341. LIMA BEANS and BACON

makes 8 servings


3 cups frozen lima beans
6 slices bacon (thick-sliced)
1 medium onion (roughly diced)
6 large button mushrooms (or 8 small)
2/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon curry powder (more as desired)
seasoning salt (optional)

Cook frozen lima beans per pkg directions while following remaining steps & set aside.

Roughly dice the medium onion & set aside.

Cut each large mushroom in half from top down through any stem. Put the cut edge down on your cutting board & slice each half in approx 1/3 inch slices & set aside.

Cut bacon slices in 1/2 inch segments & fry in a non-stick skillet until crisp. If you have more than 2 tbsp of rendered bacon fat grease, remove the excess of that amount.

Add diced onion & sliced mushrooms to skillet & saute until onion is translucent. Do not overcook to carmelized state.

Add 1 tsp curry powder + low-fat sour cream & combine well.

Taste & add additional curry powder or seasoning salt to your preferences.

Remove skillet from heat, add cooked lima beans, mix well & serve immediately.


courtesy of: Chef Twissis, Reykjavik, Iceland

340. RAMPS with BACON and HARD-COOKED EGGS

serves 4 to 6


1 lb. ramps
4 to 6 slices bacon
salt and pepper to taste
2 hard-cooked eggs

Cut cleaned ramps into 1-inch pieces; boil in salted water for 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, fry bacon in a heavy skillet until just crisp. Remove bacon and dice.
Drain parboiled ramps and place in hot bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and fry until tender. Serve garnished with bacon and boiled eggs, chopped or thinly sliced.


courtesy of: Diana Rattray

339. BACON and GREEN CHILI QUICHE

serves 6


1 refrigerated pie crust (half of15-ounce package), room temperature
8 strips bacon
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies, drained
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 1/4 cups half and half
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 425°F. Unfold crust. Using wet fingertips, press together any tears. Press crust into 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Press foil over crust to hold shape. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven; remove foil. Reduce temperature to 400°F.

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Crumble bacon. Sprinkle bacon, then chilies and green onion over crust. Combine Monterey Jack cheese and cheddar cheese and sprinkle over. Beat half and half, eggs and salt in medium bowl to blend. Pour half and half mixture into crust.

Bake quiche until knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let quiche stand 5 minutes. Cut quiche into wedges and serve.


courtesy of: Gayle Gardner, Albuquerque, New Mexico / Bon Appétit, June 1996

338. APPLE MAPLE RUMAKI

1/2 lb. bacon, sliced and cooked partially
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 apples, cut into 6, slice each segment in 1/2
3 tablespoosn dijon mustard
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg

Roll bacon around apple and hold together w/ toothpick. Mix bread crumbs and parmesan together. Roll bacon and apple in bread crumb mix. Mix maple syrup, dijon and egg together, then roll in maple syrup mix. Bake until bacon is cooked.


courtesy of: Dakin Farm, 5797 Route 7, Ferrisburgh, Vermont 05456

337. ALLIGATOR SPAGHETTI with BACON

3 lbs alligator meat
3-6 oz cans of tomato paste
4 teaspoons salt
1 cup minced bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cups minced onion
½ cup worchestershire sauce
1 lb mushroom stems and pieces
3 cans (2 lbs, 3 oz each) tomatoes
4 Tsps oregano
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons sweet basil
½ lb sliced bacon, diced
1½ cups water
¼ tsp tabasco
spaghetti

In a 4-6 quart pot, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and all but 3 tablespoons bacon grease. Add alligator meat which has been cut into 1 inch cubes and brown. (If using smoked alligator meat, omit this stage) Remove meat when brown and set aside. Sauté onions, drained mushrooms, bell pepper and garlic for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, worcestershire sauce, parsley, basil, oregano, salt and tabasco. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours or longer. Add reserved alligator meat and simmer until meat is tender. Serve over spaghetti with parmesan cheese. Sauce yield is approximately 5 quarts.


courtesy of: Louisiana Fur and Alligator Advisory Council, 318-354-1229

336. CHICKEN, OKRA, and BACON GUMBO

3 1/2 lb frying chicken
1 lb young Okra pods
10 oz corn kernels
1 lb smoked sausage
8 slices bacon
16 oz can tomato puree
4 cloves garlic
4 large tomatoes
3 large onions
2 green bell peppers
2 stalks of celery with leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme

Top and tail the Okra pods, ie cut off the ends. Cut the pods into approximately 1/4 inch rounds. Slice the sausage into 1/4 inch rounds. Chop the bacon finely. Mince the garlic.

