2261. SNAILS with BACON and MUSHROOMS

250 grams snails
50 grams cepes (boletus edulis mushrooms)
80 grams fresh bacon
1 big onion
3 garlic cloves
2 branches fresh thyme
salt
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

First clean, wash and boil the snails as said in this post. Now, cover the surface of a pan with olive oil, when hot, add the bacon in dices. When golden, add the boiled snails (only the snails, not the water you used) and stir for 8 minutes at medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and black ground pepper. Take the snails and bacon out of the pan and reserve in a plate. In the same oil, cook the onion (chopped) until it gets transparent. Add a branch of thyme. Stir and pull it out after 3 minutes. Add the cepes cut in dices to the pan with the onion. Stir for 3 more minutes at medium heat. Pour the snails and bacon back to the pan and cook for 20 minutes approximately at medium/low heat. Stir now and then. Mince the garlic, add to the snails and turn the heat off when fragrant.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Spanish Recipes: easy to cook pic by pic, October 29, 2009

877. VEAL KIDNEY with ONION, SMOKED BACON and CEPS

makes 4 servings


1 very white veal rognon
2 large onions
2 slices of smoked bacon
6 tablespoons cream
3 tablespoons cognac
3 tablespoons chicken stock or water
6 tablespoons butter
3 1/2 oz. ceps (porcini)
flat leaf parsley
salt and pepper

Peel and wash the onions; hollow them out as you would for a stuffed tomato. Reserve the top and trimmings. Cook the onions in lightly salted simmering water for 6 minutes. Drain and sauté gently in a skillet with butter, salt and pepper for 5 minutes. Peel and wash the ceps (porcini); slice them and sauté them in butter. Keep warm. Sear the kidney in butter for 6 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Degrease the pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the cognac. Add the onion trimmings; deglaze with chicken stock or water. Cook for 3 minutes and add the cream. Cook the smoked bacon in an ungreased pan; set aside. Spoon some sauce onto the plates; place an onion in the center and fill with the ceps. Halve the kidney lengthwise and place on the onion along with the bacon; replace the top of the onion. Garnish with flat leaf parsley.


courtesy of: Henri Charvet, Le Comte de Gascogne, Boulogne sur Seine

773. BRAISED OXTAIL with CEPES, SALSIFY, BACON and BEEF MARROWBONE

serves eight


8 medium-large pieces oxtail
3 tablespoons plain flour
Sea salt and pepper
150ml vegetable oil
60 grams butter
30 button onions, peeled
100 grams smoked bacon, cut into lardons
500 grams fresh cèpes, sliced lengthways
Small bunch thyme
1 bottle red wine
1 liter white chicken stock
10 sticks salsify
8 pieces bone marrow, 7.5cm tall

Season the oxtail and lightly flour, using 2tbs of flour.

Place a large casserole on to a medium heat and add the oil then the oxtail and colour all over, turning the oxtail on all sides every few minutes until golden brown. This should take no more than 10 minutes.

Remove oxtail from the pan and place on a tray. Add 25g butter then add the peeled button onions and lardons together and cook for 4-5 minutes on a low to medium heat until nicely golden. Remove and put on to the tray. Add another 10g butter to the pan and, when almost golden, add the cèpes and turn the heat up a little so they colour well. Season, and when evenly coloured all over, return the onions and bacon to the pan. After a few minutes add three-quarters of the thyme and the rest of the flour and cook for a couple of minutes more. Add the red wine and 750ml of the chicken stock. Return the oxtail to the pan, bring to a simmer and skim off any scum. Put into a 170°C oven for two hours - or longer - until the meat comes away from the bone.

Meanwhile, peel the salsify, wash and cut into 4-5cm batons. Place a sauté pan on a medium heat with the rest of the butter. Add the salsify and remaining thyme and a little seasoning. Move around the pan for 10 minutes until golden brown. Add the rest of the chicken stock and cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes so the stock will reduce slowly and glaze the salsify at the same time. Put the marrowbone into the oven for the last 20 minutes with a little sea salt on it.

To serve, put a piece of oxtail at the front of each plate with the sauce and bacon over it and the bone marrow behind.


courtesy of: Tom Aikens Cooking, by Tom Aikens. Ebury Press, 2005

536. CREAMY PUMPKIN and MUSHROOM SOUP with BACON

a.k.a. Veloute de Potiron et de Cepes


1 lb. cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
1 small potato
1.5 oz. dried cepes (porcini mushrooms)
1 celery branch (w/leaves)
1 chicken bouillon cube
1-1/2 Tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
4 Tablespoons heavy cream

To Garnish the Soup:
1/2 cup heavy cream
poppy seeds
2 slices of bacon
celery leaves or parsley stems

Cut the pumpkin/squash, celery and potato into cubes. Reserve the celery leaves for garnish.

Cover the porcini with hot water.

In a large casserole, melt the butter.

Add the pumpkin, celery.

Drain the mushrooms and add them to the casserole.

Sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes.

Pour in 8 cups of hot water, the bouillon cube and season with salt and pepper. Add the potato and simmer for about 20 minutes. The pumpkin and potato should be tender.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. If using a blender, puree in batches. Return the soup to the pot and keep warm while preparing the garnish. 9. Microwave or fry the bacon.

Whip the cream, adding a bit of salt, to soft peaks.

To serve: Pour the soup into 4 bowls. Cut the bacon in half. Add a dollop of the whipped cream, a bacon slice and sprinkle with the poppy seeds.


courtesy of: Chef Françoise Meunier, 7, rue Paul-Lelong 75002, Paris, France

350. CORSICAN BEEF STEW with BACON and MACARONI

serves 4


1 oz. dried mushrooms (cepes or porcini)
6 garlic cloves
2 lb. stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
4 oz. thick bacon, cut into strips
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced
1-1/4 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons passata
pinch of ground cinnamon
sprig of rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 cups large macaroni
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt
ground black pepper

Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain, set the mushrooms aside and reserve the liquid. Cut three of the garlic cloves into thin strips and insert into the pieces of beef by making little slits with a sharp knife. Push the bacon into the beef with the garlic. Season the meat with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, add half the beef and brown well on all sides. Repeat with the remaining beef. Transfer to a plate. Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook until lightly browned. Crush the remaining garlic and add to the onions with the meat.

Stir in the white wine, mushrooms, cinnamon rosemary and bay leaf and with salt and pepper. Cook gently for about 30 minutes, stirring often. Strain the mushroom liquid and add to the stew with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer very gently for 3 hours, until the meat is very tender.

Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling, salted water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Lift the pieces of meat out of the gravy and transfer to a warmed serving platter. Drain the pasta and layer in a bowl with the gravy and cheese. Serve with the meat.


courtesy of: Country Mediterranean Cooking, by Jacqueline Clark and Joanna Farrow.