3385. CALVES LIVER with BACON, SAUTEED ONIONS, and MUSTARD SAUCE

yields six servings


12 ounces bacon, slab or sliced, in 1 by 1/4 inch pieces
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold
6 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup brown veal stock or chicken stock
1/4 cup stoneground mustard
6 (8ounce) slices calf's liver, trimmed of all sinew and cut into 1/2 inch slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 

Sauteed onions:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3 small onions, thinly sliced across width
1/2 teaspoon salt

Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and reserve.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Cook shallots with salt until soft and nearly golden, about 3 minutes. Add cooked bacon, stirring briefly to rewarm. Add vinegar, turn the heat to high and reduce by half. Add stock and reduce again by half. Break remaining butter into small pieces and whisk into sauce until smooth. Whisk in mustard and remove from heat.

Preheat grill or a dry skillet. Season liver with salt and pepper. Grill or saute in melted butter over high heat, about 3 minutes per side.

Arrange liver over a bed of Sauteed onions on individual serving plates and spoon on sauce. Serve immediately.

Sauteed onions: Melt butter in a large skillet over high heat. Reduce heat. Saute onions with salt, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

bacon recipe source: Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, Border Grill, California, 1997

3368. BACON-BEEF LIVER PATE with ROSEMARY and THYME

makes 2 cups


6 pieces uncured bacon
1 small onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound grass-fed beef liver
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
½ cup coconut oil, melted
½ teaspoon sea salt
slices of fresh carrot or cucumber

Cook the bacon slices in a cast-iron pot until crispy. Set aside to cool, reserving the grease in the pan to cook the liver. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes on medium-high. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the liver, sprinkling with the herbs. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until no longer pink in the center. Turn off heat, and place contents into a blender or food processor with the coconut oil and sea salt. Process until it forms a thick paste, adding more coconut oil if too thick. Cut the cooled bacon strips into little bits and mix with the pâté in a small bowl. Garnish with some fresh herbs and serve on carrot or cucumber slices.


bacon recipe source: Mickey Trescott, Autoimmune Paleo, November 3, 2012

3362. COARSE COUNTRY TERRINE (with PORK SHOULDER, PORK BELLY, BACON and PIG'S LIVER)

serves ten

10 oz rindless pork shoulder, chopped into small pieces

10 oz rindless pork belly, chopped into small pieces

5 oz rindless unsmoked streaky bacon rashers, chopped into small pieces

8 oz pig’s liver, rinsed and patted dry with kitchen paper

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 orange, juice and zest

6 tablespoons brandy 

3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns 

1 tablespoon juniper berries 

14 oz rindless smoked streaky bacon rashers

7 oz cornichons, drained

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put half the prok shoulder, half the pork belly, half the bacon, the liver and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the remaining pork shoulder, pork belly, bacon and pulse until roughly chopped and well combined.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in the orange juice and zest, brandy and herbs until well combined. Grind the peppercorns and juniper berries together with a pestle and mortar and add to the mixture. Stir until well combined. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 1-3 hours.

Place the smoked bacon rashers on a board and stretch one at a time with the back of a knife. Place the first rasher diagonally in the terrine mould making sure some overlaps the edge. Place the second rasher diagonally in the opposite corner. Repeat with the remaining rashers, changing the angle slightly with each rasher so that the whole terrine mould is covered with bacon. (This will make the terrine easier to cut.)

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Spoon a third of the pâté mixture into the lined terrine and place half the cornichons neatly on top. (They need to run lengthways down the terrine, so that when the terrine is cut, they form a row of green circles in the centre.)

Spoon another third of the pâté mixture on top of the cornichons and press the surface smoothly and firmly. Cover with a second layer of cornichons and finish with the remaining pâté. Bring the overlapping bacon up and over the pâté to cover the surface.

Cover with the lid (or aluminium foil if using an ovenproof dish) and place the terrine into a small roasting tin. Add enough just-boiled water to the roasting tin to come 2cm/¾in up the outside of the terrine. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1½ hours.

To test the terrine is ready, remove from the oven and insert a skewer into the centre. Hold for 10 seconds, then remove and lightly touch the end. The skewer should feel hot. The pâté should also have shrunk away from the sides of the terrine. Remove from the roasting tin.

