3958. PUMPKIN HONEY CORNBREAD with GUAJILLO CHILES and BACON

1 Dried Guajillo Pepper

1 Cup Very Hot Water

2 Strips Bacon

1 Egg

1 Cup Milk (Buttermilk or any other dairy milk)

1/3 Cup Honey

1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/2 Cup Pumpkin

1/2 Tbsp Cinnamon

1 Cup Flour

1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal

1/4 Tsp Salt

3 Tsp Baking Powder

Preheat the oven to 400. Place a cast iron skillet or heavy oven proof pan on medium heat. Slice off the stem of the guajillo and run your knife down the pepper lengthwise. Remove the seeds, place in a bowl, and pour the hot water over it. Let soak for 25 minutes or until soft.

Place the bacon in the pan and cook. Remove from the pan and drain off the excess fat, leaving a thin coating. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Combine egg, milk, vegetable oil, honey, pumpkin and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt and powder. Add the flour to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Thinly slice the pepper and add it to the mixture along with the bacon and stir to incorporate.

Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

bacon recipe source: Corrine Soave, Daily Ciabatta (@dailyciabatta), October 2015

3666. PUMPKIN, BACON and CHICKEN NORI ROLLS

pureed pumpkin
bacon
cooked chicken
grated vegetables (beetroot, carrot, for example)
mint leaves
nori

To puree the pumpkin, simple chop and peel the pumpkin and boil or roast until cooked. Then either mash or use a whiz to make it smooth. Cook bacon, and shred chicken, grate carrot and beetroot Using a sushi kit, line the nori sheets with pumpkin, then the top up with other ingredients. If you find the pumpkin was a bit wet and the sheets ripped, use to sheets.


bacon recipe source: Nicola Smith, Foreverfit.tv (@ForeverfitTV),  New Zealand

3525. BACON-WRAPPED ELK CHOPS with PICKLED BRUSSELS SPROUTS and PUMPKIN PUREE

yields four servings


Brussels sprouts: 
6 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups distilled vinegar
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 ounces pickling spice
1 ounce red pepper flakes
1 ounce whole peppercorns
1/2 bunch fresh dill
3 bay leaves
1 pound Brussels sprouts

Pumpkin puree:
1 small to medium pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Elk chops:
1 ounce fresh rosemary
1 ounce fresh sage
Oil, for frying and searing
1 rack elk chops, broken down into double chops
1 pound sliced bacon

Demi-glace:
4 cups beef stock or 1 cup beef demi-glace
Unsalted butter, optional

For the Brussels sprouts: Combine 8 cups water, the apple cider vinegar, distilled vinegar, kosher salt, sugar, pickling spice, red pepper flakes, whole peppercorn, fresh dill and bay leaves, into a large pot and bring to a boil. Cut the Brussels sprouts into quarters, place them into a large container and pour the boiling liquid over them. Let the sprouts sit overnight, or at least 1 to 2 hours so they are at room temperature.

For the pumpkin puree: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the seeds from the pumpkin. Quarter the clean pumpkin and roast in the oven until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
Scoop out the meat of the pumpkin into a bowl and add the brown sugar, melted butter, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Combine the ingredients by hand using a wooden spoon. Look for a slightly chunky consistency.

For the elk chops: Decrease the oven to 350 degrees F. Fry the rosemary and sage in some oil. Crumble the herbs, rub them on the sides of the elk chops and then wrap with the bacon. Secure with butcher's twine.
Add some oil to a hot pan and sear the elk chops, achieving a nice caramel color before flipping over and repeating on the other side. Finish cooking in the oven until medium.

For the demi-glace: Reduce the beef stock by three-quarters over low heat. Butter can be added if desired.

When the meat is cooked, place a large spoonful of the hot pumpkin puree on a plate. Remove the butcher's twine from the chop and lean it against the puree. Drizzle the demi-glace over the chop. Garnish the dish with a few pieces of the pickled sprouts and the dish is ready to serve.


bacon recipe source: adapted from Brian Jupiter, "Frontier," America's Best Bites, Cooking Channel

3524. BACON-PUMPKIN-PECAN PANCAKES

makes about 18 three-inch pancakes 


1 1/2 cups (gluten-free) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar 
1 tablespoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 
1 cup milk 
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the griddle 
2 large eggs, at room temperature 
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
1/4 cup chopped pecans 
1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon 
Warm pure maple syrup, for serving 

In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the milk with the pumpkin puree, 4 tablespoons of melted butter, the eggs and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, just until combined. Fold in the pecans and bacon. 

