3210. BACON CHOCOLATE SABLE COOKIES

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
12 strips high-quality uncured bacon, cooked until crisp and drained of fat

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together. Set aside.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the dry ingredients, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek—if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough—for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don't be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces and bacon, and mix only to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you've frozen the dough, you needn't defrost it before baking—just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer.)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Using a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. (The rounds are likely to crack as you're cutting them—don't be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes—they won't look done, nor will they be firm, but that's just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature. 


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sarah, broma bakery, March 13, 2012; adapted from Dorie Greenspan's World Peace Cookies, Baking: From My Home to Yours (Houghton Mifflin, 2006)

3118. BACON, CHEESE and SCALLION CRACKERS

makes 40 crackers


1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
⅓ cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese
¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
5 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped finely
3 scallions, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, leaves only
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup heavy cream
fleur de sel or sea salt, for sprinkling

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, grated cheese, cubed butter, bacon, scallions, thyme, and salt until coarse crumbs form. Gradually add in the heavy cream, until the dough comes together (you may not need to use all of the cream). Alternatively, you can do all of this with clean hands or a pastry cutter if you don’t have a food processor. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface until it’s ½-inch thick or ¼-inch thick, completely depending upon your preference and how many crackers you want to make. Cut out the crackers with a cookie cutter, a shot glass, or whatever else you like. Sprinkle them with fleur de sel or sea salt and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-11 minutes, until golden and firm. Allow to cool completely before serving. 


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Crepes of Wrath, July 18, 2011

2392. DRIED MUSHROOM-CRUSTED LAMB with BACON and ZUCCHINI-ROBIOLA RISOTTO

serves 2-4


2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped white onions
3 slices bacon, chopped
3 ounces uncooked orzo
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
4 baby zucchini, chopped
2 tablespoons double crème Robiola
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 pound lamb loin, trimmed
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dried black trumpet mushroom or wild mushroom dust (made by grinding dried mushrooms in a coffee grinder or hand-held spice grinder)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, mint or chervil
Fleur de sel

Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make the risotto, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add onions and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp. Stir in orzo and cook for 1 minute more. Add half of the chicken stock and simmer, stirring constantly, until liquid has evaporated. Stir in remaining stock and zucchini and simmer, continuing to stir constantly, until orzo is tender and liquid is almost evaporated. Add Robiola and tomato and stir until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Add lamb and cooking, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown on all sides. Set skillet aside. Transfer black trumpet mushroom dust to a large plate and set aside. When lamb is just cool enough to handle, brush all over with Dijon mustard, then roll in mushroom dust to coat. Roast in oven for 5 to 6 minutes, or until done to your liking. Transfer to a cutting board, set aside to let rest for five minutes, then slice.

To serve, spoon orzo onto the center of a serving platter. Arrange lamb around orzo and garnish with herbs and a pinch or two of fleur de sel.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Stephen Lewandowski, Tribeca Grill, 375 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, for Whole Foods Market

2241. MOZZARELLA SOUP with ANISE TOAST and BACON OIL

For the bacon oil:
200 g bacon, uncooked
vegetable oil

Cut the bacon in small pieces and put in a pan. Cover the bacon with the vegetable oil and heat to a simmer (don't boil) for about 40 min. Remove the pan from the stove, cover with cling film and let stand at room temperature over night. Reheat the oil the next day for about 40 min again - strain trough a very fine sieve. Remove most of the fat form the bacon and dice the remaining meat, distribute in four soup cups


For the anise toast:
1 toastbread, whole
2 teaspoons anisseed, ground
some pastis
fleur de sel

Remove the crust of the bread and cut lengthwise in to long sticks. Toast the bread on all sides just before serving. Brush with some pastis, sprinkle with aniseed and fleur de sel


For the soup:
1 shallot
1/2 teaspoon butter
5 mozzarella di bufala balls - cut in medium size pieces
8 dl cream (50% fat)
2 dl milk
salt and white pepper

