2751. TILAPIA with BACON HORSERADISH SAUCE

makes four servings 


1 lb tilapia, catfish, red snapper or salmon fillets, 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 slices bacon, chopped

Half onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 

Arrange fish on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; brush with oil. Roast in 400°F oven until fish flakes easily when tested, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes; drain off fat. Add onion and garlic; cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and horseradish; cook over high heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in half of the chopped parsley. Arrange fish on plate; spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Canadian Living Test Kitchen, Canadian Living Magazine, August 2002

2416. PAN-ROASTED PINK SNAPPER with GINGER and BACON BOK CHOY and LEMONGRASS KAFFIR LIME BROTH

makes 2-4 servings


pink or red snapper fillets; skin-on
4-6 medium bok choy
4-5 slices of bacon
2 slices of ginger slivers (for sauté only)
4 cloves of minced garlic
3-4 tablespoons of shredded lemongrass stems
1 large leek
Salt & pepper

For Lemongrass & Kaffir Lime Broth
4 cups of water
4-5 soup spoons of Vietnamese fish sauce
2 small lumps of yellow rock sugar
3 cloves of whole garlic
2 slices of ginger
15 – 2″ pieces of lemongrass stalks (more if you’re a lemongrass enthusiast)
Kaffir lime leaves (shredded lime leaves work faster)
Bunch of Thai basil leaves
1-2 thai chilis or 2 red jalapeños
Salt

Marinate the fish in olive oil, salt & pepper, garlic and the shredded lemongrass stems. Marinate for at least 2 hours, no more than a day.

Start making the lemongrass and kaffir lime broth. Add the water, garlic, ginger and lemongrass stalks into a pot and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat so you can start doing the taste-testing. Add fish sauce and dissolve 1 small lump of rock sugar first, adding the other lump if needed. Once you have a nice balance of fish sauce, sweetness and aroma from the lemongrass, it’s time to add the kaffir lime leaves to achieve a flavor that resembles a very mild tom yum soup. Add 4 pinches of shredded lime leaves (3-4 leaves) to taste. Then add a few Thai basil leaves at a time to extract the aroma. Add chopped Thai chiles or red jalapeno slices for a little spice kick. Once the broth is complete, turn the heat on low and remove the Thai basil leaves – they will make the soup bitter if you leave it in.

Prepare bok choy by cleaning them properly and cutting off the stem so that the leaves are detached. On high heat, sauté the garlic, ginger slivers and Nueske bacon (for flavor) and salt & pepper to taste. Make sure these are sautéed 50% through as you’ll want them to have some crunch upon service. They will also be sitting in broth and will eventually soften. Set these aside or begin plating.

Optional: Cut 1/8″ diagonal “coins” from the leek stem. Pan fry these on medium heat in oil till they are nice and brown on both sides. It should have a nice crispness to it. Set aside when finished.

Turn oven to 450 degrees. Add salt & pepper on all sides of the snapper fillet. Sear the snapper fillets skin-side down on medium heat with your oil of choice for about 4-5 mintues. Make sure that you get a nice crust on the skin as the snapper skin is a bit more rubbery like chicken skin. Carefully flip the fillets over without ruining the skin and put the skillet in the oven for another 5-7 minutes, depending on your cuts. Take fillets out and set aside.

Bring the lemongrass and kaffir lime broth to a boil and make sure the broth is seasoned well and has not become salty from water loss. Place fish on top of the bed of bok choy and add the broth around the fish, careful not to get the fillets wet. Garnish with leek “coins” and thinly-sliced red jalapeños or Thai chiles. Optional: Put the whole plated dish back into the oven for a good 5 minutes to ensure a super hot plate – it tastes better that way.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dylan, Eat, Drink + Be Merry., Los Angeles, March 28, 2011

2325. GRILLED BACON-WRAPPED YELLOWTAIL SNAPPER

serves four


1 (2.5 pound) whole yellowtail snapper
salt, pepper
handful of mixed herbs, parsley, dill, thyme are good ones
1 lemon, thinly sliced
about 6-8 slices good bacon
lemon wedges, for serving