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle and brush lightly with butter. Scoop 1/4-cup mounds of batter onto the skillet and spread to 3-inch rounds. Cook over moderate heat until the pancakes are golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip each pancake and cook until fluffy and cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Serve right away, with maple syrup.


bacon recipe source: Silvana Nardone (Food & Wine Digital Contributor), Food & Wine (@foodandwine) 

3516. SPICED PUMPKIN and BACON TOASTED MARSHMALLOW CUPCAKES

The cake:
1 box spice cake mix
1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz.)
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup brewed coffee, cooled
1/3 cup finely chopped bacon

The marshmallow frosting:
8 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

The cake:
Mix the cake mix and the puree until combined. Slowly add the milk, then coffee and mix until well combined. Fold in the chopped bacon. Spoon into 20-24 cupcake liners. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes. Cool completely.

The marshmallow frosting:
Place the cooled cupcakes on a baking sheet (they can be touching) and set them aside.

Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the clean bowl and whisk by hand to combine. Nest the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Heat the egg white mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch (about 120°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 6 minutes.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk for 1 minute on medium speed. Increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes more. Add the vanilla and whisk until just incorporated, about 1 minute.

Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with your preferred piping tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Broil until the tops are starting to brown, about 20 to 30 seconds—watch carefully to avoid burning. (Alternatively, you can use a kitchen torch). In my oven, it took 1-2 minutes, so be sure to keep an eye on them. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 hours.


bacon recipe source: Piggy Piggy Princess (aka Sara Lewis), Bacon Today (@bacontoday)

3491. TONGUE stuffed with BACON on POLENTA

3 lb beef tongue
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
8 garlic cloves, peeled coarsely chopped
2 parsley stems with leaves
1 teaspoon sofrito
3 cups fresh pumpkin (or butternut squash) cubed
1 red or yellow pepper, cubed
1 large tomato, cubed
2 slices of bacon, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup broth (reserved from tongue)
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Polenta
3 cups broth (reserved from tongue)
1 cup polenta
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Tongue: Rinse the tongue under cold water. Place in a stock pot with a quarter of the onion, 1 cup of the pumpkin, 2 garlic cloves, parsley stems, sofrito, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Fill the pot so 2 inches of water cover the tongue. You will need a very large stockpot. Cover, bring to a boil, and lower heat. Simmer for 2 hours. Remove from heat, and let the tongue rest in the water for 30 minutes. Place the tongue on a cutting board. Peel and discard the skin. Make a dozen 1 inch slits all around the tongue. Press the cut pieces of bacon into the slits. Don't forget to strain the broth from the pot, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat stockpot over medium heat with 2 tblsp of olive oil and the remaining onion. Cook until translucent. Add the rest of the vegetables, season with salt, black and red peppers. Cook until tender and deglaze with 1/2 cup of white wine and 1 cup of broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. Put the tongue back in the pot, cover with vegetables, and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Baste every 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut out the bones at the back of the tongue, slice, and serve over polenta with juices. Oh that juice. Garnish with parsley.

Polenta: Heat 3 cups of stock until boiling. Add the polenta in a thin stream, stirring. Stir constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat, add cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.


bacon recipe source: Naomi Donabedian, Cantaloupe Alone (@CantaloupeAlone), October 5, 2009

3169. BACON, LEEK and GRUYERE-STUFFED PUMPKIN

1 small pie pumpkin
olive oil
4 slices bacon, thinly sliced
1 leek, thinly sliced
1/2 of a baguette, cut into 1/2 cubes
1/3 cup gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 of a nutmeg, grated
1/4 cup cream
salt
pepper
cayenne

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the stem of the pumpkin by cutting a circular hole, holding the knife at a 45 degree angle, 1 to 2 inches around the base of the stem, jack-o-lantern style. Reserve the top, but trim away any hanging threads or seeds. Using a spoon, scrape out the stringy flesh and seeds. Reserve the seeds. When the pumpkin is cleaned out, rub the inside walls with a splash of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

In a saute pan over medium heat, saute the bacon until crispy. Add in the leek, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon-leek mixture to a bowl. Add in the baguette, gruyere, and nutmeg. Toss to combine. Taste a spoonful. If it needs more seasoning, add it now. Pack the mixture into the cavity of the pumpkin then pour the cream inside. Place the top of the pumpkin on top. Bake until the flesh of the pumpkin can be easily pierced with a pairing knife, about one hour. While the pumpkin is resting outside of the oven, toss the pumpkin seeds with a splash of olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne, and roast in the oven until crispy, about 30 minutes.

