3782. STEAMED MUSSELS in a CREOLE MUSTARD, BACON and COGNAC CREAM SAUCE

Yield: 4 servings

6 ounces bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons Creole or other whole grain mustard
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
1/4 cup cognac
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus additional for garnish
Crusty bread, for serving

Set a very large saute pan over medium heat and render the bacon in the pan until crispy, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside on a paper-lined plate to drain. Add the shallots to the pan and saute, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 30 seconds. Raise the heat to medium-high and deglaze the pan with the white wine. Reduce the wine until nearly evaporated, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mustard, cream, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring the pan to a boil. Add the mussels, cognac and parsley to the pan and stir once, cover with a lid, and cook until the mussels just begin to open, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid, stir the mussels, and return the bacon to the pan.

Serve in a very large, deep bowl, with a thick slice of crusty bread and more parsley for garnish.

bacon recipe source: Emeril Lagasse, "Cookin' with Spirits," Emeril Live, Food Network, 2004

3610. CAJUN CATFISH HONEY DIJON with BACON POTATO SALAD

serves four


Cajun Catfish
4 catfish fillets
½ cup fish breading
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
1½ to 2 cups frying oil

Honey Dijon Bacon Potato Salad
5 cups baby Yukon gold potatoes, cooked and quartered
1 medium red onion, diced
1½ cups celery, diced
1 cup bacon, cooked, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste

Potato salad: Combine all ingredients and mix well. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Cover and refrigerate.

Catfish: Combine fish breading and Creole seasoning in shallow bowl. Coat catfish in breading, lightly shaking off any excess. In large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Fry catfish until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Place on paper towel to drain. Serve immediately with potato salad.


bacon recipe source: Viking Range, LLC (@VikingRange), Greenwood, Mississippi; The Catfish Institute, Jackson, Mississippi

2109. CRAWFISH SWEET POTATO CHOWDER with BACON and ROASTED CHILES

makes eight servings


1 large red bell pepper
4 large poblano peppers
1 large jalapeño pepper
6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
2 cups onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken stock
2 cups half and half
1 cup whole milk
1 can mashed sweet potatoes, 15.5 ounces
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 15 ounce can sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
1 1/2 pounds crawfish tails

Garnishes:
parmesan croutons
bacon pieces from above recipe
chopped scallions

Place bell, poblano, and jalapeño peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and place under oven broiler on top rack. Turn peppers so that all sides blister and blacken. Remove peppers from the oven, place in a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap so that the peppers steam. When peppers have cooled enough to handle, remove the blackened skins, stems, seeds and ribs and chop coarsely. Set aside.

In a 6-quart, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, cook bacon over low heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. (Bacon will be part of the garnish.)

In remaining bacon fat, add onion, celery and garlic and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken stock until flour mixture is smoothly incorporated into the stock. Add half and half, milk, mashed sweet potatoes and roasted peppers. Add salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, paprika, mustard, and Worchestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Add diced sweet potatoes and crawfish and allow to heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Just before serving, garnish with Parmesan croutons, bacon and scallions.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Penelope Malcolm, Americus, Georgia, 1st Place Winner (Soups Category), Sweet Rewards Recipe Contest, Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission and Louisiana Cookin Magazine

1269. BACON-WRAPPED CHICKEN REMOULADE

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lb. thinly sliced bacon
2 cups of dry white wine
1/2 cup feta cheese

Remoulade Sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons Creole whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process for 30 seconds or until blended. Use immediately or store, will keep for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Wash chicken and pat dry, dust both sides with dry rub and rub into each breast. Wrap each breast with 2 slices of bacon and place in skillet and brown on all side, (don not cook completely). Place browned breasts in backing dish and pour the Remoulade Sauce

And white wine. Let stand in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat over to 375, cook chicken until done, about an hour.

Pour remaining juices from pan into a sauce pan, bring to a boil, in a cup of water add 1 tbs of corn starch and stir until smooth, pour corn starch mix into sauce a little at a time and stir to combine, until it reaches the desired thinness.

Slice cooked breast and place over pasta or rice, spoon on sauce. For a bit of a twist add crumbled feta cheese to finish off the plating.


courtesy of: Keith's Family Recipes, Greenwell Springs, Louisiana

1260. QUAIL and SPINACH SALAD with HONEY MUSTARD and BACON DRESSING

Spinach Salad

1 smoked quail per person
1 handful spinach per person
sliced mushrooms, julienned green apples, and red onions for garnish


Hot Honey Mustard and Bacon Dressing

1 cup Creole mustard or coarse-grained tarragon mustard
½ cup Hudson's champagne herb vinegar
½ cup honey
1 cup bacon, diced into bits

Cook the bacon in a single layer, drain and crumble. Mix the bacon, vinegar, ½ cup honey and mustard together in a saucepan and bring to a light simmer.


Honey Cilantro Ginger Glaze

1-1/2 cups honey
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup fresh ginger, minced
¼ cup garlic, minced
¼ cup shallots, minced
2 bunches cilantro, leaves only
Salt and pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon minimum
¼ lb. sweet butter

Combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat; simmer for 4 minutes. Hold on warm, at 180º or less.

Smoke quail. This can be done earlier in the day. Re-warm quail in a 250º oven for 5 minutes after dipping it in the glaze.

To assemble salad, toss hot dressing onto cold spinach, ¼ cup per salad.

Garnish with sliced mushrooms, julienned apples, and red onions.

Dip quail in glaze one more time. Rest quail, glazed and hot, atop the wilted spinach salad.


courtesy of: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, 200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744, (800) 792-1112

1237. BOSTON BIBB SALAD with ROASTED ACORN SQUASH, GEORGIA PECANS, BLUE CHEESE and WARM BACON-BROWN SUGAR VINAIGRETTE

yields 6 large salads


1 recipe Warm Bacon-Brown Sugar Vinaigrette, recipe follows
1 large acorn squash, quartered and seeded
1 large yellow onion, peeled and both ends trimmed
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large heads Bibb lettuce
3/4 cup cooked black-eyed peas, drained
3/4 cup roasted pecan pieces
6 ounces crumbled blue cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the acorn squash halves and onion on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and rub with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast until the squash is just tender and lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the squash to a plate to cool and return the onion to the oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the onion goes in easily, about 20 minutes longer. Remove and set aside to cool completely along with the squash. When cooled, remove the skin from the squash and cut into large dice. Cut the onion into julienne and reserve separately.

Cut each head of Bibb lettuce in half and place each half, cut side up, onto a large salad or a dinner plate. Press lightly on the lettuce to flatten and open up the leaves a bit. Divide the diced squash, julienned onion, black-eyed peas, pecans, and blue cheese evenly among the tops of the salads. Drizzle the warm vinaigrette over the tops of the salads, season lightly with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.


Warm Bacon-Brown Sugar Vinaigrette:

yields 1 cup


1/2 cup (6 ounces) diced smoked bacon, cooked until crisp, drained (about 6 thick-cut slices)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Creole mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat gently until sugar is melted, about 2 minutes. Serve warm over salad.


courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, "Emeril's Atlanta," Emeril Live, 2006