3986. CHIPOTLE BACON SLIDERS (GLUTEN & GRAIN FREE)

Serves: 9 small burgers


1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin rounds

2 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil

1 pound ground meat

4 strips of precooked bacon

1 tsp unrefined salt

½ tsp chipotle chili powder

½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil for cooking burgers

1 avocado

lime juice

unrefined sea salt

OPTIONAL:

a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce

lettuce for garnish

TO MAKE CARAMELIZED ONIONS: Melt the ghee, butter, or coconut oil on medium heat. Add onion rounds and saute slowly until golden brown. Push the onions around a bit to make sure they cook evenly. You can add a tablespoon of water if they begin to stick to pan. Mine usually take 20-25 minutes.

Mash together avocado, lime, and salt in a small bowl. Add optional hot sauce for some heat. Set aside.

Combine ground meat, chopped bacon, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Mix to combine. Form into 9 small patties.

Heat 1 TBS of fat of choice in skillet on medium to medium high heat. Cook patties 4-5 minutes on each side, or until cooked the way you like it.

Serve over a bed of fresh lettuce. Top with caramelized onions and avocado.

bacon recipe source: Katja Heino, Savory Lotus

3930. MAHI-MAHI BLT

Serves 4


cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
4 mahi-mahi fillets (or other meaty fish, such as swordfish), skin on, each about 8 ounces, 1 inch thick
vegetable oil for brushing cooking grate
8 slices bread, each 1/2 -inch thick
4 romaine lettuce leaves
8 slices tomato

Prepare a charcoal fire, medium hot.

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, onion, lime juice, paprika and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Cook bacon until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, chili powder and garlic. Brush this mixture on the flesh side on the fillets. Lightly brush the cooking grate with vegetable oil. Place the fillets, flesh side down, directly over medium heat and grill, turning once, until flesh is opaque, 10 to 13 minutes. Remove skin before serving.

When the fish is almost cooked, grill the bread directly over medium heat, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes a side. Evenly spread one side of the bread with the refrigerated mayonnaise mixture.

To build each sandwich, start with a slice of toasted bread, a lettuce leaf, two tomato slices, 2 half slices of bacon, the fillet, then the other slice of toasted bread.


bacon recipe source: Rob Kasper, "Gone fishing for a good grilled sandwich," The Baltimore Sun, September 12, 1999; Weber's Art of the Grill: Recipes for Outdoor Living, by Jamie Purviance (Chronicle Books, 1999)

3915. CREAMY JICAMA SLAW with BACON

4 servings, 1 cup each


1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 jicama, peeled, cut into thin matchlike sticks
1 carrot, cut into thin matchlike sticks
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

Mix mayo, lime juice and pepper until blended. Combine remaining ingredients except bacon in large bowl. Add mayo mixture; mix lightly. Refrigerate 1 hour. Stir in bacon just before serving.

bacon recipe source: Kraft Foods, Kraft Foods Global, Inc., Three Lakes Drive, Northfield, Illinois 60093, June 30, 2011

3914. BACON TOSTILOCOS

Serves: 1-2


For the quick pickles:
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
Half of 1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Half of 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into half moons

For the Tostilocos:
1 small bag (3.7 oz) salsa verde flavored chips
1 heaping tablespoon tamarind candies, plus more to taste
1 heaping tablespoon Japanese peanuts, plus more to taste
3 slices of bacon (cooked through but still pliable), thinly sliced
Quarter of 1 small jicama, peeled and sliced into thin sticks
Lime wedges, for serving
Chamoy, for serving
Hot sauce, for serving (like Tapatio)
Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

To make the quick pickles, add lime juice, oregano, salt, and sugar to a small bowl, whisking to
combine. Add sliced onion and cucumber, tossing in the pickling liquid. Let sit for 1–3 hours at room temperature, tossing every 20 minutes for the first hour. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Arrange a layer of chips on a large plate. Scatter some of the pickled onion and cucumber, candies, peanuts, bacon and jicama over top. Add another layer of chips and toppings. Dress the entire plate with freshly squeezed lime juice, chamoy and hot sauce to taste. Finish with a sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro.