Pop the tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds, remove, peel and chop.

Peel the onions and chop 2 onions coarsely. Cut the remaining onion into quarters. Seed the bell pepper and chop coarsely.

Cut the leaves from the celery and place to one side, chop the celery stalks.

Place the chicken, the celery leaves, the quartered onion and salt into a Dutch oven, with sufficient water to cover the solid ingredients. Bring to the boil, cover with lid and reduce the heat. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes, until the chicken is tender to a fork.

Remove the chicken, reserve the broth after discarding the onion quarters and celery leaves.

Skin and debone the chicken. Cut into small, bite sized pieces. Reserve.

Cook the bacon and sausage in the Dutch oven, over medium heat, until the bacon becomes very crispy. Remove the bacon and sausage from the Dutch oven, but leave one to two tablespoons of bacon/sausage dripping in the oven. Crumble the bacon and set aside with the sausage.

Add the chopped onion, green pepper, celery and minced garlic to the dripping in the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the vegetables become tender.

Add the chicken, reserved broth, bacon, sausage, tomatoes, tomato puree, okra, corn and thyme to the Dutch oven. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for approximately 90 minutes.


courtesy of: Michael Tracey's Afri Chef, African Recipes: Cooking Real Food From Africa

335. BAKED TURKEY, CHEDDAR, and BACON SANDWICH

makes 6 servings


2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
1 egg
4 oz. thinly sliced cooked turkey
1½ cups (6 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
5 slices bacon, cooked

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches, with cooking spray.

Stir Bisquick mix, milk and egg in medium bowl with wire whisk or fork until blended. Spread half of the batter in baking dish. Top with turkey, 1 cup of the cheese and the bacon. Spread remaining batter over bacon.

Bake uncovered about 29 minutes or until golden brown and center is set. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese. Bake about 3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.


courtesy of: Betty Crocker / General Mills, Inc., P.O. Box 9452, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440

334. POTATO SOUP with BACON and GORGONZOLA CHEESE

serves 4


4 slices bacon, diced
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 large russet potatoes (about 1½ lb.), peeled and cubed
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock or broth
2 cups milk
¼ cup chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese for topping (optional)

In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate, leaving 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in pan. Add onion and celery to pan and saute until vegetables are slightly tender, about 6 minutes. Add potatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature to medium-low and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer 1 cup of the vegetables to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Return to pan and add milk and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and reheat over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with bacon and cheese.


courtesy of: The Big Book of Soups & Stews, by Maryana Vollstedt. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2001, p. 224

333. SALMON on a bed of LEEKS, POTATOES and BACON

1 medium/large salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces or 4 salmon steaks
250g diced bacon
2 leeks sliced into rounds
½ kg waxy potatoes peeled and sliced into rounds
2 cups fish stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
¼ cup good quality white wine or champagne vinegar (like our Charbonneaux)
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black peppers
reheat your oven to 180oc

Use a cast iron frying pan or similar that can go in the oven. Combine the leeks and bacon and cook in the pan over a medium heat for about 5 minutes; stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes, thyme, salt & pepper, bay leaves and pour in the stock and vinegar. Bring to the boil. Cover with tin foil and place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are nearly done.

Remove from the oven, lay the Salmon on top and return to the oven for 8-10mins or until the salmon is done.

Transfer the salmon to a plate – I take off the skin at this stage if you're using a fillet.

Remove the bay leaves. Serve the potato and leek mixture on individual plates and place the salmon on top. Pour on any remaining juice. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Elizabeth and Mike Lind, La Cigale, New Zealand

332. OX LIVER and BACON HOTPOT

yields 1 serving


1 lb. ox liver, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 oz. streaky bacon, rind removed, cut into small pieces
1 heaped tablespoon seasoned flour
3 large onions, sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled cut into chunks
1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
2 oz. swede, peeled, cut into chunks
1 teaspoon dried sage
Stock or water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into fairly thick slices
A little beef dripping or butter
Salt and black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 325F. Toss the slices of liver in the seasoned flour to coat them well, then arrange them in a good sized casserole and sprinkle in any leftover flour. Add the bacon and sliced onion, together with the chunks of carrot, celery and swede. Add the sage and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Pour in just enough stock or water barely to cover the ingredients in the pot - probably about 1 pint - then add the Worcestershire sauce. Finally cover the top with a thick layer of potatoes, overlapping each other, then season again with salt and pepper. Cover the casserole and cook in the oven for 2 hours. After that, take lid off and cook for a further 30 minutes. When the time is up, brush the potatoes with a little melted beef dripping or butter and pop the casserole under a pre-heated hot grill to get a nice crusty top to the potatoes.


