3979. SPINACH SALAD with MUSTARD CURRY VINAIGRETTE and BACON

1 – 10 Oz. Package Washed Baby Spinach

1 Recipe Candied Pecans (recipe below)

1 Recipe Mustard Curry Vinaigrette (recipe below)

12 Strips Bacon

Fry the bacon until crisp and lay it out on a paper towel. Pat the excess fat with more paper towels. Keep in a warm place until ready to serve.

Place the spinach attractively and evenly onto salad bowls. Top the salad with salad dressing, to taste. Sprinkle the candied pecans evenly over the salads. Cross two pieces of warm bacon on top of each of the salads. Serve while bacon is still warm.

CANDIED PECANS

1 Cup Pecan Halves

¼ Cup Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Butter

Heat the brown sugar and butter until it is very hot and starts to bubble. Add in the pecans. Shake and toss the pecans in the sugar mixture until coated evenly and most of the mixture has disappeared. Pour the nuts onto a buttered piece of parchment. Separate the nuts with a spoon while they are still very hot.

MUSTARD CURRY VINAIGRETTE

1 tsp. Dry Mustard

2 tsp. Dijon Style Mustard

1 Tbsp. Honey

1 Tbsp. Water

1 Tbsp. Madras Curry Powder

⅓ Cup Red Wine Vinegar

⅔ Cup Olive Oil

Whisk together the dry mustard, dijon mustard, honey, curry powder and water. Whisk the red wine into the mixture. Whisk the olive oil into the mixture.

bacon recipe source: Euphemia Haye Restaurant & Haye Loft (@EuphemiaHaye), 5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, Florida 34228

3925. MAPLE BACON WRAPPED ANDOUILLE BITES

Serves: 30


1 lb andouille sausage
1 lb thin sliced maple flavored bacon
1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, packed
3 Tbs stone ground mustard
3 Tbs sherry vinegar, or any type of wine vinegar
¼ C maple syrup
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp black pepper
Garnish: black cracked pepper, parsley or chives

Preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with baking rack that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray (the Aluminum foil and spray are a MUST – this is a messy recipe).

Cut the Andouille sausage down the middle lengthwise. Then cut each half into 1 inch pieces. Cut the 1 lb of bacon into 3rds. Wrap one bacon around each piece of sausage and secure with a toothpick. Set these aside while you make the glaze.

In a small saucepan, combine all the other ingredients (except the garnish). Heat over low heat and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Keep sauced warmed on stove top. Set aside ¼ cup of the glaze for the final glaze application.

Brush each bacon wrapped sausage with the glaze and set on the baking sheet/rack. Bake for a total of 40 minutes, remove the pan from the oven every 15 minutes and baste with the glaze. On removing from the oven, use a spoon and drizzle a small amount of the glaze that you set aside onto each bacon wrapped sausage bite. (don’t use the basting brush you had already been using as it has probably touched the raw bacon you started out with and this application will not be going back in the oven). Serve immediately.


bacon recipe source: Wendi Spraker, Loaves and Dishes (@loavesanddishes), January 4, 2015

3560. BACON, SAUSAGE and CHEDDAR QUICHE

serves eight


1 uncooked pie crust for a 9 inch pie
8 slices of bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, sliced
½ cup sausage crumbles, cooked
8 eggs
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon mustard powder
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook the bacon until just before crispy. While bacon is cooking melt butter in a large saucepan and add the onion. Allow to cook until a dark golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Whisk eggs, cream, and milk together until fluffy. Add in salt, pepper and mustard powder. Stir in the bacon, sausage, onion and cheese. Press the crust into a tart pan or a deep dish pie pan. Pour the egg mixture into the pie crust and place onto a baking dish. Loosely cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until crust is golden. Remove and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy!


bacon recipe source: Aubrey Cota, Real Housemoms (@RealHousemoms), March 2, 2014

3555. BACON and SRIRACHA MACARONI and CHEESE

makes six servings


4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, diced finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red bell pepper, diced finely
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1–13.5 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1–12 ounce can evaporated milk
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons Sriracha hot chile sauce
8 ounces whole wheat macaroni, cooked according to package directions
½ cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 11" x 7" casserole dish with cooking spray, set aside.

