3987. SWEET POTATO, BACON, EGG BREAKFAST SKILLET

Serves: 4


1.5 lbs multi colored sweet potatoes, diced

1 lb smoked bacon

2T ghee

1-2T chipotle seasoning

4 eggs

Place bacon on baking sheet and put in oven at 425*F for approx 15-20 min. Set aside in paper towels. Meanwhile, heat a cast iron skillet over med-high with ghee and add diced the potatoes. Season with chipotle seasoning. When potatoes can be softly pierced with a fork, approx 10-15 min, add in half of your cooked bacon, chopped, and crack 4 eggs over top. Cook on stove or in oven until egg whites are set. You may put a lid on to help steam. Sprinkle more chipotle.

bacon recipe source: Natasha Gildea, The Feisty Kitchen (@FeistyKitchen)

3815. FOUR-LAYER BEEF and BACON CASSEROLE

yield: 8 servings


Topping

1/2 pound bacon

Sweet Potato Mash

3-4 medium sweet potatoes (1 1/4 lb)

1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk

1/2 tsp dried sage

1/4 tsp coarse sea salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Cauliflower Mash

1 head cauliflower (1.5 lb), cut into florets

1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk

1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

Ground Beef

2 pounds ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

8 ounces button mushrooms, diced

1 tsp coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Topping: Preheat oven to 375 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay the bacon out on the sheet in one layer. Bake 12-15 minutes (22 minutes for crispy bacon). Let cool, chop, and then set aside.

Sweet Potato Mash: Heat oven to 400 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Clean and poke the sweet potatoes with a fork. Bake at 400 F for 35-40 minutes, or until they're soft and easily cut by a knife. Let them cool completely. Peel the potatoes and add the insides to a food processor. Add the coconut milk, sage, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth then set aside.

Cauliflower Mash: Steam the florets covered over simmering water for approximately 10 minutes, or until they're fork-tender. Place them in a food processor and add the coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth then set aside.

Ground Beef: In a large pan, cook the ground beef until slightly browned. Add the garlic, onion, mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and stir. Once the meat is cooked through, remove from heat.

Assembly: Turn oven to 350 F. Evenly spread the cauliflower mash over the meat. Spread the remaining half of the meat over the cauliflower in an even layer. Lastly, spread the sweet potato mash over the meat. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Turn on broiler and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped bacon on top and then let it cool and thicken for at least 10 minutes.

bacon recipe source: Cassy Joy Garcia, Fed & Fit (@fedandfit), June 10, 2014

3802. GREEN CURRY and TARO STEM SOUP with BACON

serves four


2 oz. slab bacon, cut into 1⁄4-inch lardons

1⁄4 cup finely chopped cilantro stems and leaves

1 tbsp. prahok (or other Asian fish or shrimp paste)

6 kaffir lime leaves, thinly shredded

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

3 small shallots, roughly chopped

2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

2 stalks lemongrass, inner cores thinly sliced

1 1⁄2 inches galangal, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tbsp. long-grain white rice

Kosher salt

2 (12-inch-long) taro stems or 4 oz. water spinach or Swiss chard stems, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces

1⁄2 cup cooked white rice

1 tbsp. finely grated palm sugar or light brown sugar

1 tbsp. fish sauce

1⁄2 cup 1⁄2-inch cubed white sweet potato

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Thinly sliced long beans, mung bean sprouts, and thinly shredded basil leaves, for serving

Whole Vietnamese mint and sawtooth herb leaves, to garnish

In a small skillet, heat the bacon over medium and cook, stirring, until browned and crisp and its fat renders, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to cool and discard the fat. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the cilantro with the fish paste, kaffir lime leaves, garlic, shallots, chiles, lemongrass, and galangal and purée into a lightly chunky curry paste.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the uncooked rice over medium and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 14 minutes. Transfer the rice to a spice grinder, let cool, and then process until finely ground. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the taro stems until tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, drain the stems and let cool. Squeeze the stems to drain all their water and transfer to a bowl along with the ground toasted rice, cooked rice, palm sugar, and fish sauce and stir until evenly combined. Add the sweet potato to the boiling water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes; drain.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium. Scrape the curry paste into the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring, until reduced slightly, about 10 minutes. Transfer soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Pour the soup through a fine sieve back into the saucepan and keep warm.