Turn the grill on high. Check that the fish has been scaled fully, and remove any stray scales. Salt and pepper the inside cavity of the fish and fill with herbs and lemon slices. Salt and pepper the outside of the fish and then wrap in bacon, overlapping each slice with other slices (to ensure that everything stays put). Grill 7 minutes on each side, or until the fish is opaque and tender and the bacon is crisp and beginning to blacken. Fillet and serve with lemon wedges.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Caviar and Codfish, July 13, 2009

2226. GRILLED BACON-WRAPPED RED SNAPPER

serves two


1 (2.5 pound) whole red snapper, scaled, gutted and fins removed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
handful of mixed herbs, parsley and thyme are delicious
1 lemon, thinly sliced
6-8 slices good bacon
lemon wedges for serving

Turn the grill on high. Check that the fish has been scaled fully, and remove any stray scales. Salt and pepper the inside cavity of the fish and fill with herbs and lemon slices. Salt and pepper the outside of the fish and then wrap in bacon, overlapping each slice with other slices (to ensure that everything stays put). Grill 7 minutes on each side, or until the fish is opaque and tender and the bacon is crisp and beginning to blacken. Fillet and serve with lemon wedges.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Melissa Lieser, for Diabetes Magazine/ASweetLife, March 4, 2011

1841. CORAL TROUT with ASIAN-STYLE CABBAGE, FENNEL and BACON

serves four


4 x 200 grams coral trout or snapper fillets with skin
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari
3 rindless bacon rashers, fat trimmed, cut into thin matchsticks
1 baby fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1/4 savoy cabbage, thinly shredded
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons honey
Spring onion, sliced on an angle, to serve

Preheat oven to 180°C. Score the fish skin to prevent fish from curling, then season. Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. Cook fish, skinside down, for 3-4 minutes until crisp. Place skin-side up on a lightly oiled baking tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon tamari. Bake for 5 minutes or until just cooked.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tbs oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Cook bacon and fennel for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until bacon starts to crisp. Add cabbage and cumin and cook for 2-3 minutes until cabbage starts to wilt. Add honey and remaining tamari and stir to combine. Divide cabbage among plates, top with fish and drizzle with any pan juices. Garnish with spring onion and serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Valli Little, delicious., March 2008, page 80

1835. BLACKENED MANGROVE SNAPPER over CREAMY WHITE CHEDDAR BACON GRITS

Blackened Mangrove Snapper
¼ stick unsalted butter
bacon grease
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 6 mangrove snapper fillets (depending on the size)
salt
pepper
cayenne pepper
paprika
garlic powder
thyme
cajun seasoning

Creamy White Cheddar Bacon Grits
½ stick unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
3 ½ cups water
4 to 6 strips of bacon
2 cups quick grits
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese (shredded or thinly sliced)
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
paprika (to taste)

Grits: Cook bacon in a non-stick frying pan until crispy brown and set the remaining grease aside. Bring water and heavy cream to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and add the grits, stirring often. Cook for ten minutes and stir in ¼ stick of butter. If the grits appear too thick add water until it reaches your desired consistency. Cook for another ten minutes or until the grits are soft but still preserve their texture, and remove from heat. Add the cheese, bacon, remaining butter, salt, pepper and paprika and stir until everything is well mixed together. Cover until the fish is ready.

Fish: Check the fillets for bones and trim as much of the bloodline from the fish as you can without damaging the fillet or tearing the white meat. Combine equal parts salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning and thyme in a dish. Coat the outside of the fillets with a good amount of seasoning, rubbing the spices softly into the meat.

In a cast iron skillet, on medium high heat, combine butter, olive oil, and the reserved bacon grease. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, place the fillets in the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove fish and serve directly over grits.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Drew, From The Yak, the Florida Keys, July 16, 2009

1669. CRISPY SEARED SNAPPER over PICKLED ONIONS with TOMATO-BACON FONDUE, YELLOW TOMATO COULIS and MALANGA TUMBLEWEED

Pickled Onions:
1 red onion
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
3 tablespoons salt
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 bay leaf

Tomato Bacon Fondue:
1/4 pound bacon, julienned
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 ounces rendered bacon fat
salt and pepper
4 ounces goat cheese

Yellow Tomato Coulis:
1 yellow tomato
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lemon, juiced

Malanga Tumbleweed:
1 malanga

Basil Oil:
1/4 pound fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
4 (4 to 6 ounce) snapper fillets, any kind, red, yellowtail
Flour, to dredge

Onions: Thinly slice the onions, and place in a non-reactive dish. Combine the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour over onions and let stand for 24 hours.

