2784. MUSSELS with BACON and RAPINI

yields four portions


8 oz. thick-cut bacon, diced
4 thick slices crusty bread 
1 teaspoon pepper 
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon steak spice 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 head rapini 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium-size Spanish onion, halved and sliced 
2 cups whole red cherry tomatoes 
3/4 cup white wine
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded 
3/4 cup water 
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill 
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives 
2 tablespoons butter
lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the cubed up bread to the skillet to soak up all the excess bacon fat, add pepper and let it go on medium to low heat until bread crisps up. Remove from pan and set aside.

For the croutons: Chop up the bread into thick cubes. Toss with the seasonings and oil. Bake until golden and crispy.

For the mussels: Bring a large pot of water to boil for 30 seconds. Add the whole rapini and blanch for 45 seconds. Remove and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain and roughly chop. Set aside.

In another pan, add and the olive oil and onions and cook for 2 minutes, then add the cherry tomatoes and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the wine, cover, and cook for 2 minutes then add mussels and water and cook until they begin to open, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rapini to the pan of muscles and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, discard unopened mussels, add bacon, dill, chives, butter, lemon juice, to taste, salt, and pepper and serve with croutons on top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chuck Hughes, "The Locksmiths," Chuck's Day Off, Cooking Channel TV

1461. ALASKAN HALIBUT TAGINE with ELEPHANT GARLIC CONFIT, WHITE BEANS, STEAMED MUSSELS, RAPINI and SMOKED BACON

serves four


For the elephant garlic confit
3 heads elephant garlic, cloves peeled and separated
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the cloves in a small pot and cover with the olive oil (you may need more oil depending on the size of your pot). Cook slowly on the lowest setting of your stove until the garlic is soft. Set aside to cool.


For the broth
1 cup dried white beans (such as navy or cannelini)
1 each carrot, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
1 each onion, peeled and quartered
1 each garlic clove, peeled
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 each bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 lb slab bacon (preferably skin-on)
6 cups chicken stock

Soak the beans overnight in two quarts of cold water. Discard the water and place the beans in a 4qt sauce pot and cover with the chicken stock. Wrap all of the remaining ingredients in cheesecloth, tie securely with kitchen twine, and throw the bundle in the pot with the beans. Simmer over very low heat until the beans are tender (one to two hours).

Discard the cheesecloth and its contents. Drain the beans and allow to cool. Set aside. Place the bean liquid into a clean saucepan and reduce slowly until you have about two cups. Reserve.


Assembly

4 each Alaskan halibut filet, skin-off 5 oz portions
¼ lb slab bacon, cut into lardons (1/4” x ¼” x 1”)
1 bunch rapini, bottom 2” of stems discarded, washed thoroughly
4 each baby carrots, peeled and cut into ¼” rounds
1 lb mussels, well-scrubbed and beards removed
1 each lemon
1 pinch chile flakes (if desired)

Preheat the oven to 400º. Render bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from fat and drain on a paper towel. Place two cups of the cooked beans in the center of the tagine. Arrange rapini around the beans. Place carrots, mussels, and cooked elephant garlic over the rapini. Season the halibut with salt and pepper, and brush with a little of the reserved bacon fat. Place the halibut in the center of the tagine over the beans. Finally, add the reduced bean cooking liquid. Cover and bake in a 400?oven until the halibut is beginning to flake and the mussels have all opened, about 35 minutes. Just before serving, scatter the bacon over the dish, grate lemon zest over all, sprinkle the chili flakes around and drizzle about three tablespoons of the garlic cooking oil into the broth. Bring to the table covered, and remove the cover tableside so your guests can enjoy the aroma. Serve in large, wide bowls with crusty bread.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michael Mina, Mina Group, Inc., 335 Powell Street, 13th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102

868. ARCTIC CHAR with BACON, CHINESE BROCCOLI and SWEET POTATO PUREE

makes 4 servings


3 red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon (or more) hot prepared Chinese mustard
1 cup balsamic vinegar
11/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 pound Chinese broccoli or broccoli rabe (rapini),* large outer leaves removed, cut crosswise on diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
4 5- to 6-ounce arctic char fillets
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap sweet potatoes individually in foil. Roast until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool and peel. Puree in processor until smooth. Measure 3 cups puree and transfer to microwave-safe bowl. Stir in mustard. Season with salt. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Boil vinegar in small saucepan until reduced to ` cup, about 8 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Remove from heat.

