blue Stilton cheese
2 cups light cream
salt and pepper

Broil or steam the potatoes. Drain, then transfer to a pan with the milk and blend. Broil the bacon lightly. Crumble the Stilton over the potatoes and gently stir it in. When the cheese has melted, add the cream and the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Cut the bacon into small pieces and place in the bottom of the bowls or in the soup tureen. Serve immediately.

NOTE: You can use any other blue cheese instead of the Stilton. Before serving, add a dash of sherry or port.


courtesy of: Cooking with Friends, by Trish Deseine and Marie-Pierre Morel. Silverback Books, September 2003

423. STILTON, BACON, and MUSHROOM STARTER

Serving Size: 6


1 tablespoon oil
1 chopped onion
1 lb baby button mushrooms halved
12 rashers streaky bacon chopped
4oz blue Stilton cheese roughly chopped
8oz pack cream cheese
1/4 pint double cream
15 grams pack fresh chives snipped
3 oz fresh breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons paprika
black pepper

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C/375 degrees F/Gas mark 5. Heat the oil and fry the onions, mushrooms and bacon together until browned. Share between four ramekin dishes. Beat the Stilton together with the cream cheese and cream and stir in most of the chives, reserving a few for a garnish. Season and spoon over the top of the mushroom mixture. Toss the breadcrumbs in the paprika and sprinkle over the top of the Stilton mixture. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until browned and bubbling. Serve hot with small slices of toasted French bread.


courtesy of: Stilton Cheesemakers' Association, PO Box 384A, Surbiton, Surrey, KT5 9YL