2499. APPLE-ONION SOUP with CHEDDAR-BACON CROUTONS

serves six


2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium onions, sliced thin
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
Kosher salt
6 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 3/4 cups canned low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 French baguette, cut on the bias into twelve 3/4-inch-thick slices

Heat the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, apples, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir thoroughly to coat the onions and apples in the butter. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and apples are deeply caramelized, and the bottom of the pot is coated with a dark brown crust, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the chicken broth, beef broth, wine, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown crust. Simmer for 20 minutes to blend flavors. Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. (Soup may be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat to a simmer before proceeding with recipe.)

Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler. Combine the cheese and bacon in a bowl and stir to distribute evenly. Place oven-proof soup crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Stir the chopped sage into the simmering broth. Fill each crock almost to the top with soup. Top each crock with 2 baguette slices and sprinkle with some of the cheese-bacon mixture. Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbling and well browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Watch the soup carefully, because once the cheese is well browned it will quickly burn. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Everyday Dining with Wine by Andrea Immer. Broadway Books, 2004 | Leite's Culinaria, April 14, 2004

1746. WARM SCALLOP SALAD with GARLIC CHILI OIL and BACON CROUTONS

serves two to three


Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment


Salad
3-4 cups baby romaine
1/4 cup crumbled Feta

In a large shallow bowl that the salad can be both displayed in and then mixed before serving, place the greens. Set aside until the Bacon Croutons and Warm Scallop Topping are finished. After, scoop warm scallop mixture out of the pan and onto the salad greens. Sprinkle bacon over, and add croutons. Pour lemony oil from the scallop mixture over the salad. Sprinkle with feta and toss before serving. Serve warm.


Bacon Croutons
4 1/2" slices French bread
3 slices bacon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

Slice French bread into quarters, or a size to your liking. Arrange pieces in three rows on the baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix garlic and olive oil to mix flavors. Sprinkle mixture over the bread pieces. Arrange each of the bacon pieces over the rows of bread pieces. Cook for 15 minutes until bacon begins to crisp and curl, and pieces of bread begin to lightly brown. Remove from oven Remove bacon from the croutons and tear into bite sized pieces. Set aside.


Warm Scallop Topping with Garlic Chili Oil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
21 bay scallops, well dried
2 sprigs fresh oregano, about 1 tablespoon
4 lemon slices
2 red jalapenos, roasted
3 cloves garlic, sliced
6 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon

Roast jalapenos over open flame or under broiler until skin is black. When done, let rest for a bit, then remove skin and top. Cut into even slices. Remove leaves from oregano stems and chop lightly. Put jalapenos, oregano, garlic, and lemon slices in a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, whisk 6 tablespoon olive oil w/the juice of 1/2 lemon to combine and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet and add scallops all at once. Let scallops sit without stirring a minute or two until they begin to lightly brown. Then give them a stir. Add small bowl of peppers, oregano, garlic, and lemon slices and saute with the scallops for about a minute. Add the lemon juice and olive oil mixture to the scallops and briefly saute. Remove from heat.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kelly Wright, Sass & Veracity, March 24, 2007