3989. SEARED SCALLOPS with CREAMY BACON GRITS

Makes 4 servings


1-1/2 lbs dry sea scallops

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

For the grits:

1/4 lb thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup sweet onion, finely chopped

4-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1-1/2 cups white (or yellow) corn grits

1-1/2 cups corn kernels (about 3 ears fresh corn)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, drain all but 2 teaspoons of fat from the pan and reserve the remainder for later use.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Sauté until soft and just starting to turn golden. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in the grits and immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring continually, until the liquid is absorbed and the grits are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the butter, reserved bacon, sautéed onion and corn. Combine well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside to keep warm.

Note: Grits will stiffen up a bit as they sit, so you may want to stir in a little warm milk or water just before serving to restore the creamy texture.

Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and arrange them in a single layer on a large plate. Combine the salt, sweet paprika, black pepper and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture lightly over the scallops, turn and repeat on the second side.

Wipe out the pan you cooked the bacon in and heat the butter along with about 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add the scallops in a single layer and sear until they develop a pale golden crust on the outside, a maximum of 1-1/2 minutes per side.

Scallops need about 3/4-inch of space between them in order to sear properly, so if the pan seems overcrowded, cook them in 2 batches.

Transfer the cooked scallops to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Reserve the pan juices for serving.

To serve, plate individual portions of grits, top with scallops and spoon some of the pan juices over all. Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve immediately.

bacon recipe source: Lynne Webb, MyGourmetConnection (@gourmetconnect) 

3751. BACON-SHALLOT GRAVY

makes 3 1/2 cups

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 pound thick-cut bacon, finely chopped

1 cup minced shallots (2 large)

1 large thyme sprig

Kosher salt

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups turkey or chicken stock

1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Pepper

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the bacon, shallots, thyme and a generous pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are browned and the bacon is nearly crisp, about 10 minutes.

Sift the flour into the skillet and stir it in until completely absorbed. Stir in the wine and cook until thick, 1 minute. Gradually stir in the stock, then stir in the paprika and bring to a boil. Simmer the gravy over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until no floury taste remains and the gravy is reduced to 3 1/2 cups, 10 minutes. Discard the thyme sprig. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Season the gravy generously with salt and pepper and serve hot.

bacon recipe source: Dana Cowin, Food & Wine, November 2014

3550. COCOA-RUBBED STEAK with BACON-WHISKEY GRAVY

yields six servings


For the steak:

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
3 1 -pound New York strip steaks (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
 

For the gravy:
4 strips bacon, diced
1 leek (white and light green parts only), finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whiskey
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Make the steak: Mix the cocoa powder, both paprikas, brown sugar, cayenne and 2 teaspoons salt; rub on the steak and bring to room temperature, 30 minutes.

Make the gravy: Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add the leek to the drippings and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the whiskey, then return to medium heat; if the alcohol ignites, let the flames die out. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the mixture is reduced by one-quarter, about 8 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the gravy coats a spoon, about 7 minutes. Stir in the butter, reserved bacon and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter; when it melts, add the steak and sear until a dark crust forms, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Season with salt. Slice and serve with the gravy.

bacon recipe source: Food Network Kitchen, Food Network Magazine 

3090. CHICKEN SKEWERS with BACON PASTE

yields six servings 


For the BBQ Sauce

½ cup ketchup
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons yellow onion, grated
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
hot sauce, a few dashes

For the Chicken
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
metal skewers

For the sauce, bring all the sauce ingredients to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 to 7 minutes. Sauce should thicken and reduce to about 1 cup.  Remove from heat. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl and set aside to serve with the chicken skewers.

Preheat the grill while you start prepping the chicken skewers.

Pat dry the chicken cubes with a paper towel then place the chicken in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, sweet paprika, salt, sugar, and cayenne pepper.

Process the bacon in a food processor until a smooth paste forms, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Add the bacon paste to the spice mixture, then add all of it to the large bowl of chicken. Use your hands to toss the chicken to coat with the bacon paste mixture.  Place the meat onto skewers.

Place the skewers on the grill and cook covered, turning every 2 minutes or so, until all 4 sides are cooked through and chicken has browned and slightly charred. This should take 8 to 10 minutes total. Remove from grill and allow chicken to rest 5 minutes. Serve with barbeque sauce on the side.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Kelly Salemi, Live Love Pasta, June 27, 2012

2736. MIGAS with BACON

serves two


1/2 lb. dense country bread, crusts left on
1/2 cup warm water
salt
1/2 teaspoon pimenton dulce (sweet paprika)
a pinch of pimenton picante (hot paprika); optional
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
5 garlic cloves
8 slices bacon

Cut the bread into very thin slices, less than 1/4-inch, and then into strips, and then into dice as small as a chickpea. Put them in a bowl. Mix the water with some salt and the pimenton (the hot one too, if you wish). Sprinkle this on the diced bread, turning it with your hands so that the pieces are evenly moistened. Leave for a few hours, or overnight, covered with a cloth.

When you are ready to eat, heat the oil in a large skillet (nonstick if you like). Fry the garlic and bacon over medium heat, turning them occasionally. Take out the garlic when it is golden brown and discard it; transfer the bacon to a plate when it is crisp and has released most of its fat. Throw the damp bread into the pan and fry over high heat for about 15 minutes, turning it over continually and breaking it up with a spatula into ever-smaller pieces, until the biggish crumbs are crisp, golden, and crunchy but still soft and slightly damp inside. The fat will be soaked up very quickly, but you can continue to cook, turning the crumbs in the dry pan.

Cut the bacon into small pieces and add them to the pan to heat through at the end.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Food of Spain by Claudia Roden, 2010, p. 477