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

2808. POTATO and BACON SOUP with CORN and BACON SOFRITO

1/2 cup onions, diced
1/4 cup leeks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced bacon
1/2 cup small diced potatoes
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Bacon Sofrito:
1 cup fresh corn
1/2 cup red peppers, diced into small pieces
2 tablespoons bacon fat
1/2 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced

Sear bacon in a sauté pan until crispy. Stir in remaining ingredients, and let mixture simmer until potatoes are nearly liquid. Top with bacon sofrito and serve hot.

Sauté all ingredients at high heat for 5 minutes. Place sofrito on top of the soup.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lorena Garcia, Top Chef Masters, Season 4, Episode 7, Elimination Challenge, Bravo TV

893. BACON and BEAN CHILI

serves 3


4 slices bacon
4 tablespoons sofrito
2 frozen ice cubes
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon chile powder ancho
14 1/2 ounces tomatoes chunky diced
15 ounces black beans canned
15 1/2 ounces kidney beans canned, light red
3/4 cup corn canned, drained
cheese cheddar — grated

Start by heating a large pot over medium-low heat. The 4 slices of bacon are held over the pot, without separating them, and sliced into about ½ inch slices with kitchen scissors. When all the bacon is in the pot, cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the bacon has rendered its fat and it is getting crispy, remove the pieces to a paper-towel-lined plate. Cover with another piece of paper towel and set aside. All but 2 teaspoons of bacon fat are poured out of the pot into an empty metal can. Add the sofrito. Start to break up the cubes with a wooden spoon. Cook for a couple of minutes until it is defrosted and fragrant.

Next, add the cumin and ancho chile powder and stir. Open the cans of tomatoes and beans and add the tomatoes to the pot. Strain and rinse the beans and add these to the pot along with the corn. Raise the heat to medium and bring the chili to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, lower the heat, partially cover it, and cook for about 15 minutes to meld the flavors.

Serve our chili with grated cheese, the bacon, and chips.


courtesy of: Triple "E" Cooks, a Family Cookbook, Chris and Robin Strom, Baltimore, Maryland