To enjoy these Tostilocos on the go, open the bag of chips by slitting through one of the long sides. Add toppings and flavorings directly to the bag. Be sure to bring some extra napkins!


bacon recipe source: Brandon Matzek, Kitchen Konfidence (@brandiego), September 10, 2013

3872. CHEDDAR, BACON and LEEK QUESADILLAS with TOMATILLO SALSA

Makes 32 slices and 2 cups of salsa


Tomatillo Salsa:

1/4 pound fresh green tomatillos, husked

1 small red bell pepper

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 Tablespoons chopped red onions

1/2 serrano chile, seeded and coarsely chopped

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 bunch of cilantro, thick stems removed, plus more for garnish

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Quesadillas:

8 strips bacon

2 small leeks (white and light green parts only), cleaned, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoon butter, unsalted

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups shredded Monterey Jack/Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup minced pickled jalapenos (optional)

Canola oil

8 (8-inch) flour tortillas

Tomatillo Salsa: Husk the tomatillos and blanch them in boiling water for 15 seconds (only). Immerse them in a bowl with ice water to cool them. Remove the core from each tomatillo. Puree tomatillos in a food processor. Roast the pepper over a flame or broil in the oven until charred. Put into a paper bag for 5 minutes then peel off the charred skin and remove seeds and stem. In the food processor, add bell pepper, garlic, chopped red onions, seeded serrano chile, lime juice, stemmed cilantro, sugar and salt. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl with a small spoon for serving, and garnish with some cilantro.

Bake Bacon for Quesadillas: Place cooling rack over a sheet pan lined with foil. Lay bacon strips on cooling rack and bake for 10 minutes, until crisp. Cool slightly and cut bacon into 1/2 inch strips.

Clean Leeks: Keeping root on, split lengthwise and cut in half, then fan out in a bowl of water to remove sand. Stack the layers and cut into long strips.

Sauté Leeks: Melt butter in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and salt; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Quesadilla Filling: Mix together the bacon, grated cheese, pickled jalapeno, and cooled leeks.

Make Quesadillas: Add 1 Tablespoon of canola oil to a non-stick pan over medium heat. Lay a tortilla flat in the pan. Place 1/4 cup of bacon/cheese filling on one side of the tortilla and then fold in half. Cook for a few minutes until golden, then turn and cook until toasty on the other side. Remove from heat. Repeat until all ingredients have been used.

Serve: Cut each quesadilla into 4 pieces, and serve with tomatillo salsa.




bacon recipe source: Parties That Cook® (@PartiesThatCook), San Francisco/Chicago

3845. SMOKY CHICKEN TACOS with BACON

Yield: 10 tacos


3 slices bacon
1 1/2 - 2 pounds (680 g to 900 g) boneless and skinless chicken thighs (can substitute chicken breast)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add less/more based on how spicy you like your tacos)
1/4 cup chicken stock (substitute vegetable stock or water)
Juice of half a lime
Salt, to taste
10 Corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Optional taco toppings: onions, pickled red onions, cheese, sour cream or crema, avocado or guacamole, hot sauce, pickled jalapenos, lettuce or cabbage and cilantro

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning as necessary until fat has rendered and bacon is crispy. About 8 minutes.

Drain bacon on paper towels (save for later). Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.

Season chicken on both sides with salt. Place chicken in skillet, in a single layer, and cook until a crust forms, about 5 minutes, Turn and cook until thighs are just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes longer. Turn heat to low then transfer chicken to a cutting board and cut into small pieces.

Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander and garlic to the pan. Cook, while stirring, for 1 minute.

Place chicken back into the pan. Pour stock over chicken then use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until stock has thickened and coated the chicken. Stir in lime juice.