courtesy of: Léon Brocard, 39A Chepstow Road, London, W2 5BP, UK

331. TOMATO-BACON CHUTNEY FILLO CUPS

makes 30 appetizers


6 slices bacon, diced
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1½ lb. tomatoes, peeled, chopped
½ cup sherry vinegar
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoon Nantucket Renaissance Rub
30 mini fillo shells

Cook bacon until crisp in large skillet over medium heat. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon drippings.

Add onion and garlic to skillet; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and rub. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook 25 to 30 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in all but 2 tablespoons bacon.

Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon into each fillo cup. Sprinkle remaining bacon over and serve immediately.


courtesy of: Sue Erickson, Executive Chef, Lunds and Byerly’s, Twin Cities, Minnesota

330. ICEBERG WEDGE with WARM BACON and BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

makes 6 servings


1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 cup coarsely crumbled blue cheese
Buttermilk (optional)
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 large head of iceberg lettuce, cut into 6 wedges, each with some core attached
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced

Mix first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Add blue cheese and stir until well blended. If too thick, thin with buttermilk by tablespoonfuls to desired consistency. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until golden brown and beginning to crisp. Arrange lettuce on plates. Spoon dressing over. Using slotted spoon, transfer warm bacon from skillet onto salads, dividing equally. Garnish with red onion.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, January 2006

329. BAKED SALMON with TARRAGON, BACON, and ONIONS

4 salmon fillets
1 small, finely chopped onion
2 slices of thin bacon, diced
3 ounces (90g or ¾ stick) butter
¼ teaspoon dried tarragon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Large sheet of buttered kitchen foil
Double cream or crème fraîche

Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Fry the finely chopped onion in butter in a pan until soft and golden (but not burnt). Add the bacon and tarragon and cook for another two minutes; then stir in the lemon juice.

Place a large piece of buttered kitchen foil in an ovenproof dish, place the salmon fillets on this and cover with the onion and bacon mixture. Fold over the foil and seal to make a parcel. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with a teaspoonful of thick cream or crème fraîche and fresh vegetables.


courtesy of: Rampant Scotland Directory

328. BLT WAFFLE

makes 4 servings


1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
about ½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, separated
½ cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (reserve oil)
3 tablespoons oil reserved from dried tomatoes, or olive oil
4 strips bacon (about 1 oz. total), cut in half lengthwise and crosswise
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
fresh-ground pepper
2 cups baby lettuce salad mix
12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add milk, egg yolks, dried tomatoes, and 2 tablespoons of the tomato oil; stir. In another large bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold whites into batter.

Turn a waffle iron to high heat. Lightly spray both sides with cooking oil spray. When hot, pour about half of the batter (or an amount suited to your waffle maker) onto the waffle iron. Lay 2 pieces of bacon over the batter. Close waffle iron and bake until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove waffles and keep warm on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven. Repeat to cook remaining waffles.

In a large bowl whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon tomato oil, white wine vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the baby lettuce and cherry tomatoes.

Top waffles with dressed salad.


courtesy of: Mickey Strang, McKinleyville, California / Sunset, December 2005

327. COUNTRY NOODLE CASSEROLE with BACON

½ lb. sliced bacon
1 package very fine noodles
3 cup cottage cheese
3 cup dairy sour cream
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 onions, minced
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash Tabasco
4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Extra sour cream to taste

Fry bacon until crisp, drain on paper towel and crumble. Cook noodles in salted boiling water until just tender, al dente. Drain well. Mix remaining ingredients, except cheese, in large bowl. Add noodles and bacon and toss. Turn into a deep 3½-quart greased casserole. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove cover. Sprinkle with cheese and continue to bake until cheese is lightly brown.


courtesy of: Joyce G. Elllinger / S. Wallace Edwards & Sons, Inc., 11455 Rolfe Highway, PO Box 25, Surrey, Virginia, 23883

326. ORIGINAL BLT SOUP

serves 6


6 slices bacon, diced
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 medium tomatoes (about 3 lb.), peeled, seeded, and chopped
6 cups chicken stock or broth
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried basil
¾ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup finely shredded lettuce for topping

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except lettuce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer in batches to a food processor or blender and puree. Return to Dutch oven and reheat. Ladle into bowls and top with bacon and lettuce.


courtesy of: The Big Book of Soups & Stews, by Maryana Vollstedt. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2001, p. 235.

