3614. ANGEL HAIR PASTA with BACON, BRUSSELS SPROUTS and MUSHROOMS

makes 4-6 servings


salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 cup pasta water, reserved
1 lb. angel hair pasta
1/2 lb. thick-sliced bacon, cut into lardons
2 cups Brussels sprouts, shaved thinly
2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 sprig rosemary 

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring it to a boil. 

Place a large sauté pan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the bacon with a drizzle of olive oil and toss in the rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally until the bacon begins to get crispy. In the meantime, cook your pasta, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. 

When the bacon is crisp, add mushrooms with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.
Cook for another minute then add the Brussels sprouts. Next add the rosemary, followed by 1 cup of the pasta water. Scrape the bottom of the pan to get any brown bits off then drain your pasta and add it to the pan. Toss to combine everything and finish with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper, the parmesan cheese and a good drizzle of olive oil.


bacon recipe source: Michael Symon, The Chew (@thechew), ABC TV 

3521. MUSHROOM CAPPUCCINO with SAVORY BACON CREAM and PIMENTON MUSHROOM CRISPS

yields eight servings


4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup leeks, white parts only, sliced

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 each garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 cup oyster mushrooms, sliced

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, no stems, sliced

3/4 cup sherry, dry

1/4 each thyme bunch, leaves only

1/2 each tarragon bunch, leaves only

1/8 cup cornstarch, dissolved in ¼ cup of water

4 1/2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

1/2 cup cream

1 teaspoon cocoa powder, ground cinnamon or mushroom powder

Savory bacon cream

3/4 cup cream, 38%

2 each apple smoked bacon slices, cut in 1” strips

Pimentón mushroom crisps
1 pound portabella mushrooms

Olive oil, for brushing

Pimentón, to taste

Kosher or sea salt, to taste


Mushroom cappuccino: Caramelize shitake mushrooms in butter. Deglaze pan with ¼ cup of sherry. Add leeks, onion, and garlic and cook about 8 minutes, until the onion is transparent. Add more sherry if needed to maintain texture and moisture. Meanwhile, heat cream and chicken stock separately. In a separate pan, sauté remaining mushrooms in batches until they are golden and wilted. Lightly salt them to increase release of their liquids. Deglaze sauté pan with sherry or some of the chicken stock to dissolve brown particles stuck on bottom. Add sautéed mushrooms to shitake and onion mixture with fresh herbs. Mix in hot stock and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until mushrooms are tender, about 20 minutes. Add hot cream and season with salt and pepper. While stirring, add cornstarch mixture to thicken, if needed. Working in batches, purée soup in a blender or processor until it is smooth. Return soup to pot. This soup can be prepared ahead of time by covering it and refrigerating it. It can be reheated over low heat before serving.

Savory bacon cream: Combine cream and bacon, place in double boiler for 30 minutes. Strain and chill below 36°F. Remove any firm bacon fat from surface.Using hand held wire whisk, beat cream to a soft peak. Keep it cold until serving.
 
Pimentón mushroom crisps: Preheat oven to 400°F.Hold mushrooms by stems and, using a sharp slicing knife or mandoline, slice each mushroom cap crosswise or horizontally into thin, almost translucent, slices. Reserve stems for another dish. Lay out mushrooms in a single layer on sheet pan (you may require more than one). Brush each mushroom with olive oil and sprinkle with pimentón. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Season with salt, place on a paper towel to drain and serve.