To serve, divide the rice mixture among 4 serving bowls, mounding it in the center. Ladle the soup around and then top with the bacon, sweet potatoes, long beans, bean sprouts, and basil, and, if using, garnish with the Vietnamese mint and sawtooth herb leaves.

bacon recipe source: Sok Kimsan & Pol Kimsan, Saveur.com (@SAVEURMAG), December 14, 2015

3753. BREAKFAST EMPANADAS with BACON and SWEET POTATO

2 cups flour plus more for dusting and rolling

1 tsp salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
4 eggs, beaten, plus 2 eggs, lightly beaten, divided (for dough and egg wash)

1/4 cup ice water
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
3 slices thick-cut bacon
2 cups spinach leaves
1 small onion, diced
1 small sweet potato, scrubbed and diced
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly flour a baking sheet and set aside.

Combine flour, salt, butter, vinegar and 1 lightly-beaten egg in a food processor or in a bowl, using 2 forks to mash, until the mixture resembles small peas. Slowly stream in ice water (you may not need it all), just until dough comes together. Turn dough out onto a floured surface.

Use a floured rolling pin to roll dough out into a large circle, about 1/4" thick. Use small bowls or large cups to cut 5 or 6" circles out of the dough. Place on wax or parchment paper until ready to use. You should have 6-8 circles.

Heat a large ungreased frying pan over high heat. Cook bacon for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until quite crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Lower the heat to medium-high and cook the sweet potatoes and onions for 4-5 minutes, or until sweet potatoes begin to soften. Add spinach and 4 beaten eggs. Cook until eggs are set, stirring frequently. Crumble cooked bacon over mixture and stir in cheddar cheese. Scrape mixture into a bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Once mixture has cooled, scoop 3-4 tbsp mixture onto each dough circle, and fold over, pinching to seal. Gently press a fork along the seam to create ridges along the edges.

Combine the remaining lightly-beaten egg with 2 tbsp water and use a pastry brush to lightly brush the empanadas with the egg wash. Transfer empanadas to the floured baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until empanadas are golden brown and glossy.

bacon recipe source: Gabi Moskowitz, BrokeAss Gourmet (@BrokeAssGourmet)

3698. SWEET POTATO COCONUT MILK SOUP with BACON

5 strips of bacon
½ large sweet onion, diced
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 celery stalk, diced
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
46 ounces chicken stock
½ teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon curry
½ teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste
dash of cinnamon
1-1/2 tablespoon honey
½ can of coconut milk (13.5 ounce can)

In a stock pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towel. Add onion and celery to bacon fat and saute until translucent. Add chopped garlic and stir. Immediately add chicken stock and diced potatoes. Allow to simmer until potatoes are soft. Use a stick blender to puree. Return to heat and add coconut milk, spices and honey. Use reserved bacon for garnish.


bacon recipe source: Lori Fortini, Peonies and Pears, July 13, 2015

3624. BACON, SALAMI, and SWEET POTATO HASH

serves 4 


6 slices bacon, diced

2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cups baby spinach leaves
8 ounces dry salami, casing removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Zest of small orange
4 large eggs

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat, until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Add sweet potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the pan. Cook until brown and crisp, about 25 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the pan and place on a paper towel.

Add oil, onion, bell pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add spinach, salami, nutmeg, orange zest. Cook until the spinach is wilted. Add bacon and potatoes, stir to combine.

Make four holes in the hash and break an egg into each. Cook until the eggs are cooked through. To cook faster, place a lid over the pan.


bacon recipe source: Lauren Grier, Climbing Grier Mountain (@GrierMountain), October 17, 2012

3589. SWEET POTATO, BACON and COLBY MUFFINS

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and finely diced
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
5 1/2 tablespoons oil
2 eggs
8 1/2 oz. milk
3 oz. natural yoghurt
1 1/2 cups colby finely grated cheese
2 rashers bacon, finely chopped

Roast sweet potato at 400°F for 25 minutes or until just tender. Blitz. Sift flour, baking powder and spices into a bowl. Combine oil, eggs, milk and yoghurt and stir into dry ingredients until smooth. Add 1 cup colby finely grated cheese, bacon and sweet potato. Spoon mixture evenly into 12 lightly buttered ½ cup capacity muffin pans and top with remaining cheese. Bake in oven at 400°C for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Turn out onto wire rack and serve warm or cold.


bacon recipe source: Mainland, Fonterra Brands (Australia) PTY LTD, 327 Ferntree Gully Road, Mt Waverley, VIC 3149

