3529. BACON, SPAGHETTI SQUASH, and PARMESAN FRITTERS

yields 4 servings (8 fritters)

serving Size: 2 fritters 

2 eggs

1/3 cup flour

3 cups spaghetti squash, cooked and wringed out (see instructions below)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1/4 + 1/8 teaspoons salt

3 green onions, chopped

5 bacon strips, cooked, drained of fat, and chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

For garnish:

2 green onions, chopped

dollop of Greek Yogurt

Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit.

Cut the squash in 2 halves, scrape out the seeds and the fiber out of each half. Spray oil over the cut sides of the squash. Spray the baking sheet with oil and place the squash on the baking sheet cut side down.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes. Remove it from the oven when it's cooked through and soft, and let it cool. Flip the squash so that cut side faces up. After squash cools, scrape squash with a fork to remove flesh in long strands and transfer to a bowl. Let it cool. 

Note: Wring out the spaghetti squash by wrapping portions of it in paper towels and squeezing hard with your hands over the sink. Be careful not to drop the spaghetti squash into the sink if the paper towel breaks. Try to get rid of as much liquid as you can.

Cooked spaghetti squash can be refrigerated for 5 days. I prefer to cook spaghetti squash, refrigerate it and make fritters the next day or 2 days later - that allows spaghetti squash to drain the liquid out and get dryer, which is preferable for fritters

Fritters: In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat 2 eggs on high speed for 1-2 minutes. Add flour and continue beating for about 30 seconds to combine. To the same bowl, add spaghetti squash, Parmesan cheese, 3 chopped green onions, and 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoons salt. Mix very well until all the mixture has uniform consistency. Add chopped bacon and mix. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, even though it should be just perfect.

Heat a large skillet on high-medium heat until VERY hot. Only then add olive oil. It should sizzle and smoke right away. Using a tablespoon, spoon the tablespoon-ful of the batter for each fritter and drop on the skillet. Using a spatula, correct the shape of each fritter, making it flatter and rounder. Cook until the bottom side of each fritter is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Using spatula, flip fritters to the opposite side, and cook 1-2 more minutes. When flipping the fritters, you can use a spoon on the opposite side of spatula to help push each fritter onto the spatula and then flipping. Turn off the heat and let the fritters sit in the skillet (uncovered) for 2-3 more minutes. Do 4 fritters at a time, you should have a total of 2 batches (8 fritters total).

Serve as is, or top with the dollop of Greek yogurt and chopped green onions.

bacon recipe source: Julia's Album (@JuliasAlbum), September 14, 2014

1460. SPAGHETTI SQUASH with CRISPY BACON and TURNIP GREENS

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 package frozen chopped turnip greens, rinsed and drained well
1 small onion, diced
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
3-5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
olive oil - up to 1/4 cup to finish cooking
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce the squash with a knife or serving fork in several places and place on center rack of oven in a baking dish for 1 hour. Remove and let cool until manageable.

Heat butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan or heavy bottomed skillet over medium flame. Saute onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until just brown, about 2 minutes. Add greens and toss to combine. Turn heat to low and cook, uncovered, for approximately 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile; Cut squash down the center. Scoop out seeds and fibrous center strands. Remove stringy flesh by scraping across grain with a large fork. Place flesh in a collander or a large bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel to drain.

When greens are heated through and have turned a deep green, add squash to skillet. Return to medium heat, add salt and pepper and begin tossing frequently, adding olive oil as necessary to retain moisture. Stir in bacon, reserving a little for garnish. Continue tossing until entire dish is piping hot.

Serve hot, garnish with reserved bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cooking... By the Seat of My Pants

1025. SPAGHETTI SQUASH with BAY SCALLOPS, APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON and CURRANTS

serves 6

1 medium spaghetti squash, quartered
8 slices applewood smoked bacon
18 medium bay scallops
currants
5 tablespoon butter
1 handful parsley, chopped
1½ cup Chardonnay

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim bacon to cover exposed flesh of squash. Bake squash flesh-side up until fork tender and edges are just turning brown. Remove squash and bacon from oven. Dice bacon. Remove flesh from squash with a fork. Sautee bacon and squash in butter. Add currants at last moment. Sautee scallops in butter. Remove scallops and deglaze with wine. Add parsley at last moment.

To Plate: Put ring in center of plate. Add 1 serving of squash, bacon and currants. Remove ring. Place 3 scallops on top of squash. Top with sauce.


courtesy of: BakeSpace.com

541. SPAGHETTI SQUASH with BACON-BRAISED, GLAZED CHESTNUTS

Serves 4


1 spaghetti squash, approximately 2 1/2 lbs.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
Grapeseed oil to sauté
Pinch cayenne pepper
20 to 25 large fresh chestnuts
Canola oil to fry
1 1/4 cup chicken stock or water
1 ounce bacon, cubed

For the squash: Preheat oven to 350. Split spaghetti squash lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and fibers, reserving seeds. Drizzle squash with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap squash in foil, and bake for approximately 11/4 hours. (Meanwhile, start on the chestnuts.) Remove squash from oven, and, using a fork, scrape the strands of squash flesh free from the shell; let cool. In a medium skillet, brown 2 tablespoons of butter and sauté the squash strands for about five minutes. Wash squash seeds and dry them in a toaster oven at 250 for about an hour. In a small skillet, sauté seeds in grapeseed oil over low heat for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and cayenne, and set aside on a paper towel.