In a Dutch oven or high-sided skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon pieces until crisp. Remove the bacon pieces to drain on paper towel, leaving the bacon grease the skillet.

Add in the butter, and once melted, add in the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook until just tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle on the flour, and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, just to remove the flour flavor. Then whisk in the coconut milk and evaporated milk. Add in the paprika, dry mustard, and salt. And continue to cook until mixture become just slightly thickened.

Remove mixture from heat, and stir in the cheese, continuing to stir until completely melted. Add in the Sriracha sauce.

Add the cooked macaroni to the sauce, and stir well to coat. Spoon the entire mixture (extra sauce and all) into the prepared casserole dish.

In a small bowl, mix together the cooked bacon pieces and Panko. Sprinkle over top of macaroni.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly.


bacon recipe source: Cassie Johnston, Back to Her Roots (@backtoherroots), February 10, 2015

3576. MAPLE-GLAZED PEANUTS and BACON

makes about 4 cups 


1/2 cup pure maple syrup  
3 cups unsalted roasted peanuts (1 pound) 
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, minced 
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
3/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning 
3 thick slices of bacon (3 ounces) 
1 tablespoon kosher salt 

Preheat the oven to 325°. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then finely chop. 

In a medium bowl, mix the thyme, salt, Old Bay, cayenne and dry mustard. Add the peanuts, maple syrup and bacon and toss until the peanuts are evenly coated. Scrape the nuts onto a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once, until the maple syrup has thickened. Let the peanuts cool completely, stirring frequently to break up any large clumps. Transfer the peanuts to glass jars or a large bowl and serve.


bacon recipe source: Meg Grace, Recipe of the Day, Judges' Choice: Best New Chicken Dishes, Pairing of the Day: January 2010, Food & Wine, January 2010

3539. BAKED TOMATOES stuffed with CREAMY STOVETOP BACON MACARONI and CHEESE

yields four servings


Bacon macaroni and cheese:
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
6 strips thick-cut smoked bacon, cut in 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups hot whole milk
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard, or more as needed
8 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded (2 cups)
8 ounces Muenster cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 tablespoon hot sauce

Baked tomatoes:
4 beefsteak tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup panko
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Olive oil, for drizzling

For the mac and cheese: In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain. Set an extra-large skillet, or a large heavy saucepan, over medium-low heat and cook the bacon until crispy and the fat renders out, 10 to 12 minutes. Set the bacon aside, reserving the fat to build your sauce. At this point you should have about 1/4 cup of reserved fat. If needed, add some olive oil or butter to make sure you have a 1/4 cup of fat in the pan. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the paste bubbles a bit, about 2 minutes (make sure it doesn't brown). Continuing to whisk, add 3 cups of the hot milk and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Stir in the dry mustard, and then gradually add the Cheddar and Muenster cheeses, stirring constantly until all of the cheese has melted into the sauce. Stir in the hot sauce and the remaining 1 cup milk. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. Stir in the crispy bacon and season with salt and pepper. You'll need 1 to 2 cups of mac and cheese for the tomatoes.

For the baked tomatoes: Set your oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to broil. Using a paring knife, remove the tops of your tomatoes (the stem end), and then carefully hollow each one out with a spoon. You want to create a bowl, while removing all the seeds and some of the flesh, leaving about 1/2-inch of flesh in each tomato. Season the inside of the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Then stuff each one with as much mac and cheese as you can, 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Mix the panko, Parmesan and parsley together, and season with salt and pepper. Pile some of the breadcrumb topping onto each tomato. Each one will accommodate about 2 tablespoons of the topping. Now, drizzle the breadcrumbs with olive oil, so the panko browns up nicely. Broil the tomatoes until the breadcrumb topping is golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.


bacon recipe source: Kelsey Nixon, "After Hour Eats," Kelsey's Essentials, Food Network

3511. MUSTARD-AND-BACON-CRUSTED CHICKEN BITES with BACON AIOLI

makes 12-16 bites


Chicken bites 
4 jumbo chicken tenderloins (about 10-12 ounces total)

1/2 cup mustard powder

1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley

1/2 cup cooked and chopped bacon

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

6 eggs

1 cup canola oil

 

Bacon aioli 

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

4 bacon strips, cooked and roughly chopped

 

Roll chicken tenderloins in mustard powder. Combine chopped parsley, cooked bacon and panko in a separate bowl. In a third bowl, beat eggs with 3 tablespoons water.