Cook broccoli in pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain; set aside. Cook bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until edges are crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. DO AHEAD: Reduction and broccoli can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Process mustard seeds in spice grinder until coarsely ground. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Sprinkle ground seeds over top of fish. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish, mustard side down, and cook until brown and just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, rewarm puree in microwave until heated through. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in another large skillet. Add broccoli and bacon; sauté until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide broccoli, fish, and puree among plates. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and serve.

NOTE: Chinese broccoli is also called gai lan or Chinese kale; it's available at Asian markets. Broccoli rabe is an Italian leafy green vegetable with scattered clusters of broccoli-like florets; you'll find it at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.


courtesy of: Bon Appetit, September 2007

836. FIVE-SPICE DUCK with BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAVIOLI with BACON and BROCCOLI RABE

makes 4 servings

Duck
2 cups plum wine*
2 5-pound ducks, thawed if frozen
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder**
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon (scant) ground ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil

Ravioli
9 ounces butternut squash or mushroom ravioli
8 ounces smoked bacon, chopped
1 large sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Maui), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 large bunch broccoli rabe (rapini), thick stems trimmed, tops coarsely chopped

For duck:
Boil plum wine in heavy medium saucepan until syrupy and reduced to generous 1/3 cup, about 16 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over low heat before using.)

Using heavy large knife, cut each duck lengthwise in half. Cut away backbone. Cut off leg-thigh pieces, then cut off breast pieces; trim excess fat. Remove bones from breast pieces. Transfer leg-thigh pieces and breast pieces to platter (reserve remaining duck trimmings for another use).

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix Chinese five-spice powder, salt, ground black pepper, and ground ginger in small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over duck pieces. Heat olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add leg-thigh pieces and cook until deep brown, about 4 minutes per side. Cover skillet and roast duck in oven until cooked through, about 45 minutes. Transfer duck to plate; cover with foil to keep warm.

Heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Add duck breasts to skillet; cook to desired doneness, about 10 minutes per side for medium.

Meanwhile, prepare ravioli:
Cook ravioli in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels. Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Add onion to skillet; sauté until tender and golden, about 12 minutes. Add butter, then broccoli rabe and sauté just until broccoli rabe begins to wilt. Add ravioli; stir until heated through. Stir in bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Divide ravioli mixture among 4 plates. Arrange duck leg-thigh pieces atop ravioli. Thinly slice duck breasts and fan out alongside. Drizzle with reduced plum wine syrup and serve.

*Plum wine is available at Asian markets, liquor stores, and in the liquor section of some supermarkets.

**Chinese five-spice powder is a spice blend that usually contains ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and ginger; available in the spice section of most supermarkets.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, September 2004

775. BACON-WRAPPED MONKFISH with RAPINI PAINT and FRIED EGGPLANT

yields 2 servings


Monkfish:
12 ounces monkfish, cleaned of outer gray skin
Salt
Pepper
10 think slices bacon
2 ounces canola oil

Bacon Shallot Crème:
3 shallots, sliced
2 Tablespoons bacon, chopped
1 Tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 quart heavy cream
6 Tablespoons heavy cream

Rapini Paint:
¾ cups salt
2 bunches rapini (broccoli rabe)
2 Tablespoons salt
Bacon Shallot Crème
Salt and pepper

Florets:
Reserved rapini florets
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon sliced garlic
½ teaspoon chili flakes
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt

Fried Eggplant:
1 Chinese eggplant
Salt
2 cups canola oil
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups breadcrumbs