325. SAUTÉED RABBIT with SOUR CREAM and BACON

1 young rabbit
½ cup flour seasoned with
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 or 6 rather thick slices bacon
½ cup chicken or beef stock
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt

Cut the rabbit into serving pieces. Shake the pieces well in a plastic bag with the seasoned flour. Sauté the bacon until just crisp. Remove, and keep it warm wrapped in absorbent paper. Heat the bacon fat, and brown the rabbit pieces in the fat on both sides. Reduce the heat, and add the stock. Cover the pan, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rabbit is tender. Transfer to a hot platter, and skim off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the sour cream, chopped parsley, and salt. Stir over medium heat till well mixed and heated through, but do not let it boil. Spoon the sauce around the rabbit, and serve with mashed potatoes.


courtesy of: Billie Zumwalt / The Meat Rabbit list

324. CAULIFLOWER with BACON and MUSHROOMS

4 slices bacon
1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
small head cauliflower, cut into small bite-size pieces
8 oz. mushrooms, cut in half, then into thick slices
½ red onion, diced into small pieces
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Cut bacon into small crosswise strips, then cook in large frying pan until quite crisp. Pour off most of bacon fat, but don't wipe out pan. (The original recipes leaves all the fat in the pan, but since bacon isn't even officially allowed on The South Beach Diet, I used much less bacon and then left just a tiny bit of the fat for flavor.) Add butter or olive oil, heat for 1 minute, then add cauliflower and mushrooms and cook over very high heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook about 2 minutes more, or until veggies seem nearly done and are starting to brown a bit. Add bacon and parsley and cook 2-3 minutes more. Add 1/4 cup water, then scrape pan to get browned bits off and cook until water has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.


courtesy of: Vegetable Love: A Book for Cooks, by Barbara Kafka. New York: Artisan, 2005

323. BACON and MUSHROOM BITE-SIZE QUICHE

makes 3½ dozen; serves 14


8 slices bacon
¼ pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1 2/3 cups shredded Swiss cheese
Pastry for double-crust pie (homemade or purchased)
5 eggs
1 2/3 cups sour cream

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry dough 1/16-inch thick. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut out 42 circles; re-roll scraps as needed. Fit circles into bottoms and slightly up sides of lightly greased 2½-inch muffin pans. Meanwhile, fry bacon slices until crisp, drain; crumble or chop. Chop mushrooms, saute in butter until limp and liquid evaporates. Combine bacon, mushrooms, green onion and cheese. Divide filling equally among muffin cups. In large bowl, beat together eggs, add sour cream and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each muffin cup. Bake until puffed and light brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes; lift out. Serve warm or let cool on wire racks. If made ahead, wrap cooled quiches airtight, and refrigerate overnight. Reheat, uncovered, in a 350 degrees F. oven for about 10 minutes.


courtesy of: PrairieFresh® Premium Pork, P.O. Box 29135, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201

322. MISSISSIPPI DELTA CATHEAD BISCUITS

for four cathead biscuits

1 1/8 cup self-rising flour
2/3 cup milk or buttermilk
1/8 cup oil or bacon drippings

Blend above ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Dump a hand full of flour on a pastry cloth or whatever. As you can see, I use a brown paper sack. Newspaper also works just fine.

As in the top photo, dump the blended dough onto the flour.

Pour a dash of oil into your skillet and smear it around with your fingers. Coat the inside of the skillet and the palms of your hands with oil.

Knead the dough for about 30 seconds, rolling it in the flour and thickening it.

Half the dough as in the middle photo. Half it again, making 4 pieces of dough.

Roll each piece of dough between your hands, making it into a ball, then put it in the skillet.

As you see me doing in this photo, use a spoon or a pastry brush and put a little oil or bacon drippings on the top of each un-baked biscuit. You're ready to start cooking.

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 25 minutes at 350°. Broil/toast for 1 or 2 minutes. Enjoy!


