3042. NEW YORK STRIP STEAK with BACON, JALAPENO and CORN PUREE

yields 4 servings


Bacon & Jalapeno Condiment:
5 lbs bacon, chopped
3 onions, chopped
1 head garlic, peeled and chopped
6 jalapenos, seeds removed, chopped
1 cup balsamic vinegar

Corn Purée:
6 ears fresh corn, off the cob
1 lb frozen corn
4 oz butter
1 oz sugar
1 teaspoon turmeric 
Milk, to cover 
Salt, to taste

Red Wine Jus:
1 bottle red wine
2 cups demi glace
1 bunch fresh thyme

Vidalia Onions:
1 cup flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 egg yolk
1 cup soda water
1 Vidalia onion, sliced into rings

NY Strip Steak:
4 (or 16 oz) New York strip steaks
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Bacon & Jalapeno Condiment: Render bacon in a pan and add onions, garlic, and jalapenos. Cover with balsamic vinegar and cook slowly until vinegar is reduced and jam consistency.

For the Corn Purée: Place corn, butter, sugar, turmeric, and salt in a pot. Cover with milk and cook slowly until milk has been reduced by half. Purée until smooth.

For the Red Wine Jus: Put red wine in a pan and reduce to au sec. Then add demi glace and thyme. Reduce to sauce consistency.

For the Vidalia Onions: Mix flour, cornstarch, egg yolk, and soda water to make a tempura batter. Dip onions in batter and deep fry at 350-degrees F until golden and crispy.

For the NY Strip Steak: Season steaks and grill to medium rare. Let rest before slicing.

To Serve: Place corn purée on plate. Slice steak and layer on top. Spoon bacon & jalapeno condiment over steak. Top with fried tempura onions. Drizzle red wine jus around the plate.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kevin Sbraga, Top Chef, Season 7, Episode 12, Elimination Challenge; Bravo TV

2357. POTATO GNOCCHI with TRUFFLED BACON JUS

serves 6-8 people


For the gnocchi:
2.5 lb russet potato after ricing
7 oz. all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
salt

For the jus:
2 cups chicken stock
6 oz. piece slab bacon or 8-10 pieces pre-sliced
4 oz. unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped black truffle
2 teaspoons truffle oil

For the garnish:
8-10 thin slices of bacon (cooked until crispy)
truffle slices (optional)
freshly grated Parmesan
micro greens, baby arugula or mache

To make the gnocchi, place the potatoes (skin on) in a pot of cold water. Slowly bring to a simmer. Do not boil, or the skin will crack, and the potatoes will absorb water. The goal is to remove the potatoes from the water and put through the ricer or food mill as soon as they are cooked. If they take on water they will need more flour, and they will be chewy.

Place riced potatoes on floured work surface and add 1/3 of the flour. Work in gently to cool slightly. Then, add salt and egg yolks along with 1/3 more flour. Slowly add remaining flour, but stop when dough no longer feels tacky. Bring pot of water to a simmer. Pinch off small piece of dough. Roll into a ball and cook to see if dough holds together. If not add more flour. Taste for seasoning.

To form the gnocchi, cut manageable portions from dough with bench scraper and roll into a thin log shape. Cut half inch sections. Roll those into balls, and then roll off the back of a fork onto a floured sheet pan.

Gnocchi can be poached ahead of time and refrigerated. The gnocchi are cooked when they float to the top. Remove them from the water. Shock them in ice bath. Drain and cover.

For the jus, bring stock and slab bacon to a simmer. Cook until the bacon is tender. Let cool. Remove bacon from liquid and dice. Add truffle and diced bacon to jus. Bring to a boil. Add butter. Reduce until slightly thickened. Add truffle oil and season to taste.

To plate, toss gnocchi in jus. Taste again and season if necessary. Divide into bowls, making sure each has a nice amount of the sauce. Place crispy bacon, truffle slices if using, Parmesan and greens on top of each. Serve with fork and spoon. You will want to get all the truffle and bacon out of the bowl.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Steven Caravelli, Sleek, 999 N. 2nd Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63102 | Riverfront Times, St. Louis, 2009

1969. BACON with PINEAPPLE JUS and BACON-SALTED PEANUTS

yields six servings


1/2 pound slab bacon (skin off)
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup lager-style beer
3/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs of thyme
1 pineapple
1/2 cup bacon fat (from about 1 pound of bacon)
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked salt

In a large pot with high sides, combine the bacon, stock, beer, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 2 hours, or until the tip of a knife pierces the bacon easily. Use tongs to carefully transfer the bacon to a flat tray or plate. Refrigerate the bacon overnight until completely cool and stiff.

Peel and core the pineapple. Cut into medium-sized pieces. Cook in a medium sauce pot over very low heat for 45 minutes to an hour, until the pineapple gives off its juices and becomes soft. Transfer the pineapple to a food processor and purée for up to 5 minutes, until the pineapple jus is very smooth. Chill.

Warm the bacon fat over low heat in a medium pot and add the peanuts. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour; the fat should remain just below simmering. Preheat the oven to 350º F while the peanuts cook.

Drain the peanuts on paper towels. Spoon them onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven until just golden brown and fragrant, about 7 to 10 minutes. Put the nuts in a mixing bowl and toss with the smoked salt.

