2198. WILTED MESCLUN and CHEVRE with ROASTED TOMATO and BACON VINAIGRETTE

3 cups mixed greens and 3 cups baby spinach combined in a large bowl
1 small red onion, peeled and sliced 1/2″ thick
4 strips bacon, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 large heirloom tomato, cut in half
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1/4 cup combination of chopped parsley and thyme
3 ounces of crumbled Ile de France goat chevre plus extra for garnish

For the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
1/4 cup roasted tomato skins
3/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup walnut oil or olive oil
2 tsp honey
1 tsp dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium sized bowl, toss together heirloom tomato, first part of olive oil, chopped garlic and herbs, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. When thoroughly covered with herbs and oil, place tomatoes on a baking pan, reserving the leftover oil, herbs and garlic in the bowl for the vinaigrette. Place pan in oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until skins are wrinkled. When finished, remove tomatoes from oven and let cool, 6 minutes. Carefully peel the skin and reserve for the vinaigrette.

While the tomatoes are roasting, in a medium sized skillet on medium heat, render the fat from the chopped bacon by cooking, 8 minutes. When bacon is crisp and cooked, remove from pan to a paper towel. Retain at least 2 tablespoons of bacon fat, and while the pan is still at medium heat, cook onions until soft, 10 minutes. Remove onions from pan and set aside. Continuing the pan on medium heat, add sherry and apple cider vinegar, reduce and heat through, 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

In a food processor, add crumbled, cooked bacon, roasted tomato skins, heated sherry and apple cider vinegar and pulse until bacon and skins are rendered to tiny pieces. Add mustard, pulse. While processing, slowly drizzle oil into vinegar blend until fully integrated. Add reserved tomato marinade, pulse. Add honey and pulse. Salt and pepper to taste. When completed, pour finished vinaigrette into a medium sized pan over medium heat and heat through until vinaigrette is gently bubbling. Remove quickly and set aside.

Add cooked onions and goat cheese to the mixed greens and toss gently. Add half of the heated vinaigrette to the greens and fold continuously. Add rest of vinaigrette, if necessary, until all of the greens are lightly coated with vinaigrette and slightly softened. Pile greens on a plate, top with roasted tomato, and add additional goat cheese for garnish.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cynthia, Cook of Ages, September 30, 2008

1934. SPRING ONION QUICHE with CHEVRE and BACON

1 pie crust (unbaked)
4-6 spring onions, chopped
5-7 strips bacon
6-8 eggs
1/2 cup cream (or milk)
4 oz. goat cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook bacon in skillet. Remove and drain. Use about 1 Tbsp. of the bacon grease to sautee the spring onions. Beat eggs, milk and goat cheese together. Crumble bacon and put it in the bottom of pie crust. Add sauteed onions. Pour egg mixture over bacon and onions. Bake until done, about 40 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Christine Hurtt, Horse & Buggy Produce Recipes, May 4, 2010

1116. FRIED GREEN TOMATOES with CREAM, BACON and CILANTRO

serves 4—6


3 slices of bacon
4 medium green (unripe) tomatoes
5 ounce log of chevre
1 cup fine ground cornmeal
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Fry the bacon in heavy skillet until it is golden brown. Transfer it to absorbant paper. Cut and discard the stem and blossom ends of the tomatoes and cut each tomato into 1/2" thick slices. Let the sliced tomatoes rest on absorbant paper or a tea towel. Slice the goat cheese into thin rounds and set it aside. Mix together the cornmeal, salt and pepper and dredge each slice of tomato in the mixture. Drain off all but 4 tablespoons of bacon fat and fry tomatoes in the fat over medium heat until the cornmeal browns, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. After turning once, top each slice of tomato with a round of goat cheese and place the pan in a 300 degree oven. Crumble the bacon. After 5 minutes, remove the tomatoes from the oven and transfer them to a warmed serving plate. Working quickly, pour the cream into the frying pan, place it over medium heat, and swirl the pan until the cream is hot but not boiling. Taste and season with a pinch of kosher salt and a few turns of black pepper. Strain the sauce directly onto the platter of tomatoes. Sprinkle the cilantro and crumbled bacon over the surface and serve immediately.