3490. BAKED SWEET POTATO CHIPS with BLUE CHEESE SAUCE, BACON and GREEN ONION

1 pound yams, sliced thin on a mandolin
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
½ cup hot milk
4 ounces gorgonzola, divided
3 green onions, sliced thin
4 slices bacon, cooked and roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss yams with canola oil, ½ teaspoon salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Place two cooling racks on top of two cookie sheets. Spray with non-stick spray. Place yams on cooling rack in one even layer, making sure they aren’t touching. If they are too close together they will steam instead of crisp up. Bake for about 10 minutes until the chips start to curl up on the edges. Watch carefully as they burn easily. Turn the oven off and let them sit for 25-30 minutes.

While the yams are cooking, make the blue cheese sauce. In a small skillet, melt butter over a medium heat, whisk in flour. Cook one minute. Turn the heat off and very slowly whisk in milk, making sure there are no lumps. Bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened 1-2 minutes. Crumble in half of the blue cheese. Whisk until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Build chips. Place half of chips on serving platter. Drizzle with some of the blue cheese sauce. Place other half of chips on top, and drizzle with more blue cheese sauce. Sprinkle with bacon, green onions and remaining blue cheese.

Use remaining sauce to dip chips if desired.


bacon recipe source: Nicole, Cooking for Keeps (@cookingforkeeps), January 13, 2014

3485. SWEET POTATO, KALE and BACON SCRAMBLE

serves two


6 eggs
4 strips thick cut smoked bacon
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 cup liquid (such as water, chicken broth, vegetable broth)
½ medium sized sweet potato, peel on, chopped into ¼- inch squares
¼ red onion, diced
2-3 stalks kale, stems removed and chopped, leaves chopped
toppings of your choice: cheese, guacamole, salsa, plain Greek yogurt

In a medium-sized skillet, heat about two teaspoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add the chopped sweet potato and onion and saute 3 or 4 minutes before adding a little liquid and covering. In about 2 minutes, check to see if the liquid has burned off. If it has, add a little more and cover again. Repeat this several times until the sweet potato is soften, but still al dente. Add the chopped kale stems. Saute another 3 to 5 minutes and add additional liquid if necessary. Add the chopped bacon. Allow the bacon to cook to desired crisp. Add the kale leaves. Allow to steam for about 30 seconds before pouring the scrambled egg mixture evenly over the meat and veggies. This is where the technique comes in. Avoid the temptation to stir. Simply allow the skillet to sit 2 to three minutes. Then, using a wooden spoon or spatula, begin flipping sections of egg and veggies. Once all sections have been flipped over, everything to sit and cook another 2 or 3 minutes. Repeat the flipping. Continue doing this until the egg is no longer cooking to the skillet. Add salt to taste. Serve with your favorite toppings.


bacon recipe source: Julia Mueller, The Roasted Root (@RoastedRootFood), October 30, 2012

3467. SWEET POTATO TAMALES with BACON

makes about 25 appetizer-size tamales


4 pounds sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
6-8 pieces of bacon
2 1/4 cups masa harina
1/2 cup melted butter or lard (or reserved bacon fat)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup golden raisins
Salt and pepper to taste
About 30 dried corn husks for wrapping tamales

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Place corn husks in a bowl and cover with warm water to soften them.

Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Melt the 4 tablespoons butter. Stir 4 tablespoons (half) of the brown sugar into the melted butter. Stir in the cinnamon (optional).

Place the sweet potato halves on the baking sheet with the cut sides facing upwards. Brush the cut halves of the sweet potatoes with the melter butter and sugar mixture.

Bake sweet potatoes until they are very soft when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from the oven and let cool.

While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon: Place the bacon slices (working in batches if necessary) in a heavy skillet and heat over medium heat. Cook until bacon is browned and crispy, turning at least once. Drain bacon slices on paper towels, then finely chop.

Pour excess bacon fat out of the skillet and strain into a heat proof glass or bowl. Reserve bacon fat for tamale dough, if desired. (I prefer to use butter because the bacon fat gives a lot of bacon flavor).

Slice the onion into thin slices and add to the skillet with a bit of the bacon fat. Cook onions over slowly over low heat, until they are browned and sweet. Remove onions to a bowl, and stir in the raisins and the chopped bacon.