Serve chicken next to warm tortillas and your favorite taco toppings. (Don’t forget to crumble the bacon from earlier and add to the tops of your tacos).




bacon recipe source: Joanne and Adam Gallagher, Inspired Taste (@inspiredtaste), September 23, 2013

3805. KALE TEMPURA with CANDIED BACON

1 bunch of kale

8 cups canola oil

tempura batter (recipe below or use a box mix)

1/2 cup fish sauce dressing (recipe below)

3 strips candied bacon, chopped (recipe below)

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped mint

Tempura Batter

2 cups rice flour

1 egg

1 cup cold seltzer water

Dash of salt

Tempura Batter: Whisk all ingredients until they just come together.

Candied Bacon

3 strips thick cut bacon

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Candied Bacon: In a rimmed baking dish cover the strips of bacon with the brown sugar on both sides. Place in cold oven, then turn oven to 375°. Check bacon after 25 minutes, it should be done in about 25-35 minutes. The time will vary depending on the thickness of the bacon. Remove from oven and place on a parchment lined surface to cool.

Fish Sauce Dressing

1/2 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

6 tablespoons sugar

1 lime, juiced

1 garlic clove minced

1 Serrano chile minced (keep the seeds if you like things spicy)

Fish Sauce Dressing: Whisk all ingredients together. Stored in the fridge, this will keep for a couple of weeks.

Main recipe: Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Tear kale leaves off of the stems, and cut larger leaves in half. Boil kale in salted water for 1 minute. Strain into colander and spread out onto a sheet tray. When cool enough to handle squeeze out all of the water from the kale.

In a large bowl put fish sauce dressing, cilantro, mint, and bacon. 

Heat 8 cups of canola oil in a wide high-sided pot to 350º. Prepare your work area by having a shallow dish of dry tempura mix (about a cup) and your tempura batter in a bowl near the stove. Also have a dish with paper towel ready for your tempura pieces as they come out of the oil.

Dip the kale into the dry tempura, then dip into the tempura batter, place into the oil. It is important to try and separate the leaves as it goes in the oil to avoid clumping. Fry for a minute or two. Using a spider (or chop sticks) take kale out of oil and place into the large bowl. 

In a large serving bowl toss the kale with the fish sauce dressing, fresh herbs and bacon so all the ingredients coat it.

bacon recipe source: Mary McDonald, Pixels + Crumbs (@pixelsandcrumbs), August 5, 2014

3761. BACON WRAPPED TERIYAKI HOT DOGS with PINEAPPLE SALSA

Yield 4 servings

6 hot dogs

6 slices applewood smoked bacon 

1 package hot dog buns

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce, homemade or store-bought

For the pineapple salsa

2 cups diced pineapple

1/4 cup diced red onion 

1 jalapeño, diced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Preheat grill to medium high heat. In a medium bowl, combine pineapple, onion, jalapeño, cilantro and lime juice; set aside. Wrap each hot dog in a strip of bacon. Add hot dogs to the grill and cook until the bacon is brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes. To assemble the hot dogs, add the hot dogs into each hot dog bun. Top with pineapple salsa and drizzle teriyaki sauce on each hot dog. Serve immediately.

bacon recipe source: Chungah, Damn Delicious (@damn_delicious), January 21, 2013

3730. BACON POTATO PANCAKE with TOASTED CORN SALSA

yields twelve

1½ pounds yellow potatoes, diced, peeling optional

5 slices bacon

¼ cup diced green onions

1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese, grated

1 egg

¼ cup all-purpose flour (or white rice flour for gluten free)

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 to 2 teaspoons salt

avocado cream (recipe below)

grilled corn salsa (recipe below)

Avocado cream (makes 2 cups)

2 ripe avocados 

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 cup sour cream ½ teaspoon salt to

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Combine avocado, sour cream, lime juice, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder into a small bowl. Mash with fork, and then whip until smooth with a wire whisk. If you have one, you can use a food processor.