For the chestnuts: With paring knife, carve an x in the flat side of each chestnut to facilitate peeling them later. Over medium heat, (1) fry chestnuts in large skillet with canola oil for about five minutes until skin starts to curl away from the x. Remove chestnuts and (2) let cool slightly before (3) removing skin and inner peel. Return peeled chestnuts to covered skillet, and braise with chicken stock or water, bacon, remaining butter, and salt for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, until chestnuts are soft. Remove lid, raise heat, and glaze the chestnuts until liquid is reduced.

To serve: Place squash on platter, arrange chestnuts on top, and sprinkle with seeds.


courtesy of: New York Magazine, November 28, 2005 / Laurent Gras, Bistro du Vent, 411 W. 42nd St., (near Ninth Ave.), New York, New York, 10036, 212-239-3060

534. WARM PUMPKIN, FETA and BACON SALAD

makes 4 servings


1 small pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 " pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 bunch spinach, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (to taste)
1 orange, juice of
4 ounces feta cheese
2 ounces almonds, toasted
3 slices bacon (thick sliced is good)

Cook pumpkin in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 3-5 minutes or until just tender. Drain.

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add onion and garlic and cook for about 5 mins or until onion is soft. Add spinach, nutmeg and cayenne, stirring gently for 1 min or until aromatic. Stir in pumpkin and orange juice and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes Stir in feta and almonds.

Cook bacon in a non-stick pan over medium heat for about 3-5 mins or until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towel.

Serve pumpkin salad warm with bacon pieces sprinkled over.

This is a 2 person main meal or 4 person side.


courtesy of: Tish, Las Vegas, Nevada

201. SPAGHETTI SQUASH with BACON and GLAZED CHESTNUTS

serves 4


1 spaghetti squash, approximately 2 1/2 lbs.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
Grapeseed oil to sauté
Pinch cayenne pepper
20 to 25 large fresh chestnuts
Canola oil to fry
1 1/4 cup chicken stock or water
1 ounce bacon, cubed

For the squash: Preheat oven to 350. Split spaghetti squash lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and fibers, reserving seeds. Drizzle squash with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap squash in foil, and bake for approximately 11/4 hours. (Meanwhile, start on the chestnuts.) Remove squash from oven, and, using a fork, scrape the strands of squash flesh free from the shell; let cool. In a medium skillet, brown 2 tablespoons of butter and sauté the squash strands for about five minutes. Wash squash seeds and dry them in a toaster oven at 250 for about an hour. In a small skillet, sauté seeds in grapeseed oil over low heat for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and cayenne, and set aside on a paper towel.

For the chestnuts: With paring knife, carve an x in the flat side of each chestnut to facilitate peeling them later. Over medium heat, (1) fry chestnuts in large skillet with canola oil for about five minutes until skin starts to curl away from the x. Remove chestnuts and (2) let cool slightly before (3) removing skin and inner peel. Return peeled chestnuts to covered skillet, and braise with chicken stock or water, bacon, remaining butter, and salt for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, until chestnuts are soft. Remove lid, raise heat, and glaze the chestnuts until liquid is reduced.

To serve: Place squash on platter, arrange chestnuts on top, and sprinkle with seeds.


courtesy of: Laurent Gras, Bistro du Vent / New York Magazine, November 28, 2005

60. TARTIFLETTE de COCOTTE (POTATO GRATIN with CHEESE and BACON)

makes four to six servings


3 Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut lengthwise into eighths
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tabelspoons canola oil
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. bacon (preferably applewood smoked) strips, stacked and cut into 1/4-inch wide pieces
1 cup small- to medium-diced seeded zucchini
1 cup small- to medium-diced seeded yellow squash
2 large Spanish onions, cut into small to medium dice
5 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered (or substitute cremini or button mushrooms)
8 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
1 (8 1/2 oz.) wheel of Reblochon cheese, halved lengthwise to form 2 disks (you may have to buy an 8 1/2-oz. portion of a larger wheel; if you can't find Reblochon, substitute Gruyere or Muenster)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, tarragon, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, and the canola oil, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss until most of the herbs adhere to the potatoes. Put the potatoes into a shallow baking pan and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly at room temperature.

Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp but not well done, 6 to 10 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels, discarding all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.

Add the zucchini, yellow squash, onions, and mushrooms to the reserved bacon fat. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 3 minutes (you may have to do this in batches; or use 2 pans, with slightly less fat in each pan). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the reserved bacon.

Pour the vegetable mixture into a medium ovenproof casserole. Place the cheese disks on top, cut side down. Place in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cheese has completed melted and the rind is left on top of the vegetables. Let the tartiflette cool at room temperature for 3 minutes, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, and serve.


courtesy of: William Snell, Cocotte and LouLou restaurants, Brooklyn, New York / Meat and Potatoes, by Joan Schwartz. New York: Villard Books, 2003, pp. 149-150.