Prepare the masa: Add the masa harina to a large bowl. Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the inside of the potatoes (discarding the skins) and add to the bowl. Mix well with a potato masher. Add the melted butter or lard (or reserved bacon fat) and the chicken stock, mixing well. Stir in the remaining brown sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the corn husks and pat dry. Tear a few of the corn husks lengthwise into strips.

Place a corn husk down on a flat surface. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the masa into a 2 1/2 inch square in the middle of the corn husk. Add some of the onion mixture to the middle of the masa. Fold the sides of the corn husk in slightly to close the filling over the onions, then unfold them. Fold the pointed end of the husk up over the filling. Fold in the sides, one over the other. Tie at the top with a strip of corn husk. Repeat until masa and/or filling run out (I can never manage to use them up equally).

Place a steaming basket or colander inside of a large pot. Fill the colander with the tamales. Fill the pot with water, keeping the water level below the tamales. Cover the tamales with a towel and then the pot lid. Heat the water to boiling, and steam the tamales for 45 minutes to an hour. Check the water level from time to time and add more water as needed.

Let tamales cool for 10 minutes or so before serving. Tamales can be reheated in the microwave, or briefly re-steamed.


bacon recipe source: Marian Blazes, South American Food Expert, South American Food/About.com

3453. BACON, SWEET POTATO and SPINACH SALAD

makes 8-10 servings


2 pounds sweet potatoes, cleaned, skins left on, cut into 1 ” cubes
a pinch of garlic salt
a pinch of ground cinnamon
a pinch of ground ginger
a pinch of ground ground black pepper
a few tablespoons pure maple syrup
18-24 ounces baby spinach leaves
12 ounces crumbled bacon; set aside bacon grease
a few handfuls of pomegranate seeds (arils)
grated gruyére or your favorite cheese

Preheat oven to 400˚F with rack in the center. Cook bacon until brown and crispy in a fry pan.

Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Reserve bacon fat in a heat resistant container & set aside to cool a bit.

Toss sweet potato chunks with garlic salt, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper maple syrup and some bacon grease. (A little bacon grease goes a long way, so add a small amount first and you can always add more. I use just enough oil to grease them until slightly glistening.) Spread sweet potatoes on a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for about 35 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. Toss once with tongs about halfway through cooking time for even browning. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and let cool.

Salad assembly: Put baby spinach in a large bowl. Top with roasted sweet potatoes, bacon crumbles, Gruyére and pomegranate seeds. You can season with some more garlic salt and black pepper if desired. When ready to serve, toss salad with your favorite vinaigrette dressing or olive oil and balsamic vinegar.


bacon recipe source: Marla Meridith (@MarlaMeridith), Family Fresh Cooking, November 10, 2010

3437. SWEET POTATO, ONION and BACON COMPOTE

4 slices of premium smoked bacon, chopped
1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 pound white and wild mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons unsulfured dark molasses
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon ginger
salt, to taste
3/4 pound sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 dozen pearl onion, blanched and peeled

In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until it is browned and crisp. Remove and drain the bacon, set aside. Melt butter in the drippings. Add the onion and the mushrooms, and sauté them over medium heat until they are softened, 2-3 minutes.

Add to the skillet the stock, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, thyme, pepper flakes, ginger, and a touch of salt, and mix well. Stir in the sweet potatoes, and simmer over medium heat 2-3 minutes. Add the pearl onions, cover the pan, and continue to cook another 7-10 minutes, until both the potatoes and onions are tender. The dish can be made ahead and covered to this point 1 hour in advance of your meal.

Uncover the pan, and cook another couple of minutes, stirring continually, until the sauce reduces to a glaze. Sprinkle in the reserved bacon, and stir to mix them in. Taste, add a little more salt if you like, and serve.


bacon recipe source: The Fresh Market, 628 Green Valley Road, Suite 500, Greensboro, NC 27408

3394. SWEET POTATO BACON ASIAGO AU GRATIN

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk of choice
3/4 cup Asiago cheese, shredded
1/4 cup fresh chives, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 slices of bacon,
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place sliced potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water, add pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a skillet cook bacon strips until crisp, and crumble.  Reserve bacon grease and keep warm in skillet. Add diced onions and cook for about 4 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook for another minute constantly stirring.

Gradually add milk and whisk until well blended. Simmer over medium heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and asiago cheese, chives, salt, pepper, and bacon.

Arrange half potato slices in a 8 inch square baking dish. Pour half of the cheese sauce over the sliced potatoes. Top with remaining potato slices and cheese sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for about 25-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and browned.

