3651. BACON and FIG MARMALADE

serves eight


1 lb. fresh figs, chopped

¼ lb. bacon, diced
1 each yellow onion, diced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sachet of cloves, bay leaf, fresh thyme, star anise

 

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add bacon and render until crispy. Remove bacon and reserve for later.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.

Sweat onion and ginger in bacon fat until translucent.

Add figs, and slowly caramelize over medium high heat. Add honey, red wine, balsamic vinegar and sachet of spice. Turn heat to low and slowly reduce mixture until a jam like consistency.

Transfer half of the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add this to the rest of the mixture and fold in crispy bacon.

Serve at room temperature on a crostini. Garnish with fresh tarragon and thyme.

 

 

bacon recipe source: Hall Wines (@HALLWines), 401 St. Helena Highway South, St. Helena, CA 94574

3551. BACON MARMALADE

makes two cups 


4 slices hickory-smoked bacon, chopped

5 1/2 cups thin sweet onion strips

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons bourbon

pinch of dried crushed red pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt 

 

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Add onions to skillet; cook, stirring often, over medium heat 15 minutes or until onions are caramel colored. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Stir in vinegar and next 4 ingredients. Cook 5 minutes or until liquid is consistency of syrup. Add bacon; cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until thickened and consistency of thin 

marmalade. 

 

 

bacon recipe source: Southern Living Bourbon & Bacon: The Ultimate Guide to the South's Favorite Foods, by Morgan Murphy (Oxmoor House, 2014); Food Republic, December 23, 2014

3589. SEARED SCALLOPS with BACON MARMALADE

makes four servings 


1/2 pound cold thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice 
1 onion, finely diced 
2 tablespoons light brown sugar 
cayenne pepper 
Kosher salt 
freshly ground black pepper 
1 pound carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
2 teaspoons harissa
1/4 cup heavy cream 
16 large sea scallops (about 1 1/2 pounds) 
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

In a medium cast-iron skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 25 minutes. Add the sugar and cook until the sugar is dissolved and the onions are glazed, about 2 minutes. Return the bacon to the skillet; season with cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Keep the bacon marmalade warm. 

In a medium saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the carrots until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain well. In a food processor, combine the carrots with the butter and harissa and puree until smooth. Add the cream and pulse until incorporated. Season with salt and black pepper. Scrape the carrot-harissa puree into the saucepan; keep warm over very low heat. 

Season the scallops with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the scallops and cook over moderately high heat until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the scallops and cook until just opaque throughout, about 1 minute longer. Transfer the scallops to plates and top with the bacon marmalade. Serve the carrot-harissa puree alongside.


bacon recipe source: Sarah Simmons, Food & Wine (@foodandwine)

3219. PORK BURGERS with BACON MARMALADE

yields four servings


4 slices bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon hot sauce, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 pounds ground pork
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
1 romaine lettuce heart, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes (1 sliced, 1 chopped)

 

Make the bacon marmalade: Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until almost crisp, 5 minutes. Pour out half of the drippings, add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the onion browns, 10 more minutes (add a splash of water if the onion sticks). Stir in the hot sauce, sugar, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Form the pork into four 4-inch-wide patties; season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the patties and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, topping each with a slice of cheese about 3 minutes before they're done.

Spread the bacon marmalade on the bun bottoms and top each with some lettuce, a patty, a tomato slice and a bun top.

Drizzle the remaining lettuce and the chopped tomato with olive oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper; toss. Serve with the burgers.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Food Network Kitchens, Food Network Magazine

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