NOTES: They're called "cathead biscuits" because they should be about the size of a cat's head. They should be somewhat round on top and not flat like canned biscuits. Do not cut them out of rolled-out dough with the rim of a glass or with any other implement as every biscuit recipe I've ever read said to do. Roll them into a ball with your hands. Why make home-made biscuits if they look like store-bought biscuits?


courtesy of: John Lee Doughty, Jr., Junior's Juke Joint, Tullos, Louisiana

321. PIG"S PETTITOES

sufficient for 3 or 4 persons

time: altogether 40 minutes


pigs trotters
pigs liver
pigs heart
1 pint gravy
1 thin slice bacon
1 onion
1 blade of mace
6 peppercorns
3-4 sprigs thyme
butter and flour, to thicken
salt and pepper, to taste

Put the liver, heart and trotters into a saucepan with the bacon, mace, peppercorns, thyme, onion and gravy and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Then take out the heart and liver and mince them very finely. Keep stewing the trotters until quite tender, which will be in from 20 to 30 minutes. Then return the minced liver, thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour, season with salt and pepper. Simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dish the mince, split the feet and arrange them round alternately with sippets (triangles) of toasted bread and pour the gravy in the middle.


courtesy of: Ken Howells, Birmingham, England / The Foody UK and Ireland / http://thefoody.com

320. HOT AVOCADO CREAM with BACON CRUMBLE

makes 6-8 servings

NOTE: change sizes or US/metric


4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons cornflour
1 1/2 liters strong home-made chicken stock
salt
milled black pepper
2 large ripe avocados, skinned,stoned and pureed
65 ml fruity white wine
125-250 ml cream
2 tablespoons crisped bacon, crumbled
3 sprigs fresh coriander

Melt butter in a saucepan. When hot and bubbly, stir in cornflour and continue to stir until mixture turns golden. Gradually add chicken stock, whisking constantly to smooth away any little lumps.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove from stove. Add avocado puree, white wine and cream. Reheat carefully, but do not allow to boil. Transfer to a heated soup tureen and sprinkle with crisped bacon crumble. To serve, ladle into heated soup plates and garnish with fresh coriander.


courtesy of: Chef Julie, Scottburgh, KZN, South Africa

319. BROILED DOGFISH with ONIONS, TOMATOES, and BACON

makes 4 servings

time: 30 minutes


2 slices bacon, minced
1 medium-size onion, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh, ripe tomatoes (canned are fine; drain first)
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 to 1 1/2 lb. dogfish fillets, cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil

BUYING TIP: The best dogfish is always iced immediately after the catch, and fillets are kept ice cold from processor to retailer. Well-handled dogfish has little aroma, or may be slightly sweet-smelling; stick to those, rather than trying to deal with the stink of ammonia.

NOTE: Other common names for dogfish are sand shark, nurse shark, grayfish, rock salmon, and rock cod.


Cook the bacon, stirring, over medium heat until it begins to crips; remove it with a slotted spoon. Cook the onion in the bacon fat, stirring occasionally, until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to liquefy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the basil and half the parsley, stir, taste for salt and pepper, and turn off the heat. Preheat the broiler.

Brush a shallow baking pan with half the olive oil and lay the fillets in the pan. Brush them with the remaining oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place under the broiler. Broil for 2 minutes; the fillets will not begin to brown. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the fillets and return to the broiler. Broil 2 more minutes and serve, garnished with the remaining parsley.

ALTERNATIVE FISH FOR THIS RECIPE: Blackfish, cod, grouper, haddock, mackerel, Atlantic or Pacific pollock, rockfish, sablefish, red snapper, striped bass, tilefish, or wolffish. Adjust cooking time accordingly.


courtesy of: Fish: The Complete Guide to Buying and Cooking, by Mark Bittman. New York: MacMillan, 1994, pp. 121-122

318. WARM SALAD with SPINACH, BEETS, BACON and SHERRY VINEGAR DRESSING

makes 4 to 6 servings as a starter or salad course


2 medium size red beets (about 6 to 8 ounces each)
1 1/2 pounds of spinach leaves, stems removed
4 ounces thinly sliced bacon
1 small (6 ounces) Spanish onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons canola or grape seed oil
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Place the whole beets in a pot and cover with water. Add salt to the water and cook the beets for about 40 minutes or until they are tender. Add water during the cooking when necessary. Rinse the cooked beets under cold water. Peel, then cut in half. Slice the halves about 1/3-inch thick so that they are shaped like half-moons.