To serve, remove the top of the pumpkin. Slice pumpkin into wedges and serve sprinkled with the toasted pumpkin seeds.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Scarlett Lindeman, Diner Journal, Issue No. 26; 85 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY, 11249

3126. PUMPKIN SPICE WAFFLES with BUTTERNUT BACON SYRUP

serves about 4 


Pumpkin Spice Waffles
1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (recipe below)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

Butternut & Bacon Syrup
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped butternut squash cubes (about 1/2-inch cubes)
1 1/4 cups maple syrup

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

a pinch of cardamom

Combine all spices together and mix thoroughly.

Prep the syrup first. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Once the fat is rendered and the bacon starts to crisp, add in the butternut squash and stir. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the squash is fork tender and begins to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Stir once or twice in between. Add in the syrup and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat and cover the syrup until ready to use.

To make the waffles, combine the flours, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt in a large bowl and whisk together. Set it aside. Separate the eggs, and add the egg whites to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Beat in the remaining sugar. Set the eggs whites aside for a minute.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, pumpkin and coconut oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined; do not overmix. Finally, fold in the whipped egg whites until the batter comes together. Preheat your waffle iron to the desired setting and cook the waffles according to your appliance's directions. Serve them immediately with the warm bacon and butternut syrup.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jessica, How Sweet It Is, October 9, 2013

3082. PAN-FRIED TURBOT with RED WINE BUTTER, BACON, PUMPKIN and CHESTNUTS

serves four 


12 small shallots, blanched until soft 
300 grams pumpkin, flesh only, cut into bite sized chunks 
120 grams chunky lardons of bacon 
12 cooked chestnuts 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the red wine butter 

200 ml red wine 

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons soy sauce 

2 shallots, peeled and finely diced 

1 tablespoon whipping cream 

120 grams unsalted butter 

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

sugar, to taste 

For the turbot 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

4 turbot fillets, each about 160g each, skin removed 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

10 sprigs flat leaf parsley, leaves picked 

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5. Blanch the shallots and pumpkin chunks for 3-4 minutes, until just softened.

Place the bacon, shallots, pumpkin, and chestnuts on a baking tray that is just large enough to hold them. Add the vegetable oil, season with salt and pepper and toss until well coated. Dot the butter over the top and roast for 12-15 minutes until golden.

For the red wine sauce: pour the red wine, red wine vinegar and soy sauce into a saucepan and add the shallots. Cook over a medium heat for several minutes, until the liquid has reduced to about 4 tablespoons. Whisk in the cream.

Add 100g of the butter, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Do not let the sauce boil.

Season to taste with salt, black pepper and sugar (you shouldn't need much salt because of the soy). Keep warm.

For the turbot: heat the oil in a large frying pan. Season the turbot and fry for 1 minute over a very high heat.

Add the butter, lower the heat slightly and fry for a further 2 minutes. Turn and fry for 3 minutes more.

Once the fish is cooked, stir the parsley into the bacon mixture.

Spoon the red wine butter onto four plates, put the fish in the middle and scatter the bacon mixture over the top. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Alex Mackay, Market Kitchen, Good Food Channel, UK TV

3011. PAPPARDELLE with PUMPKIN, BACON and TORN BREAD

makes four servings 


400 grams peeled, seeded, butternut pumpkin
200 grams piece sourdough bread 
4 slices rindless short-cut bacon 
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 
2 tablespoons baby capers 
2 cloves garlic 
1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley 
375 grams fresh pappardelle
1 lemon 
150 grams fresh ricotta

Preheat oven to 220C fan-forced. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, coarsely grate pumpkin. Cut crusts from bread, then tear into small pieces. Thinly slice bacon.

Line a large oven tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin on tray, drizzle with 1 tbs oil and scatter over capers. Season with salt and pepper, then toss to combine. Spread mixture to cover half the tray. Place bread and bacon on other half of tray. Drizzle with 1 tbs oil and toss bread mixture to combine. Bake, stirring each mixture halfway through, for 12 minutes or until bread is golden and pumpkin is tender.