For each serving, to order: Ladle soup into coffee cups or small glasses. Place dollop of bacon cream over soup. Top with cocoa powder or mushroom powder and garnish with a few mushroom crisps.




bacon recipe source: Chef Lars Kronmark, Culinary Institute of America, St. Helena, CA; Mushroom Council, 2880 Zanker Road, Suite 203, San Jose, CA 95134

2880 Zanker Road, Suite 203 San Jose, CA 95134

2880 Zanker Road, Suite 203 San Jose, CA 95134

3248. KALE and GRAPEFRUIT SALAD with WARM BACON and WILD MUSHROOM DRESSING

makes four servings


1 to 2 bunches black kale (about 1 pound), washed, stalks removed, sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for massaging
3 slices thick-cut bacon, roughly chopped
8 ounces wild mushrooms, thinly sliced (such as crimini and chanterelle)
1 medium shallot, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1/4 cup grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 large ruby red grapefruit, cut into segments
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Place kale in a very large bowl. Sprinkle with a couple of pinches of salt and a light drizzle of olive oil. Begin massaging, squeezing fistfuls of the kale and rubbing between your fingers. Once uniformly wilted, set aside and prepare the dressing.

Place a medium saute pan or skillet over medium-low heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring every now and then, until most of the fat has rendered and bacon bits are brown and just crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper-towel lined plate. Pour bacon fat into a measuring cup. If necessary, add enough olive oil to make 1/4 cup. Pour back into pan.

Add the mushrooms, stir to coat in the fat and spread in an even layer. Don’t touch them for 3 to 5 minutes. They will start to soften and sizzle. Now stir and cook, stirring often until they are golden brown around the edges. Stir in the shallots and cook until mixture is browned and aromatic.

Add vinegar, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat off. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the grapefruit juice and 1 tablespoon honey. Mix, taste for seasoning and adjust according to your palate.


bacon recipe source: Florida Department of Citrus, P.O. Box 9010, Bartow, FL 33831-9010; Miami Herald, February 20, 2014

3071. GREENS with BACON, MUSHROOMS and BLUE CHEESE

makes eight servings 


4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1" pieces 
1 small red onion, sliced 1/4" thick 
1/2 pound chanterelles or crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, cut into pieces 
1 garlic clove, finely grated 
1/4 cup red wine vinegar 
2 teaspoons sugar 
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 
8 ounces hearty greens (such as mustard greens, spinach, or baby kale), torn 
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Cook onion in same skillet, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 6–8 minutes, using a slotted spoon, transfer to plate with bacon. Repeat with mushrooms. Remove skillet from heat. Add garlic, vinegar, sugar, and mustard, scraping up browned bits. Whisk in oil; season dressing with salt and pepper. Toss greens, warm dressing, bacon, onion, and mushrooms in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper and top with cheese.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Duane Sorenson, Bon Appétit, October 2013

2983. FUSILLI with BACON, ONIONS and MUSHROOMS

makes four servings


coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
1 large yellow onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (3 cups)
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch slices (3 cups)
3/4 pound fusilli or other short pasta
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint or parsley leaves, chopped
2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese, finely grated (3/4 cup)

While bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, heat oil and bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until bacon fat is rendered and bacon is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add onion and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 8 minutes.

Pushing onion and bacon to edge of skillet, add mushrooms to center, in a single layer as much as possible. Raise heat to medium-high, and cook, without stirring, until mushrooms begin to sizzle and brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle mushrooms with salt, and stir onion and bacon into mushrooms. Cook mixture, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes.

When water boils, add pasta to boiling water, and cook until almost al dente, about 10 minutes (do not drain water). Transfer pasta to skillet using a strainer. Reduce heat to low, and gradually stir in 1 cup pasta water, about 1/2 cup at a time. Toss over low heat until sauce is silky and pasta is well coated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Turn off heat. Stir in mint or parsley, and half the cheese. Season with pepper. Divide among 4 bowls, and top with remaining cheese.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Martha Stewart Living, April 2012

2866. BEEF STEW with BACON

serves six


4 oz. thick-cut bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
3 lb. boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into chunks
3/4 lb. fresh cremini mushrooms, halved if large
1/2 lb. baby carrots
1/2 lb. frozen pearl onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary 

Cook the bacon: In a large fry pan over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off the drippings into a small heatproof bowl, leaving about 1 Tbs. drippings in the pan. Set the pan, reserved drippings and bacon aside.