courtesy of: The Good Cook's Book of Tomatoes by Michele Anna Jordan, Da Capo Press, 1996

1059. DRIED PLUMS with BACON and FRESH GOAT CHEESE

serves 12


12 pitted dried plums
5 1/3 ounces goat cheese, divided into 12 equal portions
3 slices bacon, each cut into 2-inch pieces (to total 12 pieces)

For each dried plum, make a lengthwise slit and spoon a portion of cheese into slit; wrap with a piece of bacon. Secure bacon with wooden pick; arrange on rack in broiler pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat 6 to 8 minutes or until browned and barely crisp, turning once. Serve hot or warm.


courtesy of: Georgeanne Brennan / California Dried Plum Board, 3840 Rosin Court, Suite 170, Sacramento, California 95834, (916) 565-6232

947. PORCINI, APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON and CHEVRE TART

8 ounces fresh porcini (or other wild mushrooms)
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
4 slices of applewood smoked bacon (cooked, drained, and chopped)
4 ounces chevre
Sea salt and fresh pepper to taste
2 sheets puff pastry
Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1/4 cup milk)

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme and cook until slightly golden, then add mushrooms. Continue to cook until mushrooms have released their liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Cool and refrigerate.

Roll out 2 sheets of puff pastry into two 12-inch circles. Spread the mushroom mixture in center of 1 pastry circle, leaving a 1-inch edge. Crumble chevre evenly over the mushroom mixture, and sprinkle the chopped bacon over the chevre. Baste the 1-inch edge with egg wash and place the remaining pastry sheet on top.

Pinch and roll the 2 edges together in a circular motion, making sure to get a good seal. Decorate the top sheet by gently scoring the surface with a sharp knife in any design you like, making sure to poke a hole in the middle for ventilation. Baste the whole tart with egg wash and bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Cut into wedges to serve, garnished with fresh thyme sprigs.


courtesy of: Chef Jeffrey Neumeier, Brewery Gulch Inn Bed and Breakfast, 9401 Coast Highway One North, Mendocino, California 95460

946. POTATO CHIPS with CHEVRE, PEPPER JELLY and BACON

serves 12


6 ounces sliced bacon
36 thick-cut potato chips
5 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sweet red pepper jelly
1 tablespoon snipped chives

In a large skillet, cook the sliced bacon over high heat until crisp. Drain, cool and crumble the bacon. Arrange the potato chips on a serving platter. Spread or pipe 1 teaspoon of the goat cheese onto each potato chip. Top with a small dollop of the pepper jelly, sprinkle with the bacon and chives and serve right away.


courtesy of: Grace Parisi, "Thanksgiving in Your 20s, 40s, 60s," Food & Wine, November, 2007

833. BIBB SALAD with PISTACHIOS, CHEVRE and BACON and POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE

yields 4 servings


2 heads Bibb lettuce, leaves separated, rinsed well and blotted dry
1 cup pomegranate vinaigrette (recipe follows)
¼ cup, crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
¼ cup pistachios, toasted
4 tablespoons Chevre or other mild goat cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds

Toss lettuce with enough vinaigrette to coat leaves. Assemble on plate to resemble a head of lettuce and sprinkle with bacon, chevre, pistachios and pepper. Top with pomegranate seeds.


Pomegranate Vinaigrette

yields 1 cup

1 tablespoon shallots, minced
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¾ cup canola oil
Kosher salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

Combine first 5 ingredients in bowl and whisk to blend, drizzling in oil until vinaigrette emulsifies and turns slightly creamy and thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


courtesy of: Paul Constantine, Café Caprice, Austin, Texas, 900 W 10th Street, Austin, Texas 78703-4928, (512) 477-5576

831. BACON ASPARAGUS PIZZA

5 thick slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 unbaked pizza crust
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup chopped fresh asparagus
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1 (11 ounce) log fresh chevre (goat cheese)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for a few minutes to release most of the grease, but do not cook until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Spread the pizza crust out on a pizza pan or large baking sheet. Top with mozzarella cheese, bacon pieces, asparagus, and tomatoes. Dot with goat cheese, then season with red pepper flakes and black pepper. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden brown underneath when you lift it up to take a peek. Let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.


courtesy of: luandian.net