Remove the terrine lid, cover with a double layer of aluminium foil and place a couple of cans of beans or some other heavy weights on top. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge overnight. The next day, turn the pate out onto a board and cut into thick slices. Serve with hot, crusty bread and lots of butter.

bacon recipe source: The Hairy Bikers, Hairy Bikers' Best of British, BBC Food

3151. CHICKEN LIVERS with BACON and PEPPER JELLY

serves 4-6


24 chicken livers
12 slices bacon
1/4 cup pepper jelly
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the broiler. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.

Rinse the chicken livers. Cut the bacon strips, crosswise, in half. Cook the livers and bacon in the pot of boiling water for about 2 minutes. Remove, drain, and cool for a few minutes on paper towels. Roll the chicken livers and bacon on the paper towels to dry them.

Whisk the pepper jelly, lemon juice, green onion, and salt together in a small bowl. Roll the chicken livers in the pepper-jelly mixture to coat well. Place each liver atop a half-slice of bacon and roll it up. Skewer 4-6 bacon-wrapped livers together on metal or bamboo skewers, leaving about 1/2 inch between each liver.

Place the skewers on the broiler rack and broil until the bacon is crispy on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn and broil for another 3-4 minutes, or until the second side turns crispy.

Remove livers from skewers and serve, as is, as an appetizer. Or unload the skewers on top of red beans and rice for a unique alternative to sausage.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tom Fitzmorris's New Orleans Food; New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang; p. 62

3097. SWISS CHARD and BACON-WRAPPED PORK GAYETTES

makes 16 gayettes


2 cups cooked Swiss chard leaves
1 large leaf sorrel (optional)
1 cup chopped white portions of leeks or onions
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons beef consomme
1 package unflavored gelatin
1/2 lb. chicken or pork liver
2 lb. ground pork, half lean and half fat
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon crushed bay leaf
4 slices bacon

Squeeze chard, and chop with sorrel (if available). Stew the leeks or onions in the oil and butter until wilted, 5-10 minutes. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds, mix in chard, and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until moisture is evaporated. Season with salt and pepper, set aside. Heat consomme and dissolve gelatin in it; set aside. Finely chop or grind liver, add to pork along with all the spices, consomme, and chard; mix thoroughly. (Saute a small amount, taste, and correct seasonings if necessary.)

Chill the mixture; then form into either 2-3-inch balls or thick patties. Place on a buttered baking pan. Cut bacon strips into 16 pieces and place one on each gayette. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 35-45 minutes, turning once, if desired.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Victory Garden Cookbook, by Marian Morash, p. 308; Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1982

3093. BACON and LIVER APPETIZERS

makes 16 appetizers


3/4 cup chicken livers
2 hard-cooked eggs
chopped chives or finely grated onion, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cognac (optional)
8 slices bacon, cut in half

Cook the chicken livers in a small amount of boiling, salted water until barely done, five to eight minutes. Rub the livers and hard-cooked eggs through a fine sieve or use a food mill. Blend well and mix with the remaining ingredients except the bacon. Chill. Spread the mixture on the strips of bacon. Roll and fasten with toothpicks. Grill under a preheated broiler until the bacon is crisp. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne, pp. 15-16; New York & Evanston: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1961

3064. LEIBERSPIESSCHEN

calf's livers grilled with bacon and sage on skewers

serves four


1 lb. calf's liver
6 slices bacon, cut in 2-inch pieces
fresh sage leaves
1/3 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped
salt and pepper

Slice the liver into 2-inch long pieces, 1/4 inch thick. Thread on small metal or wooden skewers, alternating with pieces of bacon and a sage leaf. Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet. Add onion and brown for 3 minutes, then add the skewered liver. Saute until brown on each side, for about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. If fresh sage is not available, 1/2 teaspoon dried sage may be added to the butter.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Horizon Cookbook: An Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking through the Ages, by the Editors of Horizon Magazine. American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., 1968

2549. PATE MOUSSE with BACON and WALNUTS

yields three cups

8 slices bacon, diced

1 pound chicken livers 

½ cup brandy 

¾ cup heavy or whipping cream 

1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped

¼ cup mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon dried thyme 

Large pinch ground nutmeg 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts 