 

Dredge the chicken in the egg wash, covering the chicken completely. Remove it from the egg wash, allow any excess liquid to drip off, and roll the chicken in panko mix until completely covered. Remove and place in refrigerator until ready to cook.

 

When ready to cook, heat 1 cup oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook both sides of chicken until chicken is cooked through, about 2–3 minutes each side (internal temperature of 160°F). Cut chicken into 1/2-inch pieces and serve with bacon aioli.

 

 

bacon recipe source: Food Republic (@foodrepublic), December 13, 2013; adapted from Small Bites Big Flavor: Simple, Savory, and Sophisticated Recipes for Entertaining by Eric Levine (Lyons Press, 2013)

3495. BROWN SUGAR BAKED BEANS with BACON

serves 15-20


2 cans (29 oz each) of good quality baked beans
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons mustard powder
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons onion powder or dried minced onion
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Set oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients, except for bacon, in a serving dish of your choice. Stir to fully incorporate ingredients. Sprinkle crumbled bacon evenly on top. Cover and place in oven for 15-20 minutes or until dish is hot. Serve warm.


bacon recipe source: Chew Out Loud (@chewoutloud), June 14, 2013

3395. BACON JALAPENO DEVILED EGGS

12 large eggs, hard boiled and peeled
1 cup mayonnaise
1½ teaspoons rice vinegar
¾ teaspoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon sugar
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
6 pieces bacon, cooked, crisp, and crumbled
paprika

Slice the hard boiled eggs in half, lengthwise. Remove the yolks and put them in a mixing bowl. Mash the egg yolks with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, rice vinegar, ground mustard, and sugar to the mashed egg yolks and stir until well combined. Mix in the jalapenos and bacon. Put the mixture in a ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Fill each egg hole with the mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Chill until ready to serve.


bacon recipe source: Real Housemoms, March 20, 2013

3291. KOHLRABI BACON CHEESE SOUP

makes four servings


2 large kohlrabi bulbs
4 green onions
2 to 4 strips thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 cup whole milk at room temperature
3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
fine sea salt and freshly ground white or black pepper to taste

Peel and chop the kohlrabi; trim and thinly slice the green onions; set both aside.

Finely chop the bacon. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon is crispy brown and has released its fat. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to lift the bacon pieces out of the pot and drain on a few layers of paper towels. Set cooked bacon aside.

Pour fat out of the pot into a small bowl. Measure 1 tablespoon back into the pot, putting the pot back over medium-high heat. Add the green onions and cook, stirring, until they wilt. Transfer to a plate or small bowl.

Melt the butter in the pot. When it's melted and has stopped foaming, sprinkle in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is cooked (you will notice a baked pie crust smell), 2 to 3 minutes. Lower heat to low. Whisk in the mustard.

Whisk in the milk, making sure you create a smooth mixture. Stir in the broth and the kohlrabi and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the kohlrabi is tender, about 15 minutes.

Use a hand-held blender to purée the mixture in the pot until it's super smooth; or, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and whirl until smooth (be sure to hold a kitchen towel over the top to mitigate any splatters of hot soup if you're too impatient - as I often am - to allow the mixture to cool first) and then transfer it back to the pot.

Put the soup back on the stove over low to medium-low heat. Stir in the cream and heat until everything is hot again. Whisk in the cheese, one handful at a time, whisking until the soup is smooth and creamy. Stir in the reserved green onions (they add flavor as well as a bit of color and texture by keeping them out of the pureeing process).

Season the soup to taste with salt and/or pepper as you like (store-bought broth is often quite salty, and cheese has a fair amount of salt in it, so be sure to taste before adding salt to this soup).

Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the crispy bacon as a hearty garnish. Serve hot with additional pepper for diners to add to taste.


bacon recipe source: Molly Watson, Local Foods, About.com

3085. CHICKEN BROCCOLI BACON DAIKON CASSEROLE

makes 8 servings


2 cups cooked, diced chicken
2 cups raw, diced broccoli tops and stems
1 cup cooked, roughly crumbled bacon
2 cups peeled, cubed, raw daikon radish
4 tablespoons butter
1.5 cups heavy white cream or half and half
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cube daikon radish into ½” cubes. Add daikon to the pot and boil for 20 minutes or until slightly softened. Drain thoroughly. Heat butter in a 2 quart sauce pan on the stove over medium heat until melted. Add salt, pepper, mustard and half and half. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, for one minute. Remove from heat. Add cheddar, mozzarella, and feta. Stir until melted. Prepare fresh broccoli by cutting florets and stems into smaller pieces. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a 12 x 12 casserole, combine cheesy chicken sauce, daikon, bacon and broccoli. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Your Lighter Side, February 20, 2013

2761. BRAISED BACON, PEA SHOOT and WATERCRESS SALAD

yields six servings


6 4 oz. pieces molasses and soy braised bacon, warm (recipe below)
3 ounce pea shoot, washed and spun dry
1.5 ounces of watercress
6 ounces of buttermilk herb dressing (recipe below)
3 deviled yard eggs
6 pieces slow roasted tomato

Molasses and Soy Braised Bacon
1 pound slab of bacon, cut into 4 oz. pieces
1.5 ounces of ginger root, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 jar of molasses
1 cup of soy sauce
star anise
1 teaspoon of sriracha chili sauce

Score the fat presentation side of the bacon pieces. Brown the tops in a hot skillet. Remove from the pan and pour out most of the fat. Sauté garlic and ginger in the same pan. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil and then put the bacon back into the pan. Braise the bacon In a 225-250 degrees oven for 1.5 hours. This dish is easily burned so keep the oven very low and checked often. It’s okay to turn over the bacon during the cooking process. The bacon should be tender.

Buttermilk Herb Salad Dressing (yields four servings)
1/8 an ounce of chives
1 ounce of basil
1/8 of a bunch of flat leaf parsley
1/8 of a clove of garlic
1 teaspoon of dry mustard
1/16 of a cup of white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of honey
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon of salt

In a blender, combine herbs, garlic, mustard, vinegar, and honey. Puree. Mix together mayo, buttermilk, and salt. Add herb mixture, stir to fully combine.

Toss together the pea shoots, watercress and the dressing. Place the braised bacon on one end of the bowl, top with greens. With a squeeze bottle, squeeze a zig zag on the other side of the plate. Place egg and tomato on that side of the plate.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ralph's on the Park, 900 City Park Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119

2760. BACON and EGG SPINACH SALAD with POPPY SEED DRESSING

yields 10-12 servings 


Poppy Seed Dressing 
1/3 cup red wine vinegar 
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon 
3/4 teaspoon ground dried mustard 
2 teaspoons salt 
3 tablespoons yellow onion, finely minced 
2/3 cup sugar 
1 tablespoon poppy seeds 
1 cup canola oil

Bacon and Egg Salad 
12-15 oz baby spinach 
4-6 slices crisp bacon, crumbled 
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 
1 small or 1/2 large red onion, sliced very thin 
1 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms, about 5-6 medium 
1/2 cup dried cranberries 
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese, (4 ounces) 
1/2 cup candied walnuts

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake to combine. Or add to a food processor and while processing, slowly add the oil. In this case the onion could be coarsely chopped as it will become fine during processing. Place the spinach, bacon, eggs, red onion, mushrooms, cranberries, cheese and walnuts to a large bowl. Pour dressing over all and gently toss. May save some eggs and bacon to garnish top of salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Helen Horton, Saucy Cuisine, September 3, 2011

2582. WELSH RAREBIT on BEER WAFFLES with BACON and TOMATOES

makes 8 open-face sandwiches


For the Waffles:
1 3/4 cups (about 8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour 
2 tablespoons sugar 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon salt 
3 large eggs, separated 
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (6 ounces), melted 
1 cup buttermilk 
3/4 cup porter ale 
cooking spray

For the Sauce and Assembly

 16 strips thick-cut bacon 

12 scallions, thinly sliced 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces 

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 

2 teaspoons dry mustard 

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1/2 cup heavy cream 

1/2 cup porter ale 

2 large egg yolks 

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese 

Salt and pepper 

16 thick slices tomato from 4 large, ripe tomatoes

 

For the Waffles: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 300°F. Place a baking sheet on lower-middle rack. Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions.