Toasted corn salsa

1(14.5) can yellow corn, drained well (you can also substitute fresh grilled corn)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons small-dice orange bell pepper

1/4 cup small-dice red onion

1 teaspoon light olive oil

1 lime, juiced

½ teaspoon salt

Heat a cast-iron pan until very hot. Add the corn and toast on all sides, stirring frequently so it does not burn. Remove once it has a nice brown color. In a medium bowl, add corn and the remaining ingredients. Serve hot or cold.

In a large pot, add diced potatoes and fill with water until just above potatoes. Bring to a boil. When potatoes are done (they can be split with a fork) DRAIN the water. Let the potatoes dry out in the pot for a minute or two. Fry up your bacon and cut into small pieces. Save the grease and use this for frying up the potato pancakes. In a medium bowl, combine the bacon, green onion, cheese, egg, flour, salt, and pepper. Using a potato ricer, rice the potatoes into the bowl with the other ingredients. Stir to combine. The consistency will be very thick. Use an ice cream scoop to portion the pancakes, then shape them into 2-inch disks. Using bacon grease in a pan, fry the potato pancakes until they are golden brown. Remove them to a wire rack over paper towels. Top with avocado cream and grilled corn salsa.

bacon recipe source: Simply Gourmet; United States Potato Board, 4949 S Syracuse Street, #400, Denver, CO 80237

3724. MANGO BACON GUACAMOLE

serves six


2 slices thick-cut bacon
3 ripe avocados
1 small plum tomato, diced
1 ripe mango, peel removed and diced
¼ cup diced red onion
½ of a jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed and diced
Juice from 1 lime
Kosher salt, to taste

First, cook up your bacon in a skillet. After your bacon is done, mash the avocados in a large bowl to desired consistency. Gently fold in the tomato, mango, red onion, and jalapeno. Dice your bacon and fold that in as well. Squeeze the juice from 1 lime over the mixture, then mix to combine. Taste and add kosher salt as desired.


bacon recipe source: Megan Green (@baconwrappedmeg), My Bacon-Wrapped Life, June 8, 2014

3708. CHICKEN and MUSHROOM FAJITAS with BACON

makes six servings


For the chicken and marinade:
1½ to 2 lbs chicken breast, sliced in half lengthwise
⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Other fajita ingredients:
2 large bell peppers, cored and sliced into strips
1 medium/large yellow onion, thickly sliced
½ lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 oz Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
4 strips bacon, cooked & crumbled (or buy pre-cooked crumbled bacon)

Serve with: small flour tortillas; pico or salsa, guacamole or diced avocado, sour cream, lettuce, hot sauce

How to make the chicken: Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Slice chicken in half lengthwise so you end up with about ½" thick chicken cutlets. Add chicken to marinade and stir until evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 45 min to 1 hour, stirring midway.

To grill chicken: Preheat Grill then reduce heat to med/low (350˚F) and grill chicken 6-8 min per side, rotating midway to create grill marks.

To saute chicken: Heat a large non-stick (cast iron is best - it should be oven safe) skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken with 1-2 tablespoons oil in a single layer, until browned on each side and cooked through (3 min per side).

Preparing veggies: Heat the same non-stick, oven safe pan over medium heat. Saute mushrooms with 1-2 tablespoons oil until mushrooms are browned. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same hot pan, sauté onions and bell peppers in 1-2 Tbsp more oil. Stir the veggies every 2 minutes to sear and brown the edges and cook a total of 8 minutes. Season to taste.