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley 

crumbled crisp bacon and chopped fresh Italian parsley, or whole walnut meats and chopped parsley (garnish)

One day before serving, fry the diced bacon in a medium-size skillet until crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sauté the livers in the hot bacon fat over medium-high heat until brown on the outside but still pink inside, 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and reserve. Pour the brandy into the skillet over medium heat and stir, scraping loose browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the cream and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to about 1 cup. Process the livers, onion, and reduced cream in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, thyme, nutmeg, salt to taste, and lots of pepper. Process until smooth. Add the diced bacon, walnuts, and 3 tablespoons parsley and process just until blended. Transfer the liver mixture to a crock or decorative serving dish and refrigerate covered overnight to allow the flavors to blend. Garnish the pate with crumbled bacon and parsley or walnuts and parsley. Serve with crusty bread or assorted crackers.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso, for Cookstr

2539. SPICY OSTRICH LIVER, SMOKY BACON and ONIONS

serves two


350 g (12 oz) ostrich liver, de-veined and thinly sliced
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
6 slices home smoked bacon, chopped roughly
1 teaspoon white cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds, ground
½ chili powder (or to taste)
½ teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
4 tablespoon plain flour
juice from half a lemon
zest from ¼ of a lemon, finely chopped
½ teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons of beer or lager
olive oil for frying

Mix the plain flour, ground spices, salt and add to a shallow dish and roll the liver in the mixture so it's really well covered. Leave the liver in the flour while you cook the onions, so it grabs as much flour as possible. Mix the beer, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and lemon zest together and put to one side. Heat a wok and add a few glugs of olive oil and gently fry the onions for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Just as the onions start to color, add the chopped bacon slices. When the onions are done, reserve and keep warm. Add a dash more oil if the wok is dry and over a low to medium heat, fry the liver for about 1 minute a side so it browns slightly and the blood runs a little. Turn the heat up high and add the liquid and the reserved onions and bacon and reduce to most of the liquid has gone. You should be left with a nice gooey sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cookipedia UK

2353. PASTA with CHICKEN LIVERS, BACON and SAGE

10 oz chicken livers
4 oz smoked bacon, 4-5 slices
4-6 shallots, about 8oz
15-20 fresh or frozen sage leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz fresh tagliatelle

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Slice shallots. Snip or cut sage leaves in half or quarters. Trim chicken livers if needed and cut in half. Sauté bacon in a large nonstick skillet until brown and crisp. Remove, tear into pieces and set aside. If there is a lot of fat, remove all but 1 tablespoon. Add shallots to skillet and sauté until tender and starting to brown. Remove and add to bacon. Add olive oil to skillet. Turn heat up to medium-high, add sage and livers to pan. Sauté 5-8 minutes, livers should still be pink in the center. You may have to do the liver in batches so as not to crowd the pan. Return all liver, shallots and bacon to the pan and heat through. Add the cooked, drained pasta and toss in the skillet, with a tablespoon or 2 of water to help get the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Put onto a platter and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Katie, Thyme for Cooking, January 15, 2008

2249. PORTUGUESE LIVER with BACON and ONIONS

1 large onion, cut in rings
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1 pound calf liver, sliced 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
minced parsley

Mix wine, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic and bay leaves; pour over liver in shallow glass or plastic dish. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Drain liver; strain. Reserve wine mixture. Pat liver dry. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet until hot. Fry onions until translucent and set to one side. Fry bacon in oil over medium heat until crisp; remove with slotted spoon and drain. Cook liver in oil and bacon fat until brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Arrange liver on platter; keep warm. Drain fat from skillet. Add reserved wine mixture to skillet. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly to loosen browned bits; reduce heat. Add the onions. Simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Pour sauce over liver; sprinkle with bacon and parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ruth, I love flavour, me!, June 9, 2009

2084. PIG'S LIVER CREME CARAMEL with ROASTED GRAPES and CRISPY BACON

yields eight servings


CARAMEL:
75 grams sugar
50 grams maple syrup
15 grams cabernet sauvignon vinegar

Place the sugar into a pot and bring it to a light caramel. Remove from the heat and add the maple syrup and vinegar. While still warm, lightly brush the insides of ramekins with the caramel mixture.