Sweat the shallot in a medium sized pan with the butter, without letting the shallot take color. Add the milk and cream, bring to a boil and reduce the heat until you reached 50C. Add the cheese and slowly(!) let it melt. Season. Strain before serving to remove the unmelted mozzarella. Drizzle some bacon oil on the soup and serve with the anise


bacon recipe courtesy of: Philippe Berthoud, Philippe's Recipes, February 1, 2011

1911. PEANUT BRITTLE with BACON, CHOCOLATE and FLEUR DE SEL

makes about 2 cups


½ cup butter
½ cup brown rice syrup
3 strips organic bacon, about 3 tablespoons chopped finely
3.5 ounces 70% dark chocolate
1/3 cup roasted peanuts
few pinches fleur de sel

In a heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter. Then add the brown rice syrup and bring to a simmer or medium high heat stirring with a wooden spoon frequently.

Once the mixture starts to pull away from the sides of the pot, using a spoon place a drop in a glass of cold water to test if it hardens. Once it does, you know it’s done. Watch over it carefully as it will start to burn quickly. Add the bacon bits and peanuts and stir until combined.

Spread the mixture over a silpat or parchment lined sheet pan so that it is no more than 1/8 inch thick. Allow to set in a cool place.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate over low heat. Once the toffee has set, pour the chocolate over the toffee and spread in a thin layer overtop, sprinkle with fleur de sel and cool in the refrigerator. Once set, break into smaller pieces and enjoy!


bacon recipe courtesy of: Colombe Jacobsen-Derstine, Colombe du jour, January 8, 2010

1905. SEARED SCALLOPS with BACON, TOMATO and AVOCADO PUREE

serves two to four


2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar or corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium Hass avocado, pitted
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Brown Butter, cooled
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch-long pieces
6 to 8 sea scallops
1 tablespoon butter
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup red or yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
2 lovage leaves or celery leaves, torn
Fleur de sel

In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, agave nectar, vanilla, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in extra-virgin olive oil, while continuing to whisk, until an emulsion has formed. Set vinaigrette aside.

Remove flesh from avocado and place in the jar of a blender along with 1 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, olive oil, and brown butter; blend until smooth.

Place bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon, turning, until fat has been rendered, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from skillet; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Pour off bacon fat from skillet and discard. Return skillet to stove and place over high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Sear scallops 1 minute, add butter and turn scallops; sear 1 minute more. Remove pan from heat.

Spread a spoonful of avocado puree on each serving plate. Divide scallops evenly between plates; drizzle with vinaigrette. In a medium bowl, add bacon, tomatoes, lovage, and remaining vinaigrette; toss to combine. Divide evenly between plates, season with fleur de sel, and serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Elizabeth Falkner, The Martha Stewart Show, May 2008

838. CHEDDAR RAVIOLI with CABBAGE and BACON

Ravioli:
2 strips bacon
olive oil
fleur de sel
8 (4 by 4-inch) sheets pasta
1 egg white
4 ounces cheddar
1 teaspoon dried juniper berries, finely chopped
2 leaves cabbage

Beef Sauce:
1/2 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Mold the strips of bacon into a circular disk shape, then bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with olive oil and fleur de sel. Brush 1 side of the pasta sheets with egg white. Cut out 1-inch squares of cheese and place in the center of the pasta sheet. Sprinkle juniper berry and black pepper on top. Seal the pasta with another sheet and press the edges together firmly. Use a 3-inch diameter circular cookie cutter to remove edges of the pasta to make the ravioli shape. Cook the raviolis for 5 minutes in boiling water and drain. Using a small pot, add the beef stock and season with olive oil and pepper. Bring to a boil. Create a cylinder shape using 1 cabbage leaf. Finely chop the other cabbage leaf and place in the center of the cabbage cylinder. To plate, place 2 raviolis on 1 side, and the cabbage on the other side. Wedge a disk of bacon in the cabbage. Garnish with beef sauce.

Coriander Sauce:
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine all ingredients.


courtesy of: Chef Laurent Sturbois Hyatt, Paris, France / Follow That Food, Episode FLFTF-150F, Fine Living