Fondue: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Cook the bacon until crispy and fat is rendered. Reserve the bacon and the fat separately. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, 2 ounces of the reserved bacon fat. Roast until the tomatoes are almost dry. Place in the blender, add the goat cheese and puree. Strain through a fine chinois and reserve.

Yellow Tomato Coulis: Quarter the yellow tomato. Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast for 20 minutes. Remove and puree in a food processor. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. to taste. Reserve Malanga Tumbleweed: Peel malanga and cut into thin ribbons on a turning slicer. Preheat a deep fryer or a deep pot of oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the malanga until crisp and remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve.

Basil Oil: Blanch and shock the basil. Wring out in a clean, dry towel. Place in a blender with oil and puree for 1 minute. Let stand for 1 hour and strain. Reserve.

Season the fish with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour. Saute, skin side-down, in a very hot pan until skin is crispy. Turn the fish over and finish in the oven.

Place pickled onions in the center of a plate. Rest 1 piece of fish across the onions, allowing them to peek out. Drizzle with the fondue, coulis, and basil oil. Sprinkle the bacon around the fish and top with fried malanga.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Andy Niedenthal, "Great Getaways," The Best Of, Food Network

1426. BACON-GRILLED RED SNAPPER FILLETS

makes four


4 red snapper fillets (6-8 ounces and 1-inch thick each)
1 pound sliced bacon
1 large Vidalia (or other sweet onion), sliced into rings
1 dash soy sauce

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Open fish basket and line one side with strips of bacon, leaving a 1/2 inch space between slices. Cover the layer of bacon with a layer of onion rings. Place the red snapper fillets on top of the onion. Cover red snapper fillets with more onion, then strips of bacon over the onion. Close the basket, and lightly sprinkle with soy sauce. Place the basket on the hot grill, and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, or until the bacon is just cooked through. Remove from grill and open the basket. Place a similarly-sized plate upside down onto the food, and flip the basket and plate over so that the food is on top of the plate. Lift off the basket, and serve.


courtesy of: All Fish Seafood Recipes

1057. LAVENDER-INFUSED ISLAND SEAFOOD and BACON CHOWDER

makes 8 servings


2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lavender
1 cup butter
1/4 cup finely chopped bacon
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped leeks
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine
2 quarts (64 oz) clam juice
6 tablespoons flour
2 cups diced and par-boiled potatoes
1/2 cup minced parsley
1 lb island snapper, diced
1/4 lb crabmeat
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced parsley for garnish

Put bay leaves, thyme, and 1 tablespoon of the lavender in a piece of cheesecloth; tie into a sachet with kitchen twine; set aside. In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of the butter and add the 2 tablespoons remaining lavender. Remove from heat, cool, strain, and set aside. In a heavy saucepot over low heat, sauté bacon, onion, celery, and leeks in 1/4 cup of the remaining butter. Add garlic and wine; bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, until wine is reduced by 3/4. Add fish stock and the sachet, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Make a roux by heating the remaining 1/4 cup of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Vigorously whisk the flour into the butter. When mixture thins and starts to come to a boil, reduce heat to low and whisk slowly. Stirring constantly, cook until the roux has a toasty aroma, about 2 minutes. Add roux, potatoes, and parsley to the fish stock mixture; simmer until potatoes are just tender. Add fish and cook through; add crabmeat and cream.

To serve, ladle soup into serving bowls, top with 1 tablespoon of lavender butter and garnish with parsley.


courtesy of: Lavender Hills of Kentucky, 229 Conrad Ridge Road, Brooksville, Kentucky 41004, (606) 735-3355