PIG LIVER MOUSSE:
100 grams cream
50 grams milk
3 grams kombu seaweed
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon curry spice
1/4 teaspoon Chinese Five-spice powder
1 grams dried shiitake mushroom
40 grams pig liver
1 egg

In a food processor puree the livers. Add eggs and pulse to combine. (Do not run at high speed or it will get frothy). Over medium heat combine cream, milk, kombu, dried shiitakes, soy sauce, and spices and bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. Combine the egg/liver puree with the cream mixture and pass through a fine chinoise. Pour the custard into caramel lined ramekins. Place the ramekins into a bain marie, cover with foil, and bake at 325 degrees for about 10-12 minutes (the middle should be wobbly). Remove from the bain marie and allow to come to room temperature.


ROASTED CALIFORNIA GRAPES:
75 grams California seedless red grapes
8 grams extra virgin olive oil
pinch of Maldon salt
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 inch piece of rosemary
a few grinds pepper
8 grams cabernet sauvignon vinegar
8 grams maple syrup

Place grapes, olive oil, cinnamon, bay leaf, rosemary, salt and pepper in a saute pan and place over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grapes brown and blister. Add the vinegar and the maple syrup and remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature.


To Serve:
a few sprigs of watercress
truffle oil
pancetta - fried until crispy
brioche - sliced and toasted

To unmold the creme caramels, give them a little jiggle back and forth to loosen them within the ramekin. Place a plate over the top of the ramekin and flip it over, allowing the creme caramel to fall onto the plate. Add a little bit of flourish (and herbaceous goodness) with a few watercress sprigs and drizzle with truffle oil, and spoon some grapes around the mousse. Place a crispy piece of bacon next to the creme caramel and serve with toasted bread.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Brad Farmerie, Executive Chef of Public, 210 Elizabeth Street, New York, New York 10012

2050. GRILLED LIVER with MOREL MUSHROOMS and BACON

makes two servings


1/2 cup dried morel mushrooms
1 cup hot water
3 thick strips bacon (preferably double-smoked), diced
3 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons each: red wine, 35 per cent cream
freshly ground pepper
1 lb calf’s liver, patted dry
kosher salt
extra-virgin olive oil

In medium bowl, soak mushrooms in water 15 minutes to soften. Drain. Halve or chop mushrooms if desired.

In large skillet, cook bacon over medium until almost crisp. Remove with slotted spoon from pan to drain on paper towels.

Add mushrooms to pan. Cook, stirring, 4 minutes. Add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add bacon. Raise heat to high; add wine. When it evaporates, add cream. Cook until mixture just holds together. Transfer to bowl. Season with pepper; cover and keep warm.

Season liver with salt and pepper. Coat lightly with oil. Wipe out skillet; heat over medium-high. Add liver. Grill 2 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board. Slice as desired.

Serve liver topped with morel-bacon mixture.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Boreal Gourmet: Adventures in Northern Cooking by Michele Genest. Lost Moose, 2010 | Jennifer Bain, Food Editor, The Star.com, One Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M5E 1E6