Meanwhile, thinly slice garlic and roughly chop parsley, reserving a few leaves to serve. Add pasta to boiling water, return to the boil, then cook for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain, reserving 180ml (3/4 cup) cooking water.

Heat remaining 2 tbs oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 1/2 minutes or until golden. Add pasta, reserved cooking water, pumpkin and bread mixtures. Squeeze over juice from lemon, tear over half the parsley, then toss to combine.

Divide pasta among bowls, then top with small spoonfuls of ricotta. Tear over reserved parsley to serve.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Sophia Young & Jessica Brook, MasterChef, August 2012

2363. BACON, PUMPKIN and PECAN STUFFING

for Elisabeth and Molly, on Pumpkin Day

serves six


7 cups roughly cubed whole grain sandwich bread
2 cups roasted pumpkin, cubed
4-5 slices bacon, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter an 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking dish. Toss cubed bread and roasted pumpkin into a large mixing bowl. Heat a skillet to medium-high and add in diced bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crispy. Strain bacon out and add diced onions and celery to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in ground sage, garlic powder and maple syrup. Pour onion mixture over bread cubes. Add in crispy bacon bits and pecans. Toss to coat everything. Pour in chicken broth and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir mixture gently with a spatula until everything is well combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until stuffing is golden brown on top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nicole Weston, Baking Bites, November 11, 2010

2112. BACON-WRAPPED ARMAGNAC-DRUNKEN CAPON with PIG'S FEET and PUMPKIN BALLS

four servings


1 young capon, about 2.8 kg/6 lb.
2 large pig's feet, pre-cooked and quartered
9 oz. smoked bacon, in 16 thin slices
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Marinade
14 oz. carrot
7 oz. onion
3 cups red Madiran wine
1 large bouquet garni
6 cloves of garlic
2 large pieces of orange zest

Sauce and garnish
1 1/4 cups Armagnac
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 oz. flour
salt and pepper
16 balls of pumpkin, cooked in salted water
32 pearl onions
32 small white mushrooms
1 bunch of parsley

Marinating the capon - the day before: Cut the capon up into 16 pieces. Lay them out on a work surface and season with a few grindings of pepper; the salt will be provided by the bacon. Wrap each piece of capon in a slice of bacon. Fasten each bacon slice with a toothpick to keep it in place. Place the bacon-wrapped capon pieces in a bowl; cover with the diced carrot and onion, bouquet garni, garlic cloves, orange peel and Madiran wine.

Cooking the capon: The next day, drain the capon pieces and pat dry with a cloth. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. When it begins to smoke, brown the capon pieces for 5 minutes on each side. Drain the capon pieces and transfer to a preheated Dutch oven containing 50 g (3 tbsp.) of heated butter. Add the drained diced carrot and onion from the marinade (4); continue sautéing, sprinkling the sugar over top, then the flour, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spatula. Place the quartered pig's feet on top of the mixture. Pour on the Armagnac, flambé, and add the wine from the marinade (4) with the bouquet garni, garlic and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover and cook in a low oven at a bare simmer for 1 3/4 hours. A half hour before the end of the cooking time, add the pearl onions and mushrooms, sautéed until golden brown, to the pot.

Finishing and serving: Once everything is cooked, remove the capon pieces, pig's feet, pearl onions, mushrooms and bouquet garni with a skimmer. Remove the toothpicks and keep everything hot. Pour the cooking liquid into a blender with half the diced carrot and onion and the orange peel. Purée to make a smooth sauce. Return the capon, pig's feet and remaining diced vegetables to the Dutch oven (or a more elegant serving dish, if you wish). Strain the sauce through a sieve and pour over the capon. Sprinkle the pearl onions, mushrooms and coarsely-chopped parsley over top. Garnish with 16 little pumpkin balls.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michel Guérard, Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux, Les Prés d'Eugénie, 40320 Eugénie-Les-Bains, France

2081. PUMPKIN, MUSHROOM and BACON ORZO

serves two


1 cup orzo
1/2 cup chopped bacon
1 onion, diced
1 basket mushrooms, quartered
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
2 tablespoons minced herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, etc.)
1 tablespoon butter
shaved parmesan cheese, as needed to garnish