Brown the beef: In a sealable plastic bag, combine the flour, the 1 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the beef chunks and shake to coat evenly with the flour mixture. Return the fry pan to medium-high heat. When the drippings are hot, add half of the beef chunks and cook, turning once, until well browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining beef chunks, adding the reserved drippings if needed. Scatter the mushrooms, carrots, onions and garlic on top.

Cook the stew: Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the wine, broth and tomato paste. Mix well, bring to a boil and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the pan bottom. Pour the contents of the pan over the vegetables and beef. Cover and cook on the high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours or the low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours. The beef should be very tender. Stir in the reserved bacon and the rosemary. Cook, uncovered, on the high-heat setting for 10 minutes more to thicken the sauce slightly. Season with salt and pepper and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Slow Cooker, by Norman Kolpas; Oxmoor House, 2007

2723. BACON POLENTA with SAUTEED CRIMINI MUSHROOMS and THYME

1/2 cup chopped bacon (about 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and saute the bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towel. Pour out bacon drippings, leaving just 2 tablespoons dripping in the skillet.

Add shallots and saute until just starting to turn brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and slowly whisk in polenta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is soft and thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.

While the polenta is cooking, heat olive oil in another large skillet set over medium heat. Add crimini mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are tender and just starting to brown. Stir in fresh thyme. Remove from heat. Season with freshly ground black pepper and lightly with salt (remember, there will be salt in the polenta from the bacon and the chicken broth).

Just before serving, stir the reserved bacon and Parmesan cheese into the polenta. Divide the mixture across 6 plates (I typically serve this as a side) and top the polenta servings with even amounts of the mushroom mixture. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dara Michalski, Cookin' Canuck, September 1, 2010

2646. SHRIMP and GRITS with MUSHROOMS, PERNOD and APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON

yields eight servings


4 13/15 shrimp, each, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper, to taste
4 ounces grits
2 tablespoons butter, lightly salted (divided into 1tablespoon + 1/2 tablespoon + 1/2 tablespoon)
1 tablespoons parsley, chopped
3 ounces milk
2 tablespoons bacon, fine dice
2 tablespoons leeks, cut in half and washed
2 tablespoons crimini mushrooms, washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces white wine
1 ounce Pernod Liqueur
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon micro greens

In a medium sauté pan add grits and lightly toast, about 1 minute. Slowly add in milk and stir to incorporate completely. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, constantly stirring so not to stick to pan. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and fresh herbs. Reserve. In another medium sauté pan, heat oil over medium heart. Lightly season shrimp and add to pan, lightly sauté turning after 30 seconds. Add white wine and allow to simmer over low heat. Turn off heat, add lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Reserve. In another sauté pan add mushrooms, leeks and bacon and lightly sauté until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Deglaze pan with Pernod and reduce heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter and reserve.

To Plate: Place grits center-loaded on a plate. Arrange shrimp across the grits and pour the mushroom mix over the shrimp. Garnish with micro greens.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kevin Gaudreau, Rocco's Dinner Party, Season 1, Episode 7

2230. BACON, MUSHROOM and BEEF STEW

1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces
3 pounds lean stew meat, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced onion
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups good quality, rich red wine
2-3 cup good quality beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 bag frozen pearl onions, defrosted and drained
1 pound sliced crimini mushrooms
parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Pat meat thoroughly dry with paper towels and set aside. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is beginning to crisp. Remove bacon, and set aside in a medium bowl. When the bacon fat is very hot, but not quite smoking, place about 1/4 of the meat into it, browning quickly on all sides, taking care not to crowd or it won't color well. Continue cooking the meat in this way, until it is all browned, removing the meat from the pan each time and placing it in the same bowl with the bacon. Add the carrot and onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly tender. Remove to the same bowl as the meat and bacon. Drain the fat from the pot. Return the bacon, beef and vegetables to the pan and sprinkle on the flour, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add the wine, broth, tomato paste, garlic, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Place in the oven and cook for 2 1/2-3 hours. While the meat is baking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside. After the stew has cooked for 2 hours, stir in the mushrooms and onions. Return to the oven and continue baking until meat is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Taste for seasoning. At this point, if you are serving immediately, skim any fat from the top, sprinkle with parsley and serve over noodles, mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes. If you are making it ahead, cool to room temperature and refrigerate. When ready to reheat, skim any fat from the top, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, over low heat. This should take about 30 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Alison Needham, on Disney Family.com