2023. ROASTED TURKEY BALLOTTINE wrapped in BACON

12-pound fresh turkey, divided; legs reserved for braised recipe (Ask your butcher to remove and bone the breasts, and bone the legs)
2½ ounces diced white bread (about 2 cups)
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
¼ teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon quatre épices (or substitute pumpkin spice and a bit of black pepper)
1 pound raw pork sausage meat, without casing
Liver and giblets, coarsely chopped
Salt and white pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 pounds thinly sliced bacon
6 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak the bread in the milk for 15 minutes; strain. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat, then add the onion, garlic, and celery and sauté, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with the soaked bread, parsley, rosemary, quatre épices, sausage, liver, giblets, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Knead to combine. On a flat surface, arrange a 2-foot-long double layer of plastic wrap. Place half of pork mixture in a horizontal line, about 12 inches long, in the center of the plastic wrap. Lift the plastic wrap up and over the sausage, then roll while tucking under and twisting at the ends, making a tight log about 1¾ inches in diameter. Repeat with the other half of the sausage stuffing. Place the sausage rolls in the freezer to chill quickly. Meanwhile, if you have a whole turkey, remove the breasts and discard the skin. Butterfly the thicker end of the breasts, folding over toward the thinner end to form a shape as close to a rectangle as possible. Cover one breast with plastic wrap, and, using a meat mallet, pound the meat to about ½ inch thick, 1 foot long, and 8 inches wide; repeat with other breast. Season the surface of the breasts with a sprinkling of salt and white pepper. Remove the plastic wrap from a sausage log, and place the log in the center of the flattened breast. Shape the breast around the sausage. Arrange the bacon in overlapping slices in vertical rows, on a 12-inch board, making a 12-inch-long-by-9-inch-wide rectangle. Place the turkey roulade in the center of the bacon, and wrap up and around to fully encase the breast. Repeat with second breast. Lay a 2-foot-long piece of heavy aluminum foil on a flat surface, and spread half of the butter evenly on top. Place turkey roulade in the center, then roll the foil around the roulade as tightly as possible, twisting at the ends. Tie with butcher’s twine to secure. Repeat with other turkey roulade. Place both logs on a baking sheet, and bake for 45 minutes, turning the logs ¼-turn every 10 minutes. Remove foil, and baste roulades with the pan juices; return to oven and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or until the bacon has cooked and the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes. Cut the roulade into ½-inch slices. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Daniel Boulud, for New York Magazine, 2009

2012. BEEF LIVER with BACON, ONIONS and GARLIC

1 pound pastured beef liver, cut into 1/4 inch thick strips
1 lemon, juiced or 1-2 tablespoons vinegar
2 medium onions, halved and sliced thinly
4-6 oz pastured bacon, cut into bite sized pieces
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup lard, tallow, or coconut oil

Place the liver strips into a bowl and barely cover with water. Add the lemon juice or vinegar and stir. Soak in the refrigerator for several hours. Just before cooking drain, pat dry and set aside. Fry bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium heat until fat is rendered and it begins to crisp up. Remove bacon from pan, leaving drippings, and set aside. Saute sliced onions in bacon grease until softened. Remove and set aside. At this point add enough fat to the pan to create about 1/3 cup total (including bacon grease). Add liver strips to the pan and allow to cook, undisturbed, over medium heat for about two minutes. Stir in minced garlic and pre-cooked onions and bacon. Cook for an additional two minutes or until nearly done. Be very careful not to overcook. Serve alongside a green salad and a vegetable or potatoes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Shannon, Nourishing Days: real food | natural homemaking | sustainability, June 8, 2010

1808. LIVER and BACON with CELERIAC MASH

serves four


8 rashers dry-cured streaky bacon
350 grams calf’s liver, thinly sliced
large pinch of caster sugar
1 tablespoon plain flour, for dusting
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

For the celeriac mash
2 large (about 450g) potatoes, diced
450 grams celeriac, diced
3 tablespoons skimmed milk
bunch of spring onions, trimmed and chopped

Make the celeriac mash. Simmer the potatoes and celeriac in a large pan of boiling, salted water for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to the pan, covered, to dry out.

In a small pan, gently heat the milk. Add the spring onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add to the potatoes and celeriac, then mash and season. Set aside, covered, to keep hot.

Meanwhile, grill the bacon until beginning to crisp at the edges.

Season the liver on both sides with salt, pepper and the sugar, then coat lightly in the flour. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat. When hot, add the oil, then the liver and cook for 2 minutes each side, until nicely browned but still pink and juicy on the inside. Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan. Serve the liver and pan juices immediately with the celeriac mash and crispy bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Silvana Franco, Delicious Magazine

1455. CHICKEN LIVERS with BACON, PICKLED ONIONS, ZANTE GRAPES, and WATERCRESS

serves two


FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS:
1 1/4 cups champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 heaping tablespoons sugar
2 bay leaves
1 small dried red chile
5 black peppercorns
A few pinches salt
6 small yellow onions, peeled, sliced into 1/4"–1/2"-thick rings and separated, ends discarded

FOR THE SALAD:
2 oz. sliced bacon, cut crosswise into about 1" pieces
2–3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz. chicken livers, trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons whole zante or 6 halved seedless red flame grapes
2 small handfuls watercress
1/4 teaspoon sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons oloroso sherry

For the pickled onions: Combine 1 1/4 cups water, vinegar, sugar, bay leaves, chile (broken in half if you like a spicier pickle), peppercorns, and salt in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat, and add onions. Gently stir the crowded onions as the brine returns to a simmer, then simmer them for 45 seconds. Pour onions and brine into clean jars and allow to cool. Tightly cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 day and up to 6 months.