Tomato Sauce:
2 carrots sliced
1 cup garlic cloves
½ fennel bulb
2 medium yellow onions
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch oregano
1 Tablespoons chili flakes
1½ Tablespoons salt
1 pinch sugar
1 10-ounce can organic whole plum tomatoes
Salt
Olive Oil

For the Monkfish:
Preheat over to 400ºF. Season the fish with salt and pepper. On a piece of wax paper, lay out overlapping slices of bacon. Place the fish on one end of the bacon and roll up in the wax paper so that the fish is completely wrapped in bacon. Remove paper. Heat canola oil in a sauté pan. When the oil is hot but not smoking add the fish and cook until edges are golden brown. Turn fish on its side with metal tongs and hold to 1-2 minutes, then flip to the thicker side. Continue to brown the fish until all sides are consistently brown and crisp. Place fish in the oven for 4-6 minutes until flesh is firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to rest.

For the Bacon Shallot Crème:
Saute bacon in a 2-quart stainless stock pot until soft. Add shallots and horseradish and cook together until shallots are soft and bacon is crisp. Add the cream, reduce by ¾, and remove from heat just before the cream is about to break.

For the Rapini Paint:
In a 4 quart pot, bring 3 quarts of water and ¾ cup salt to a boil. Prepare an ice bath composed of ¼ ice, ¾ water, and 2 Tablespoons of salt. Pick off the larger outer leaves of the rapini and reserve. Separate the florets and reserve for garnish. Cut the tender part of the stem into thin circles. Add the chopped stem to the boiling water and boil until tender. Add the rapini leaves and boil until tender. Drain the rapini in a colander and shock in the ice bath for 3 minutes. Transfer rapini to a colander and squeeze out as much water as possible. Puree rapini in a Robot Coup, slowly adding hot reduced cream to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper. Allow puree to cool.

For the Florets:
Sauté rapini florets with olive oil, garlic and chili flakes until tender. Finish with fresh lemon juice and salt.

For the Fried Eggplant:
Cut the eggplant into 4 2-inch pieces on the bias. Sprinkle liberally with salt and set aside for 1 hour. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry. In a sauteuse, heat oil to 350ºF. Crack eggs and whip for one minute. Lightly coat the eggplant pieces in flour, dip in egg, and coat with bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil until golden brown on all side, remove, and drain off excess oil.

For the Tomato Sauce:
Heat oil in a large stainless steel pot. Add the carrot and sauté until golden and caramelized, Add garlic and allow to brown slightly. Add fennel and onions and sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat and add oregano, chili flakes, salt and a pinch of sugar. Keep pot covered, removing cover to stir every 5 minutes. When the vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized, add tomatoes, stir, cover pot, and cook for three hours on low heat. Season with salt, drizzle with olive oil, and blend in blender until smooth.

To Assemble and Serve:
Ladle a large pool of tomato sauce on to the plate. Place Bacon Wrapped Monkfish in the center of the plate. Place two Florets on one side of the fish and spoon a thick streak of Rapini Paint on the other side. Finish by placing two slices of Fried Eggplant beside the florets.


courtesy of: Chef Jennifer Biesty, Coco500, 500 Brannan Street, San Francisco, California 94107, (415) 543-2222

615. RAPINI with BACON, PINE NUTS, and CURRANTS

serves 4-6


1 lb. rapini, coarse stems removed and discarded, roughly chopped
4 slices thick-sliced bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
3 tablespoons dried currants (optional)
4 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rapini and cook until wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

In the same pot, heat the bacon and olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon separates and begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Return the rapini to the pot and cook over low heat for 5-6 minutes, shaking the pan often. Add the currants, if using, and the pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and plenty of pepper. Serve at once, or leave over low heat for up to 1 hour.


courtesy of: Seduced By Bacon: Recipes & Lore About America's Favorite Indulgence, by Joanna Pruess, with Bob Lape. Guilford, Connecticut: The Lyons Press, 2006, p. 150