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo until about halfway done, about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat. Cook until crisp. Remove from pan and reserve. Add the onions to the rendered bacon fat and saute until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until tender. Season the vegetables generously with salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar. Add the broth and pumpkin, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the orzo and continue to simmer until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the orzo is completely tender, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the herbs and butter. Adjust seasoning if needed, and serve garnished with parmesan cheese.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Erin, The Apartment Kitchen, October 13, 2010

1989. BAKED PASTA with ROASTED PUMPKIN and BACON

serves 4-5


1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled pumpkin or butternut squash
cooking spray
6 slices favorite bacon
2 shallots, (about 1 cup) thinly sliced
1 lb favorite cut pasta
1/4 cup flour
2 cups reduced-fat milk
3/4 cup (3 oz) shredded provolone cheese
1/3 cup (1 1/2 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425°. Place squash on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, rosemary and pepper. Toss to coat and bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. When done, turn oven to 450°.

Cook pasta according to the package directions (omitting salt and fat, if you wish). Drain well and set aside.

Cook bacon by your preferred method until crisp. Reserve 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings, and crumble bacon before setting aside. Add reserved bacon fat to pan (or, if you’ve cooked the bacon in a pan, leave 1 1/2 tsp of fat and drain the rest) and place over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Combine squash, crumbled bacon and sauteed shallots; set aside.

Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add provolone, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; top with squash mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Family Kitchen, October 15, 2010 | Cooking Light, March 2004

1643. CALABAZA PUMPKIN and BACON SOUP

10 whole fresh baby leaves of “Spanish thyme” (Cuban oregano) or 10 whole fresh sage leaves plus 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh leaves of whichever herb is used
4 slices bacon, chopped
3-4 lbs calabaza pumpkin or kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2 inch pieces
4 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced hot pepper or to taste (optional)
1 chopped seasoning pepper (optional)
1 sprig of fresh thyme or some tarragon
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
Salt and black pepper to taste

Fry Spanish thyme or sage leaves in 2 tablespoons of the oil- 10-15 seconds for the former, 3 to 5 seconds for sage. Transfer leaves with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Fry chopped bacon if using, remove to paper towels to drain.

Add remaining olive oil to pot, then cook onion, stirring, until softened. Stir in garlic and remaining herbs and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin/squash and sauté for 5 minutes, turning constantly. Add broth and water and simmer covered, 20-30 minutes until pieces are tender.

Let soup cool a bit and then purée soup in batches in a blender, transferring to a bowl. Return soup to pot and reheat. If necessary, thin to desired consistency with a little water. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve sprinkled with bacon and fried leaves.


bacon recipe courtesy of: A Caribbean Garden | TheGrowSpot.com

1642. POTATO, BACON and SQUASH HASH

3 cups potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/4-inch dice
6 cups plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
3 cups calabaza pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut in 1/4-inch dice (or use regular pumpkin for a denser consistency. Any squash will do for flavor)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, toasted
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, toasted
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, toasted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 4 teaspoons orange aioli (recipe follows)
orange oil (recipe follows)
1/4 cup smoked bacon, finely diced
Kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 fresh chives, chopped
4 potato gaufrettes (optional)

Orange Aioli and Orange Oil
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 egg yolk (or substitute 2 1/2 tablespoons pasteurized egg yolks)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup canola oil
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Combine potatoes and 6 cups oil in heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat until to 170ºF. Adjust heat to maintain temperature and cook until potatoes are fork tender, 12 to 18 minutes, taking care to maintain temperature. Remove potatoes with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels, reserving the oil. Set aside to cool.

In mixing bowl, toss pumpkin with cumin, coriander, black pepper, salt, sugar, paprika, cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Bake on sheet pan in preheated 350ºF oven until pumpkin is fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes; cool.

Prepare Orange Aioli: In a sauté pan over medium heat, reduce orange juice to 1/4 cup; cool. In small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, lemon juice and mustard; slowly whisk in oil. Add half the reduced orange juice. Thin with water to desired consistency.

Prepare Orange Oil: Transfer remaining reduced orange juice to a bowl and whisk in 1/2 cup reserved oil from cooking potatoes.

In sauté pan over medium heat, slowly render bacon until meaty but not crisp, about 5 minutes. Pour off some of the fat. Add potatoes and pumpkin; season to taste with salt and pepper and heat gently. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup Orange Aioli.