Assembling the fajitas: Slice chicken into ¼" thick strips and place over the cooked vegetables. Top with sauteed mushrooms, then cheese and finally crumbled bacon. Place under the broiler in the upper third of the oven for 2-3 minutes or just until cheese is nicely melted. Wrap a stack of tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high 45 seconds to 1 min or until tortillas are very warm. Keep them covered until ready to use. To assemble individual fajitas, start with a warm tortilla, add sour cream and guacamole (if using), then top with lettuce and finally the meat/veggie/mushroom/cheese mixture followed by salsa or hot sauce.


bacon recipe source: Natasha's Kitchen, April 6, 2015

3685. SARDINE and BACON SPAGHETTI

serves two


1/2 lb thin spaghetti
2 strips of bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1 can of sardines in oil, bones removed and chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 cup white wine
salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil

Cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain, toss in olive oil and set aside. Cook bacon until crisp and the fat is rendered. Scoop onto a paper towel with a slotted spoon to drain any fat and clean out the pan. Place the pan back on the heat with a drizzle of olive oil and add the onion. Cook the onion until it starts to caramelize. Then, add the garlic and tomatoes. Add the sardines, wine and lemon juice. Adjust the heat to low and simmer until the wine is slightly reduced and the sauce is thick. This is where you want to taste the sauce to see if it needs any salt or pepper. Add the spaghetti and lime zest, toss everything together, and turn off the heat. Serve with crumbled bacon.


bacon recipe source: Jamily, Chef by Invitation, August 28, 2012

3673. CHICKEN and BACON PASTA with CREAMY CILANTRO-LIME SAUCE

yields 4 servings


2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb chicken breast, sliced
salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (use less if bottled juice)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
2/3 cups heavy cream
2/3 cups milk
1/2 cup mozzarella or parmesan cheese, grated
8 oz spaghetti pasta
reserved cooked pasta water
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
7 strips of bacon, cooked, drained of fat, and chopped

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-hot heat. Generously season sliced chicken with salt and pepper, add to the hot skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until done. Remove sliced chicken from the skillet.

To the same skillet, add minced garlic, lime juice and chicken broth. Cook for 1-2 minutes on high heat, deglazing and scraping the skillet until the liquid is reduced and making sure garlic does not burn and brown too much. Mix in chopped cilantro.

Add heavy cream and milk. Bring to boil, the immediately add cheese and mix in until melted, while boiling. Then, remove from heat.

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, reserving some cooked pasta water.

Add pasta to the sauce, along with the half of the chicken and half of chopped bacon. Mix everything in and season pasta with more salt, if needed.

Top with the remaining half of the chicken, the remaining half of chopped bacon, and more chopped cilantro. 


bacon recipe source: Julia's Album (@JuliasAlbum), August 25, 2015

3567. BACON GAZPACHO

serves 4-6


about 2¼ pounds tomatoes, chopped
12 ounces applewood smoked bacon
2 limes, juiced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
1 avocado, cut in half and divided
½ of a large red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded or unseeded depending on desired heat
½ cup (lightly packed) fresh cilantro
2 cups water
1 tablespoon bacon grease

Cook bacon until crispy, drain, reserving 1 tablespoon grease, set aside. Chop all vegetables and divide in half. Cut avocado in half and rub one half with a piece of lime, dice the other half. Crumble bacon.

Add half of the chopped vegetables, half the crumbled bacon, half of the chopped avocado, lime juice, and cilantro to a food processor and process until vegetables are fine. Pour processed vegetable mixture into a mixing bowl, then add remaining vegetables, most of the bacon (reserve some for topping), and avocado. Stir in water and bacon grease, refrigerate for at least one hour. Ladle into bowl, top with bacon and diced avocado from remaining half , if desired. Serve well chilled.


bacon recipe source: Bernadette Martin (@BernadetMartin), Rants from My Crazy Kitchen, August 12, 2014

3633. BACON-WRAPPED SALSA-STUFFED CHICKEN

serves four


Chicken:
4 chicken breasts
12 slices of bacon
toothpicks

Salsa:
3 plum tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

Preheat your oven to 400° F. Combine all the ingredients for the salsa in a bowl and mix well. Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally, so that you can open them up like a book. Flatten them out with a rolling pin. Fill each chicken breast with an equal amount of the salsa mixture and close them up. Roll the bacon strips around the chicken, and pin them in place with the toothpicks. Once the chicken is wrapped, place it in a baking pan and bake 30 to 35 min or until a meat thermometer reads 170 F. Then broil 5 to 6 min or until the bacon is nicely crisp. Serve with salsa.


