3634. SEARED BACON-CRUSTED ALBACORE TENDERLOIN with POMEGRANATE REDUCTION

For the sauce:

2 cups red wine

1½ cups pomegranate juice

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the albacore:

1 2-inch-thick piece of albacore tuna loin per person. 

1 strip of apple wood-smoked bacon per piece of tuna. 

1 tablespoon (15 ml.) peanut oil. 

Watercress, radish sprouts, sunflower sprouts, or any other micro-green or spring salad mix that you like. 

White from one egg

For the sauce: Combine first three ingredients in a saucepan and reduce over a low flame to half its volume and set aside until ready to serve. When ready to serve, whisk in olive oil before drizzling over fish and greens.

For the albacore: In a cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and cook bacon strips until brown and crispy. Turn off the flame and keep the bacon fat in the pan; drain bacon in paper towels and set aside to cool. When bacon has cooled, break into pieces into a blender and blend at high speed until completely pulverized, then empty bacon onto a flat plate. In a bowl, beat the egg white then brush the sides of the albacore loin with egg white and gently roll in bacon, taking care to cover the sides of the loin with as many bacon bits as possible. Reserve remaining bacon bits. Turn your oven broiler to high and position the topmost rack about three to four inches from the top. Over a high flame, heat the cast-iron skillet that you cooked the bacon in, along with the reserved bacon fat, and gently place each albacore loin medallion into the skillet, then place the skillet into the oven. Broil for 3 minutes, remove the skillet and gently turn over albacore medallions, taking care not to knock off bacon bits. Place skillet back under broiler for 3 more minutes to sear the other side. Prepare individual serving plates with a small mound of micro-greens or salad mix and gently set one albacore medallion on each mound of greens. Whisk the olive oil into the pomegranate reduction and drizzle a little onto each medallion and mound of greens. Top off each medallion with the remaining reserved bacon bits and serve.

bacon recipe source: Victor Panichkul, The Taste of Oregon (@TasteofOregon), August 11, 2010

1902. CHICKEN PAILLARDS with POMEGRANATE SAUCE and BACON and BABY POTATO HASH

yields four servings


3 large pomegranates or 1 cup store-bought pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
6 peppercorns
3 cloves
1 fresh bay leaf
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied if large
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound thick cut bacon, diced
8 baby Yukon gold or baby white potatoes, very thinly sliced
1 large shallot, very thinly sliced in rings
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cups arugula
1 lemon, juiced
1 pint fresh figs, halved or quartered

Roll the pomegranates on the counter while applying pressure for a couple of minutes. Hold the pomegranate over a pot and cut into it with a small sharp knife. The juice will come rushing out. Squeeze the pomegranates until 3/4 to 1 cup of juice is produced. Store-bought pomegranate juice can be used when fresh are not in season. Add the vinegar, peppercorns, cloves and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then turn the heat down to a simmer and reduce the liquid by half, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, cover the chicken with plastic wrap on meat safe board and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Heat a second medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add the pancetta to the smaller skillet and cook until crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and shallots in thin layer and season with a little salt and black pepper, to taste, and the red pepper flakes. Cook, turning occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. In the larger skillet add the chicken and cook for 8 minutes, turning once. Remove the chicken to serving plates. Strain the reduced pomegranate sauce into the skillet with the chicken and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan, then turn off the heat.

Add the arugula to a large bowl and drizzle with the lemon and about 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spoon the pomegranate sauce over the chicken. Top the chicken with the salad and figs and serve the potato hash alongside.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rachael Ray, "Playing Chicken," 30 Minute Meals

1560. SWEET APPLE and BACON PUFFS with POMEGRANATE GLAZE

2 medium apples, cut into 8ths
8 slices bacon, cut in half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 ounces gorgonzola
8 ounces pomegranate juice
1/2 package puff pastry, thawed
Toothpicks, soaked in water

Roll out puff pastry. On a lightly floured surface, slice into 16 rectangles. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake according to package directions in a preheated oven. Remove from oven and pop a hole into the top of each one with your finger. Set aside.

As puff pastry bakes, place the butter in a sauce pan over medium flame. Once hot, add apples and all of the spices, brown sugar and salt. Stir well and cook until apples just begin to soften, approximately 4-6 minutes. Remove apples from the sauce pan and place into a separate container to cool slightly.

Pour pomegranate juice directly into the spiced brown sugar that was just used to flavor the apples. Stir well, turn heat to medium high and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the glaze is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. (Test this by dipping in a heat safe spoon or spatula and running a super clean finger through the liquid. If the line stays clear and none of the glaze runs through it, you’re done!)

While glaze reduces, spread bacon strips down on a flat surface. Top each one with an apple slice and a bit of gorgonzola. Wrap bacon tightly around apple and cheese, pinning it closed with a toothpick.

On a preheated grill, place bacon wrapped apples directly on the grill and cover with the lid. Cook, turning when necessary, until bacon is done, approximately 8-10 minutes.

As apple bacon parcels finish cooking, lay puff pastry pieces onto the grill, cover again and allow to heat until warm. Top each puff pastry with the apple bacon, remove toothpicks and serve drizzled with pomegranate glaze.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nibbledish

833. BIBB SALAD with PISTACHIOS, CHEVRE and BACON and POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE

yields 4 servings


2 heads Bibb lettuce, leaves separated, rinsed well and blotted dry
1 cup pomegranate vinaigrette (recipe follows)
¼ cup, crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
¼ cup pistachios, toasted
4 tablespoons Chevre or other mild goat cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds

Toss lettuce with enough vinaigrette to coat leaves. Assemble on plate to resemble a head of lettuce and sprinkle with bacon, chevre, pistachios and pepper. Top with pomegranate seeds.


Pomegranate Vinaigrette

yields 1 cup

1 tablespoon shallots, minced
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¾ cup canola oil
Kosher salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

Combine first 5 ingredients in bowl and whisk to blend, drizzling in oil until vinaigrette emulsifies and turns slightly creamy and thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


courtesy of: Paul Constantine, Café Caprice, Austin, Texas, 900 W 10th Street, Austin, Texas 78703-4928, (512) 477-5576