1276. SWEETBREAD, BACON and MUSHROOM BROCHETTES

serves eight


1 pound veal sweetbreads, rinsed thoroughly
lightly salted water for soaking
veal or poultry stock to cover
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
1½ tablespoons flour
1½ cups brown veal stock
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1½ tablespoons malt vinegar
salt and black pepper to taste
8 slices lean smoked bacon, precooked until partially done but still pliable, cut into squares
16 medium crimini or button mushroom caps
8 wooden skewers, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, very finely minced
salt and pepper to taste
1½ tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 ounces dry unseasoned breadcrumbs

Soak the sweetbreads in lightly salted water for 2 hours. Drain, place in a saucepan, cover with veal stock, add the lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sweetbreads turn opaque and are firm.

Rinse the sweetbreads under cold running water until cool enough to handle. Remove any gristle and veins and as much membrane as possible.

Place the dressed sweetbreads under a weighted plate for several hours, refrigerated.

Cut the pressed sweetbreads into 1-inch squares and reserve.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the shallots until soft. Add the flour and stir well to form a light roux.

Slowly whisk in the stock and bring to a boil while stirring. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then stir in the capers and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve warm for service.

To assemble the skewers, alternate the sweetbread cubes, bacon squares and mushroom caps on 8 soaked wooden skewers and reserve.

Mix the butter, garlic, salt and pepper, parsley, and thyme together to form a basting mixture.

Brush the skewers with the basting mixture and broil or grill the skewers for 10 minutes, while basting and turning, using medium heat. Place on a platter and allow to rest 5 minutes.

Place the breadcrumbs in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add any remaining basting butter to the crumbs and sauté the crumbs to lightly brown.

For each serving, remove the wooden skewer and place the sweetbreads, mushrooms, and bacon on a small plate. Dust with browned breadcrumbs. Top with warm caper sauce.


courtesy of: The Appetizer Atlas: A World of Small Bites by Arthur L. Meyer and Jon M. Vann. Wiley, 2003

1128. WILD MUSHROOM FETTUCINE with PARMESAN ROSEMARY and BACON

4 strips of bacon
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 oz grated Parmesan cheese
1 quart heavy whipping cream
2 cups assorted mushrooms like portobello, shiitake, crimini, oyster, washed and sliced
3 oz butter
1 oz fresh chopped garlic
2 lb cooked fettuccine noodles

Cut the bacon into thin strips and add to a large pot with about 2 tablespoons water. After the water has evaporated continue cooking on low-med heat till the bacon crisps and the grease get foamy. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and reserve on a plate with a paper towel. Add the butter, garlic and the mushrooms to the pot with the bacon drippings and stir occasionally cooking about 4-6 minutes or till the mushrooms look too good not to eat. Add the cream and simmer for about 5-6 minutes on high heat to reduce until thickened. While the cream is reducing, strip the leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary and chop it up very fine. Drop the cooked fettuccine noodles in the cream mix, add the chopped rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 bowls, Sprinkle a copious amount of parmesan cheese on and garnish with the remaining rosemary sprigs and the crispy bacon strips.


courtesy of: Chef 2 Chef: Culinary Portal

987. BAKED GEMELLI with CRIMINI MUSHROOMS, BACON, SAVOY CABBAGE, PEARL ONIONS and FONTINA

makes 4 servings


1 pound gemelli pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoons salt
1/2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons
3/4 cup grated Fontina cheese
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound thick cut bacon, cubed
1 cup red pearl onions, halved
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups Savoy cabbage, chopped
parsley and additional Parmesan for garnish, if desired

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large saucepan and stir in flour, salt and pepper, and whisk in milk. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to slightly thicken sauce, for about five minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in cheeses and stir until melted.

Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook bacon until crispy, then remove and place on paper towels, leaving excess oil in skillet. Add onions to skillet and cook till tender. Add mushrooms and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms become red-brown on one side. Flip mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes more, until other side is same color. Add cabbage and about 2 tablespoons water and steam till soft. Return bacon to skillet, stir in sauce and cook till hot.

Add cooked, drained pasta to skillet and stir. Transfer mixture to an oven-proof dish, top with 2 tablespoons Parmesan and bake until sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes.

Serve garnished with parsley and additional Parmesan, if desired.


courtesy of: Tom Colicchio, head chef/owner of Craft Restaurants / The Mushroom Council

837. MUSHROOM BACON RAVIOLI

makes 4 servings


1/2 cup button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup bacon bits
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup water

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté garlic until tender. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the bacon bits and allow mixture to cool. Sift together flour and salt in a bowl. Mix together eggs and oil and mix into the flour with your hands. Add water bit by bit as necessary to form into a satiny ball of dough. Quarter the dough and place one piece on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough thin enough that you can see the table through it or can see through it when held up to the light. Repeat with a second piece of dough. Place a teaspoon of prepared mushroom filling about an inch from the upper edges of one of the rectangles. Continue spooning mushroom filling as if the rectangle were divided in a grid and you were placing the mixture in the middle of each square. Layer the other piece of dough over top. Seal the top edges togehttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifther and work your way down, sealing around the mushroom mixture to form pockets. Cut into squares to form ravioli and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Boil ravioli in salted water for 6-8 minutes to serve.


courtesy of: Ken Sloan, Montreal, Quebec, Canada / A Food Year

522. CRIMINI MUSHROOM SPREAD with BACON

Makes 2 1/2 cups


4 slices bacon
1/2 oz. dried Criminis, rehydrated
1 chopped medium onion
1 minced clove garlic
2 Tbls. flour
8 oz. cream cheese
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook bacon until crisp. Cook mushrooms, onion and garlic in 2 teaspoons of drippings until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add cubed cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Heat and stir until cheese is melted. Stir in sour cream and crumbled bacon. Heat but do not boil. Serve on rye bread rounds, crackers, and melba toast.


courtesy of: FungusAmongUs, P.O. Box 352, Snohomish, Washington, 98291, 360-568-3403

437. GARLIC ESCARGOT with GOAT CHEESE, FENNEL, and BACON-STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Yield: 6 servings


18 large button or crimini mushroom caps, about 2-inches in diameter, wiped clean
3 (7-ounce) cans snails, well rinsed under cold running water and drained

Garlic Compound Butter:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 cayenne
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Goat Cheese, Fennel and Bacon Stuffing:
4 slices smoked bacon, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fennel
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onions
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Pinch salt

Hot French Bread, for dipping

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread the mushrooms, stem side up, on a baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes. Turn and continue roasting until tender, about another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the butter, garlic, lemon, salt, pepper and cayenne on high speed for 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the parsley. Transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a tight log, about 1-inch in diameter. Refrigerate until hard, about 1 hour.

In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until beginning to brown and the fat is rendered, about 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Cook the fennel and onions in the fat until soft, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and spread on a plate to cool.

In a bowl combine the goat cheese with the bread crumbs, pepper, garlic, thyme and salt. Add the cooled fennel-onion mixture and bacon, and mix well. Re-season as needed with salt and pepper.

Place 6 small, round baking dishes on a baking sheet. Place 3 mushroom caps, stem sides up, flat in the bottom of each baking dish. Place 1 snail inside each mushroom, and 3 snails in the dish between the mushrooms. Top each mushroom cap with about 2 teaspoons of the goat cheese mixture. Cut the compound butter log into thin slices and lay the slices across the baking dish, covering the snails and mushrooms. Bake until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to broil and cook until the cheese begins to turn golden brown around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes.

Carefully remove from the oven and serve immediately with hot French bread for dipping into the butter.


courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, Emeril Live, "Canada By The Sea" episode