Garnish with extra sliced chives.


bacon recipe source: Kim Rosenberger, Kim's Healthy Eats, December 26, 2013

3309. MASHED SWEET POTATOES with COCONUT MILK, BACON and CILANTRO

serves eight


3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
About ¾ cup coconut milk, heated
1-1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chicken flavor bouillon (powder)
A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
¾ cup fully cooked smoked bacon, cut into small pieces and sauteed
Salt and black ground pepper to taste
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Boil sweet potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water until very tender (about 15 minutes). Drain. Let stand in colander 2-5 minutes. Purée sweet potatoes with a potato ricer or masher; then, stir in the coconut milk until mixture is homogeneous and creamy.

Add the garlic and chicken bouillon powder, nutmeg, sauteed bacon, salt and pepper; stir well.

Before serving, stir in the chopped cilantro.


bacon recipe source: Denise Browning, From Brazil To You, November 12, 2013

3284. ROASTED SWEET POTATO WEDGES with CHIMICHURRI and BACON

serves two to four as a side


Roasted sweet potatoes
4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Chimichurri
1 bunch parsley
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
3 cloves garlic
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Bacon
3 strips bacon, fried and set on a paper towel to cool

Roasted sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, salt, and spices. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, flipping once halfway through, or until the sweet potatoes are crisp on the edges and tender in the center.

Chimichurri: Finely mince the parsley and thyme leaves. Trim the ends, and then smash the garlic with the flat of your knife. Remove the papery skin and finely mince. In a small bowl, combine the herbs and garlic, and whisk in the olive oil. Whisk in the vinegar, salt, and spices.

Bacon: Use a spatula to arrange the wedges in a wide bowl or platter. Spoon on the chimichurri, and finish with the crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe source: Elizabeth, Brooklyn Supper, December 5, 2013

3274. SWEET POTATO CLAM CHOWDER with BACON

2 dozen medium clams (such as Manila) or 3 dozen small clams (such as Littlenecks)
1 1/2 cups water
1 12-oz. bottle of clam juice, as needed
1 cup (about 4-5 slices) diced raw applewood smoked bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 1/2 cups (about 1/4 lb.) raw sweet potato, peeled and diced into 2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups half-and-half

Scrub the clams well. Spread them in an even layer in a large 12-inch frying pan with a lid. Add the water, cover, and bring to the water to a boil. Set a heatproof bowl nearby to hold the cooked clams. Cook the clams until the shells open, about 2 to 5 minutes. As a clam opens, remove it from the pan with tongs and plop it into the waiting bowl. Give the clams 5 minutes more to cook, transferring clams as they open. After 5 minutes, turn off the heat and discard any clams that remain closed. Pour the pan liquid through a fine-meshed sieve or cheesecloth to strain out any grit. You should have about 1 1/2 cups clam cooking liquid. If there is less than that, add enough bottled clam juice to equal this amount. Set the liquid aside. Transfer the clams, still in their shells, back to the pan and cover it with a lid to keep the clams from drying out while you finish the chowder.

Cook the bacon in a 3-quart soup pot until crisp and brown. When the bacon is done transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pot. Discard the rest of the bacon fat. Using the same soup pot in which you cooked the bacon, pour back in the 1 tablespoon of bacon fat, add the olive oil and heat over a medium flame for a few seconds; add the onion and celery. Cook vegetables until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, clam cooking liquid, the bay leaf, salt and pepper. (Save the cooked bacon to sprinkle over the chowder just before serving.) Cover the pan and simmer just until the sweet potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

While the chowder simmers, remove the clams from their shell. You can use a paring knife or even a grapefruit spoon to scrape them out of their shells and into a bowl. Discard the shells. When the sweet potatoes are perfectly done, add the clams to the chowder. Pour in the Half and Half, heat gently until the chowder is piping hot, and ladle it into individual serving bowls. Sprinkle bacon around the edge of the chowder and serve.


bacon recipe source: Cat Cora.com

3255. SMOKED BACON, OKA CHEESE and SWEET POTATO GRATIN

serves four


1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic
6 slices smoky bacon, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 lbs. peeled sweet potatoes in lengthwise slices, 1/8 inch thick
1 1/2 cups oka cheese
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup bread crumbs

In a saucepan saute onion, garlic and bacon in oil until the onions are slightly browned. In a separate pot bring chicken broth and cream to boil. Set aside.