bacon recipe source: Paleo Leap (@PaleoLeap) 

3601. ROASTED CHICKEN FLAUTAS with BACON GUACAMOLE

makes four servings


2 cups roasted chicken, skinless, shredded
1 cup cheese, grated
1/2 cup prepared salsa
12 flour tortillas, small
2 Haas avocados
1/2 tomato, seeded, diced
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded, chopped
3 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
pepper, salt
toothpicks
1 cup cooking oil
sour cream

Shred chicken, place in bowl, toss with salsa and set aside. Place half of the tortilla shells in the microwave and heat for about 10 seconds to soften. Add about 1 tablespoon of chicken and cheese in the middle of each tortilla shell, roll up and secure with a toothpick, repeat. Heat remaining tortillas and repeat the process. Dice bacon and place in a skillet over medium heat, cook until crisp about 7 minutes, remove drain and set aside. In a bowl add avocados, a pinch of pepper and salt, lime juice and mix well. Add cilantro, jalapeno, tomatoes, mix well and fold in bacon and set aside. Heat cooking oil in skillet over medium heat to about 325 degrees, add flautas in batches and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper napkins and repeat. Top with guacamole and sour cream and enjoy.


bacon recipe source: Creole Contessa (@CreoleContessa), December 6, 2013

3574. CHICKPEA SALAD with BACON, COTIJA and ROASTED CHILES

serves four


1/2 pound dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soaked overnight in cold salted water at room temperature
1 bay leaf

1 carrot, cut into 3-inch segments 

1 onion, split in half 

1 stalk celery, cut into 3-inch segments, divided 

Kosher salt 

2 poblano or Anaheim chilies 

4 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

1 shallot, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons) 

1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon) 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 tablespoons juice from 2 limes, plus 1 extra lime cut into wedges 

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese 

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and light green parts only 

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves 

 

Drain chickpeas and place in a large pot with bay leaf, carrot, onion, and celery. Cover with cold water by 2 inches, season with salt, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the chickpeas are tender but still hold their shape, about 1 hour. Discard bay leaf, carrot, onion, and celery. Drain and rinse under cold running water until chilled. Let drain in a colander set in the sink.

 

Meanwhile, adjust rack to 4 to 5 inches below broiler and preheat broiler to high. Place chilies on a foil-lined broiler pan and broil, turning occasionally, until completely blackened on all surfaces, about 15 minutes total. Crimp foil to seal around the chilies and set aside for 10 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until completely crisp. Remove from heat and stir in shallots and garlic. Immediately transfer to a large bowl. Add olive oil and 2 tablespoons lime juice and whisk to combine.

 

When chilies are cool enough to handle, peel using your fingers. Discard skin, stems, and seeds and slice flesh into thin strips.

 

When beans are cooked and drained, add to bacon mixture. Add chili strips, cotija, scallions, and cilantro and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with lime wedges, or for better results, store overnight in a covered container in the refrigerator. Salad will keep for up to three days.

 

 

bacon recipe source: J. Kenji López-Alt, Managing Culinary Director, Serious Eats (@seriouseats), October 20, 2014

3573. CHICKEN BURRITO BOWLS with BACON GUACAMOLE and SCALLION PESTO

makes four bowls


2 chicken breasts, diced into small cubes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 pinch crushed red pepper
2 slices bacon
1 cup uncooked black rice
1 avocado
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1 bunch scallions, white ends trimmed and discarded
3 tablespoons toasted pepitas
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tsp
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (and seeded for less heat)
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10 oz) can Mexi-corn, drained
1/2 cup crumbed cotija cheese
chives for garnish (optional)
2 cups baby spinach leaves
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the black rice in a rice cooker, or your favorite stove-top method.

