2512. PIQUANT CACTUS with BACON and CORNBREAD

yields six servings


4 to 6 large cactus pads (about 8 inches x 4 inches)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 bacon strips
2 tablespoons or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
cornbread, optional

Slice cactus pads into 1/2-in. wide strips; place in a saucepan. Add onion, water and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cover and cook over medium heat until cactus is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet until crisp; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. To drippings, add vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and remaining salt; bring to a boil. Add cactus and bacon; toss to coat. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm with corn bread if desired.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Birds & Blooms Magazine, December/January 1998, page 55 | Taste of Home, RDA Food & Entertaining Affinity, 5400 South 60th Street, Greendale, Wisconsin 53129

2460. TACO SOUP with BACON and CACTUS

½ lb. ground (hamburger) beef
2 slices bacon
½ onion, chopped
¼ cup jalapeno, sliced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup cactus, chopped, with serrano peppers
1 can whole tomatoes
1 can pinto beans with jalapenos
1 handful baby carrots, quartered
4 potatoes, chopped
1 can corn
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
lime juice (to taste)
Tabasco sauce (to taste)

Cook hamburger with onion, garlic, jalapenos, and cactus. Drain. Cook bacon in sauce pan, add to hamburger mixture. Not, too crispy, it should still be fatty-white. In large stockpan, combine all ingredients and cook for 1 hour, or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Stir occasionally. Add Tabasco and lime juice to taste.


bacon recipe courtesy of: "buffy871" of Longview, Texas, for Frugal Village

1931. MEXICAN PINTOS with BACON and CACTUS

yields ten servings


2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
3 tablespoons salt, divided
3 slices bacon, chopped
2 large flat cactus leaves (nopales)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 slices onion

Place the pinto beans into a slow cooker, and fill to the top with hot water. Add the bacon, 2 tablespoons of salt, jalapeno and onion. Cover, and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, adding water as needed, until beans are tender.

Remove any thorns from the cactus leaves, and slice into small pieces. Place in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of salt, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water for 1 minute. Add to the beans when they are soft, and cook for 15 more minutes on High.


bacon recipe courtesy of: KATZ002 for AllRecipes.com

1715. NOPAL SOUFFLE with BACON, GRUYERE and MANCHEGO CHEESE

serves six


14 small nopals (or 8 medium), rinsed and dried
1 small handful of small onions, or ¼ medium yellow onion
6 eggs
50 grams bacon
1 ½ cups heavy cream
125 grams mixed gruyere and manchego cheese
200 grams (1/2 lb) puff pastry
salt
pepper
nutmeg
½ teaspoon prepared mustard
Equipment: 9-inch cake mold

Red Pepper Sauce:
1 small can roasted red peppers
¾ cup heavy cream
Reserved bacon (from above)

Render the bacon until crispy and reserve the bacon and fat separately. Slice the baby onions very fine and fry in the reserved bacon fat. Roll out the puff pastry until very thin and carefully place in the mold. Finely dice the nopal and place in a large sauté pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly. The nopals will release their “drool” and cook through, be patient. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, seasonings, and mustard until thoroughly combined. Add the cooked nopals, onions, and cheeses and stir. Pour into the mold over the puff pastry and bake at 350°F for 1 hour. You can make this ahead of time and reheat for serving.

For the Red Pepper Cream Sauce: Blend the peppers. Mix with the cream and a drop of milk. Drain and stir in the bacon bits. Pour the sauce over the soufflé and decorate with a flower made of nopals and a tomato in the center.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sophia Brittan and Emma Piper-Burket, Kitchen Caravan: Healthy Online Cooking Show, info@kitchencaravan.com, February 26, 2009