For the salad: Put bacon into a medium skillet and cook over medium heat until just crisp. Set bacon aside, reserving rendered fat in skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and add 1 1/2 tbsp. of the oil. Add livers, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until they are browned on each side and faintly rosy on the inside, 1–1 1/2 minutes per side. Stir in bacon, grapes, and 8–10 ringlets of the pickled onions (save remaining onions for another use).

Toss watercress with vinegar and 1/4 tsp. of the oil, then divide between 2 plates. Spoon half the livers, bacon, grapes, and onions onto each plate. Deglaze skillet with sherry over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, then add remaining oil, swirling skillet over the heat. Spoon sauce over livers and salad and serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Saveur, Issue #77

1447. LIVER BORDELAISE with BACON

yields eight servings


4 slices bacon, chopped
21/2 pounds beef liver
No. 2 can small white onions and liquid
1 carrot, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
dash ground allspice
2 cups red wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Heat oven to 325° F. (slow). Fry bacon bits until crisp; set aside. Cut liver in 2-inch strips and brown in bacon fat, adding drained onions when partially browned.
Transfer to a 3-quart casserole; sprinkle with carrot and seasonings and pour in wine and onion liquid. Cover and cook in 325° F. oven for 1 1/4 hours or until tender. Thicken liquid with cornstarch, mixed to a paste with 1/4 cup water, if desired. Sprinkle with bacon bits and parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: ifood.tv

1354. LEMON BACON and RED ONIONS with CALF'S LIVER

makes 4 servings


8 slices (about 2/3 lb.) thick-cut bacon
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 to 3/4 pound calf's liver, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 red onions (1 lb. total), peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 cup minced parsley
about 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper

In a 10- by 15-inch rimmed pan, lay bacon slices side by side. Bake in a 350° oven for 15 minutes. Drain and save fat. Mix sugar and lemon peel. With your fingers, evenly pat mixture onto bacon slices, covering completely. Return pan to oven and bake until bacon is well browned, 12 to 15 minutes. With a wide spatula, transfer bacon to a rack; scrape sugar drippings from pan and put on bacon. Meanwhile, rinse liver, pat dry, and trim off and discard any tough membrane. Cut liver into 4 equal portions. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan, combine onions, lemon juice, and butter. Stir over high heat until onions are limp and slightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add parsley and stir until wilted. Mound onions on an ovenproof platter; arrange bacon in a single layer alongside. Put in a 150° oven. Wipe frying pan clean. Set frying pan over high heat and add reserved bacon fat. Coat liver with flour, shaking off excess. When fat is hot, add liver. Brown on each side, turning as needed until just barely pink in center (cut to test), about 5 minutes total. Drain liver briefly on towels, then add to platter. Add salt and pepper to taste.


courtesy of: Sunset, June 1999

880. GOOSE LIVER and BACON PATE and PORT SYRUP

1 2-lb. pack goose livers
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 large spanish onion, sliced (or other sweet yellow onion)
8 oz. Ruby port
8 oz. mayonnaise

Render bacon in pan until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, reserving bacon grease. Saute sliced onion in reserved bacon grease. When onion slices are golden add port and cook for 3 minutes. Set aside. Saute livers in reserved bacon grease to medium doneness (slightly pink inside). Set aside. Puree livers, bacon, and onions while still warm in food processor. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste, and chill immediately (spread into a shallow pan for best chilling). When chilled, spoon or pipe with pastry bag onto crackers, brioche, crostini, etc. Garnish with snipped chives or Port Syrup.

Port Syrup: Heat 8 oz. of Ruby Port in a sauce pan over medium high heat until reduced by two thirds. This thickens the port and intensifies the flavor, making a wonderful syrup for garnish.


courtesy of: Chef Jeffrey Trujillo, Tweeds Restaurant and Buffalo Bar, Riverhead, New York