Grease a casserole dish with a little butter or oil and layer in with sliced sweet potatoes. After each layer, sprinkle some bacon and onion mixture and a little cheese. Moisten each layer with 2 tablespoons of chicken broth and cream. Repeat the layering until the potatoes are about 1/2 an inch from the top.




In a separate frying pan, melt butter and combine with bread crumbs. Sprinkle this mixture over the sweet potatoes. Place casserole dish in 350°F oven for about 1 hour. Do not cover. If bread crumbs become to dark, simply lower the oven to 300°F and continue cooking until a knife is easily inserted through the sweet potatoes.


bacon recipe source: Laura (member/cook), Alberta, Canada; TasteBook.com

3216. APPLE, SWEET POTATO and BACON TURNOVERS

yields 12 turnovers

 

 

1 pound sweet potatoes (approximately 2 medium), peeled and diced

8 strips bacon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large gala apples

½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

1 tablespoon maple syrup

kosher salt

2 sheets puff pastry

flour for dusting

1 egg

 

Boil a large pot of water and cook sweet potatoes until soft, approximately 10 minutes (the smaller the dice, the faster they will cook). Drain and set aside.

 

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over low heat to render out the fat and then turn the heat up to medium and cook for several minutes until crisp but not overdone. Allow the bacon to drain well on a paper towel. Dice the bacon and set aside.

 

Peel, core and coarsely chop the apples. In a dutch oven or heavy bottom saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat and then add the apples. Toss to coat the apples and then add the nutmeg and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Cook the apples, stirring frequently, until the are lightly caramelized and soft but not mushy. Set aside.

 

Mash the sweet potatoes and stir in the maple syrup, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

 

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

 

Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll out one chilled sheet of puff pastry (keep the other sheet in the refrigerator until the last second). You will want to work swiftly with the dough before it becomes to soft. Square off the dough if necessary with a bench scraper or pizza cutter and slice into 6 even squares.

 

Place a small spoonful of the sweet potatoes inside one of the squares. Top with a larger spoonful of apples and a sprinkle of chopped bacon. Make sure to leave some space between the filling and the sides of the dough so that the turnover can be sealed once it’s folded. Repeat this process with all 6 pieces of dough.

 

Fold the dough over from corner to corner into a triangle shape. Use a fork to press the edges together and seal in the filling.

 

Place the turnovers on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

 

Repeat the same process with the second sheet of puff pastry and the remainder of the filling, placing the turnovers onto the second prepared baking sheet (any leftover filling is delicious by itself).

 

Whisk the egg together with a splash of water and a pinch of salt.

 

Remove the baking sheets from the refrigerator and use a small knife to poke 3 holes in the top of each turnover. Use a pastry brush to spread a thin layer of egg wash over each turnover.

 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and golden brown on top.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Jennifer Farley, Savory Simple, October 15, 2013

3168. SWEET POTATO BACON BITES

makes two dozen


8 slices hickory-smoked bacon
2 long, thin sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs. total), peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2"-thick rounds
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
olive spray oil
1/2 cup sour cream
zest of 1 Satsuma tangerine, clementine or small orange
2 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet until almost crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to let drain, and then finely chop. In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Spray a clean, large baking sheet with oil and then arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer. Spray tops with oil and bake on the bottom third of the oven, flipping once, until golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes; set aside to let cool until warm. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and zest. To serve, top each round of sweet potato with sour cream, bacon and green onions.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Whole Deal, Whole Foods Market, November/December 2013

3048. BAKED SWEET POTATOES with OLIVES, CHILLI, BACON and SMOKED MACKEREL

serves four


4 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
150 grams unsmoked back bacon, thinly sliced
6 spring onions, sliced
2 red chillies, seeded and sliced
200 grams smoked mackerel fish fillets, skinned
75 grams black olives, pitted and chopped
25 grams butter

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Roast the sweet potatoes for 45 minutes to one hour, or until a knife slides easily into them. When almost ready, heat the oil in a pan and fry the bacon for four minutes over a high heat, until golden. Add the spring onions, chilli, mackerel and olives, and cook for two to three minutes more. When the potatoes are ready, cut a slit down the middle and place a knob of butter in each one. Fill with the mackerel and bacon mixture, and serve hot.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Tonia George, Red Magazine online; Hearst Magazines UK/National Magazine Company Ltd, 72 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 9EP