Divide potato mixture among 4 ring molds that have been placed on serving plates. Press gently to compact then carefully remove molds. Top each with 1 teaspoon Orange Aioli; drizzle 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Orange Oil around rings. Garnish each with chopped chives and an potato gaufrette.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Idaho Potato Commission, 661 South Rivershore Lane, Eagle, Idaho 83616, 208-334-2350

1636. MAPLE-BACON and PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE with TEMPLETON RYE BACON WALNUT GLAZE

Crust

twenty-four 5 by 2½ -inch graham crackers
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup pure maple syrup

In a food processor finely grind graham crackers (you will have about 3 1/2 cups). Cut the butter into 8 pieces. Using the food processor, add the butter and syrup into the ground grahams until fully distributed. Press the grahams evenly into bottom and up side of a 10-inch spring form pan. Pre bake the crust (for crispier crust) in a 325º oven for 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before filling.


Filling

four 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup pure maple syrup
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ cup heavy cream
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 slices of bacon

With mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in the syrup, then add the eggs one a time. Finish the mix by adding the remaining ingredients (except bacon) and mix well. Sprinkle the pre-baked crust with half of the crumbled bacon. Pour the filling over the bacon. Sprinkle the remaining bacon on the top. Bake at 325º for 1 1/4 hours or until center appears nearly set when shaken. Cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours before serving, preferably overnight.


Templeton Rye Bacon Walnut Glaze

1 cup cream
¾ cup maple syrup
½ cup Templeton Rye Whiskey
4 slices of bacon
½ cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

Boil the cream, syrup, and whiskey together for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bacon and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Pass the liquid through a strainer to remove the bacon. Place in a blender with the walnut and blend on high until thickened and smooth. Cover and chill until served. Stir before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lance Avery, Corporate Executive Chef of Sara Lee | Jason Mosley, Mr. Baconpants, March 11, 2008

1104. SILVERBEET with BACON, PUMPKIN and FETA

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 rashers bacon, diced
500 grams pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 3-cm chunks, boiled until tender but not collapsing.
100 grams feta, crumbled
1 bunch silverbeet, (discard the bottom stalks), boil until wilted in salted water, drain

Heat the oil over moderate heat and add the garlic, onion, bacon and pumpkin, fry until the onion is soft and everything is browned. Add the silverbeet and season with salt and pepper. Fry gently, stirring occasionally, until the silverbeet is hot. Serve with the feta sprinkled on top. Good by itself with warm pita bread or as an accompaniment to barbecued or roast chicken or lamb.


courtesy of: Foodtown, 80 Favona Road, Favona, Auckland, New Zealand

939. GRILLED EUCALYPTUS, PUMPKIN, BACON and APPLE SKEWERED PRAWNS

1 kilogram pumpkin
1 onion, finely chopped
1 apple, cored and finely chopped
1 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 kilogram king prawns
8 slices bacon, cut into small pieces.
8 skewers, metal, or wooden,
the juice of 2 limes
eucalyptus herb butter [*]
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon oil
snow peas, sufficient for 4 servings.
freshly ground pepper

Place chopped pumpkin, onion, apple, stock, nutmeg and salt in heavy-based saucepan with the water and milk, and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until pumpkin is tender. Drain any excess liquid and mash or puree pumpkin potage. Keep warm. Peel and de-vein prawns, leaving tails on. Thread prawns and bacon pieces alternately onto skewers, and rub prawns with lime juice. Place the filled skewers on a grill plate and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Baste with eucalyptus butter. While the prawns are grilling, heat a little butter and oil in pan and gently stir fry snow peas for 1 to 2 minutes. Divide pumpkin potage between four preheated plates and sprinkle with pepper. Place 2 prawn skewers on each plate of pumpkin and Garnish with snow peas.


courtesy of: A Taste of Australia, by Joy Ross and Alistair Punshon

858. PUMPKIN and BACON CURRY with SHIMEJI MUSHROOMS

1 package (3.52 oz.) curry
1 package shimeji mushroom, cut off the bottom part and shred
1/4 Japanese Pumpkin, peeled partially and diced
1-1/2 onions, diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups water
5 slices bacon

In medium pot, heat vegetable oil and cook onion and shimeji mushrooms. Add water. Remove scum that floats up. Add Japanese pumpkin and cook until tender over low to medium heat. Turn off the heat. Break up House Kokumaro Curry roux and add. Mix well. Heat again for 3-4 minutes. In small frying pan, cook bacon until lightly browned. Use as a topping over curry. Serve over steamed or boiled rice.


courtesy of: House Foods America Corporation