 

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, melted butter, buttermilk, and ale.

 

In clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until firm, but not dry, peaks form. 

 

Whisk beer mixture into flour mixture until incorporated. With rubber spatula, fold in egg whites.

Lightly coat waffle iron with cooking spray. Cook waffles according to manufacturer’s instructions, until crisp and golden. With tongs, carefully transfer to baking sheet in oven and repeat procedure until you run out of batter (see notes above). 

 

For the Sauce: Cook bacon in 2 to 3 batches in large skillet over medium heat until crisp and golden, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Reserve 2 tablespoons fat, and discard any additional rendered fat accumulated between batches. With slotted spoon, transfer cooked bacon paper towel-lined plate. Alternatively, line dinner plate with 2 layers paper towels. Arrange 4 bacon slices on top, then cover with 2 more layers paper towels. Microwave 4 to 6 minutes until crisp. Repeat with remaining bacon and fresh paper towels.

 

Cook scallions over medium heat in rendered bacon fat (if you microwaved the bacon, cook the scallions in 2 tablespoons butter) until softened, about 3 minutes. Reserve.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire, dry mustard, and cayenne and cook 30 seconds. In a slow, steady stream add cream and ale, whisking constantly and vigorously to avoid lumps. Whisk in egg yolks. Add cheese and cook, stirring, until completely melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Assembly: Transfer waffles on tray to cooling rack and increase oven heat to broil. Break each bacon strip in half. Top each waffle with 4 pieces bacon and 2 slices tomato, then sprinkle with the cooked scallions. Spoon about 1/4 cup sauce over each and broil on top rack until bubbling and brown at the edges (time will vary according to oven). Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: María del Mar Sacasa, for Serious Eats, April 23, 2012 | adapted from Bon Appétit

2441. BACON and TOMATO MACARONI SALAD

yields four servings


1 cup dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup diced celery
1/4 cup minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes- then drained
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup diced vine-ripened tomatoes
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a large bowl, combine macaroni, celery, onion, parsley, and tomato. In a small bowl, prepare the dressing. Mix mayo, mustard, sugar, vinegar, sour cream and salt. Add dressing to the pasta mixture and stir to combine. Season with freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Sprinkle crumbled bacon on top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lori Lange, RecipeGirl.com, June 20, 2011

2121. SPICY SQUID SALAD with BACON, WATERCRESS and LIMA BEANS

makes four servings


1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 habanero chile, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 1/4 pounds cleaned squid, bodies cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings and large tentacles halved
1/2 pound dried large lima beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 bay leaf
4 thin strips of lean bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons Jan's Spice Mix (recipe below)
1/2 cup Calamata olives, pitted and halved
Lemon–Shallot Vinaigrette (recipe below)
1 pound watercress, large stems discarded (12 packed cups)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jan's Spice Mix
makes about 1 cup

7 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Mix all of the spices in a small jar. Cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 month.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette
makes about 1/2 cup

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

In a blender, combine the lemon zest and juice, shallots, mustard, vinegar and garlic and puree until smooth. With the machine on, slowly add the olive oil until emulsified. Pour the vinaigrette into a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In a large glass baking dish, combine 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the garlic, jalapeño, habanero and lemon zest. Add the squid and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cover the lima beans with 2 inches of water. Add the bay leaf, cover partially and simmer over low heat until the beans are tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the beans stand in their cooking liquid. Drain just before using and discard the bay leaf.

In a large, deep skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Increase the heat to high and cook the bacon fat until sizzling. Add the squid and its marinade in an even layer and cook, without stirring, until the squid begins to turn white, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the spice mix over the squid and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 1 minute. Gently fold in the bacon, lima beans and olives and cook just until warmed through. Stir in half of the Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette and remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, toss the watercress with the remaining vinaigrette and transfer to plates. Top with the warm squid salad and serve at once.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jan Birnbaum "A Cook's Guide to Wine Pairings, Editor’s Picks: Marcia Kiesel’s Favorite F&W Recipes, California Wine Guide: Napa," Food & Wine, October 2002