Cut the bacon into half-inch strips. Using a hot grill, griddle, or cast iron pan, cook the bacon for 2 minutes on each side. Place some of the pineapple jus in the center of a plate. Lay a few pieces of bacon on the pineapple. Coarsely chop the peanuts and sprinkle over the bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef David Katz, Meme Restaurant, 2201 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-5517

1876. BONE MARROW SFORMATINO, SMOKED BACON and ONIONS

yields six servings


Bone Marrow Sformatino:
5 ounces cream
1½ ounces crème fraîche
2 eggs
2 ounces rendered marrow fat
salt
nonstick spray

Caramelized Cipollini Onions:
18 peeled cipollini onions
vegetable oil

Onion Purée:
1 sweet onion, quartered
1 tablespoon Arborio rice

To Assemble and Serve:
6 strips cooked bacon
5 ounces reduced, hot beef jus
watercress leaves
olive oil
grated horseradish
sea salt

For the Bone Marrow Sformatino: Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Warm the cream and crème fraîche in a small pot over medium heat. Crack the eggs into a separate container and transfer to a Vita-Prep. Blending the eggs slowly, pour the warmed cream and crème fraîche mixture into the Vita-Prep with the machine running until combined. Blend in the melted marrow fat next, and season with the salt before switching off the Vita-Prep. Coat 2-ounce ceramic or foil baking cups with the non-stick spray, then fill with the cream and egg mixture. Bake the cups set in a covered water bath in the oven until just set, about 20 minutes.

For the Caramelized Cipollini Onions: Pan-roast the cipollini onions in a little oil until tender and caramelized, then set aside.

For the Onion Purée: In a covered pan, steam the sweet onion and rice with a few tablespoons of water over low heat. When the mixture is completely soft and the rice is well-cooked, remove from the heat. Purée the rice mixture in a Vita-Prep with the butter, olive oil, and salt.

To Assemble and Serve: Warm the serving plates and spoon a dollop of the onion purée onto each plate. Remove the marrow sformatini from the molds and place one on each plate. Distribute the caramelized onions evenly among the six plates. Do the same with the cooked bacon pieces. Drizzle each plate with the beef jus. Dress the watercress leaves with olive oil and salt and scatter over the top of the jus. Grate the fresh horseradish over each plate with a microplane and finish with a sprinkling of sea salt.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Matthew Accarrino, SPQR, 1911 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, (415) 771-7779

1071. GRILLED SADDLE of RABBIT with BACON, COCOA and CONFIT SHALLOT JUS

makes 4 servings


4 whole saddles of rabbit
5 tablespoons cocoa beans
4 slices of bacon

Rabbit jus
Rabbit bones
1 medium onion, minced
1 small carrot, diced
8 small pattypan squash
1 sprig of thyme
a splash of white vermouth

Sauce
2 tablespoons acacia honey
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
12 French shallots, finely chopped
1 cup rabbit jus
1 tablespoon oil
salt and freshly-ground pepper
1 knob of unsalted butter
3/4 cup white wine

Making the rabbit jus: In a saucepan, sauté the vegetables in butter; deglaze with the vermouth and wine, and reduce for a few minutes. Add the bones to the vegetables and cover with water; let simmer gently until reduced by half. Strain the jus and set aside.

Sauce: Place the honey and vinegar into a small saucepan; let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the shallots and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the rabbit jus and reduce everything by one third. Correct the seasoning.

Saddle: Grind the cocoa beans in a small food processor. Roll the saddles of rabbit in the crushed beans. Hold everything in place with a slice of bacon. Grill the meat on all sides over medium heat; reduce the heat and cook 2-3 minutes longer. Slice the meat into medallions; arrange on plates; place the vegetables in the center of the plate and spoon the sauce around the rabbit.


courtesy of: Thierry Daraize, Québec

765. SALAD of DUCK LIVERS and HEARTS, SNAILS and BACON with a DANDELION and APPLE SALAD

serves 4


For the duck jus (optional)
organic rapeseed oil, for frying
1 duck carcass, chopped
mirepoix (2 onions, 2 carrots, ½ head celery and 1 leek, finely chopped)
splash red wine
sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
cold water, to cover
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad
4oz piece streaky bacon, skin removed
cold water, to cover
2¾oz solid duck fat
12 duck hearts, trimmed
16 duck livers, cleaned
24 fresh snails, poached in court bouillon and drained, or ready-prepared snails, thawed if frozen or rinsed and drained if canned
best-quality sherry vinegar, for deglazing
4 tbsp duck jus (see above), or 4 tbsp rich chicken jus or gravy
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5½oz mixed fresh salad leaves, such as dandelion, onion cress, land cress, watercress, purslane, red amaranth and flatleaf parsley
3 crisp, tart eating apples, peeled and cut into 1cm/½in cubes

For the dressing
2 tbsp organic rapeseed oil
1 tsp cider vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
hazelnut oil, to serve

If making the duck jus, heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat and cook the duck carcass and mirepoix of vegetables until lightly browned. Add a good splash of red wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the thyme and bay leaf and cover the carcass with cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1½ hours.

Strain the stock into a clean pan and boil to reduce to a gravy-like consistency. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, taking care not to over-salt as the jus will be reduced further when it is used for deglazing later. Set aside.

For the salad, place the piece of bacon into a pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Take off the heat and leave to stand for about five minutes, or until you see the bacon puff up a little, then drain. Cut into strips about 1-in long and ½in wide and thick.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan until hot. Add the duck fat, duck hearts and bacon pieces and sauté over a high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the livers and sauté for about 30 seconds on each side, until well caramelized. Add the snails and a splash of vinegar and the four tablespoons of duck jus (or chicken jus or gravy; any that you don't use can be frozen) and stir to deglaze the pan. Cook for a further minute until reduced to a light sauce. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the vinaigrette dressing, place the rapeseed oil and cider vinegar into a bowl, season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Place the salad leaves and apple cubes into a bowl and dress with the vinaigrette.

To serve, pile the salad in a small heap in the center of each of four serving plates, then arrange the livers, hearts, bacon and snails on top. Spoon over any sauce left in the pan and drizzle with hazelnut oil.


courtesy of: Mark Broadbent, Great British Menu