In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, chili powder, coriander, garlic salt, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle the spice mix over the diced chicken until coated all over. Set aside.

Render the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. When crispy, remove the bacon and place on paper towels to drain. Crumble with fingers. Taste one to make sure the pigs did it right.

Back in the skillet, drain all but about 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and add the chicken. Sear the chicken until browned all over and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.

In a small sauce pan, bring the teaspoon oil to a medium heat. Add the jalapeno and sizzle for a minute. Add the black beans and corn; toss. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low while you finish the rest of the meal. Stir once in a while.

In a food processor, combine the scallions, garlic, toasted pepitas, 2 tablespoons, lime juice and a pinch of salt. With the motor running, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a thin stream until you get a nice pesto consistency.

In a small bowl, combine the avocado, bacon crumbles, the remaining tablespoons of lime juice and a small pinch of salt. Mash until you get a guacamole of the most unearthly caliber.

Finally, place a small heaping of black rice in the bottom of each bowl. Top with baby spinach leaves, cooked chicken, a few spoonfuls of the black bean/corn mixture, a healthy dollop of the bacon guacamole and the scallion pesto. Garnish with a little bit of the crumbled cotija cheese.


bacon recipe source: Bev Weidner, Bev Cooks (@bevcooks), December 12, 2012

3497. CORN, BACON and CAPSICUM FRITTERS with AVOCADO SALSA

makes four servings


2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 bacon rashers, rind and excess fat trimmed, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, halved, deseeded, finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly whisked
3/4 cup self-raising flour
1/3 cup milk
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ripe avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled, chopped
1 ripe tomato, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh coriander
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
mixed salad leaves, to serve

Cook corn in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes or until tender. Refresh under cold running water. Drain well.

Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add bacon and capsicum and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat.

Combine the egg and flour in a bowl. Gradually stir in the milk. Add corn, bacon and capsicum, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat half the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spoon four 80ml (1/3-cup) portions of corn mixture evenly around the edge of the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and corn mixture, reheating pan between batches.

To make the salsa, combine the avocado, tomato, coriander and lime juice in a bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Place fritters on serving plates. Top with salsa and serve with mixed salad leaves, if desired.



bacon recipe source: Sarah Hobbs, Australian Good Taste, November 2004, p. 32

3460. SPICY PULLED CHICKEN SLIDERS with BACON-QUESO GUACAMOLE

yields 8-10 servings


1 medium yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 chipotle peppers canned in adobo, finely chopped
½ cup ketchup
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons honey
18 ounces beer
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
36 slider buns

bacon-queso guacamole (recipe below)

 

Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a dutch oven (or large saucepan with a lid) over medium heat. When hot, add the minced onions and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onions become translucent. Add the chipotles, ketchup, lime juice, honey and beer. Bring the mixture to a boil and then add the chicken breasts. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken breasts from the cooking liquid and allow them to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken using two forks.

Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and cook until it has reduced by about half and thickened slightly. This should take about 15 minutes.

When your sauce has reduced, mix in the shredded chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes until heated through. Spoon your spicy pulled chicken onto slider rolls and top with bacon-queso guacamole and serve immediately.

Bacon-Queso Guacamole (yields 8 servings)

3 avocados

1½ limes, juiced

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup red onion, minced

4 slices cooked thick-cut bacon, crumbled

½ cup crumbled queso fresco

3 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

salt

fresh ground pepper

Slice the avocados in half and remove the pits. Score each avocado half with a knife and spoon the avocado out of its skin into a mixing bowl. Squeeze lime juice over the avocado and mash it with a fork. Mix in the minced garlic, red onion, bacon, queso fresco and cilantro and season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Cover tightly with plastic wrap until ready to use.

bacon recipe source: Serena Wolf (@serenagwolf), Domesticate Me, September 6, 2013