Pick the stems from the spinach. Wash and drain very well. Check for ladybugs.

Cut the bacon slices crosswise into 1-inch pieces. In the sauté pan on medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the grease. Pour off half of the fat from the pan and return it to the stove.
Add the onions and cook until they begin to become translucent, don't over cook (about 1 minute).

Next, add the oil and vinegar along with the beets. Cook gently until the beets are very warm. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the onions and beets with a slotted spoon, leaving the dressing in the pan.

Add the spinach and toss continuously using the tongs. When the spinach is slightly wilted, divide it on plates and put the warm onions and beets on top of the spinach. Sprinkle each plate with the crisp bacon and serve at once.


courtesy of: Chef Jasper White / The Victory Garden, WGBH Boston Lifestyle Productions / PBS

317. SAUERKRAUT GARNISHED with BRATWURST, KNOCKWURST, PORK CHOPS, and BACON

a.k.a. Choucroute Garni

serves 6 to 8


12 oz. bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups sauerkraut, drained
12 baby red potatoes, halved
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
freshly ground pepper to taste
6 to 8 juniper berries (optional)
4 bratwurst, scored (2 or 3 small diagonal slashes a fourth of the way through)
4 knockwurst, scored
3 or 4 smoked pork chops, halved if large
assorted mustards as an accompaniment

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon, leaving 1 tablespoon of drippings in Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, garlic, and carrots and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Return bacon to Dutch oven. Add stock, wine, sauerkraut, potatoes, bay leaves, herbes de Provence, pepper, and juniper berries, if desired. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, about 1 hour. Add meats, submerging some into the stew. Simmer, covered, until sausages have plumped up and flavors are blended, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Remove bay leaves and discard. Serve with an assortment of mustards.


courtesy of: The Big Book of Soups & Stews, by Maryana Vollstedt. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2001, p. 132

316. TROPICAL BACON CROISSANT

makes 4 servings


4 croissants, split
¼ cup cream cheese, softened
4 pineapple slices, cut in half
12 slices bacon
4 strawberries, thinly sliced
1 medium kiwi, peeled, thinly sliced

Spread bottom half of each croissant with 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese.

Top each with 2 pineapple pieces, 3 bacon slices and ¼ each of the strawberries and kiwi; cover with top of croissant.


courtesy of: Kraft Foods

315. CIDER-STEAMED MUSSELS with CRISPY BACON

makes 4 servings


1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1½ cups apple cider
3 lb. fresh mussels, scrubbed and bearded (see NOTE)
¼ cup Calvados or brandy
1½ cups heavy or whipping cream
freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 oz. sliced bacon, cooked crisp, drained, and crumbled
½ cup minced fresh parsley

NOTE: Do not beard the mussels in advance or they will spoil.

Place the onion, cider, and mussels in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover, bring to a boil, and cook until the mussels open, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the mussels with a slotted spoon to a warmed serving dish, discarding any unopened ones. Cover the dish with a warm moistened kitchen towel to help retain the heat.

Add the Calvados and cream to the liquid remaining in the pot. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Season with pepper. Pour the cider cream over the mussels and mix in the bacon and parsley. Scoop the mussels into individual serving bowls and serve at once.


courtesy of: Cold Weather Cooking, by Sarah Leah Chase. New York: Workman Publishing, 1990, pp. 318-319

314. SALMON with WARM BACON SALSA

2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 fresh or dried figs
2 slices bacon
½ cup pre-diced red onions
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1½ pounds fresh salmon (ask for skin to be removed)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon mesquite seasoning
¼ teaspoon pepper
aluminum foil (optional)
1 (10-oz.) can milder diced tomatoes and green chiles (well drained)

Preheat grill. Finely chop (rinsed) thyme, leaves only; measure (2 teaspoons) and set aside. Preheat medium saucepan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Cut figs and bacon into ¼-inch pieces; set figs aside. Place bacon in pan with onions and garlic paste; cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bacon begins to brown.

Meanwhile, cut away dark sections of salmon and cut into 4 servings. Rub both sides of salmon with oil; sprinkle with thyme, mesquite seasoning, and pepper. Wash hands. Place salmon, using tongs, on grill, with darker side up. Close lid (or cover loosely with foil) and cook 2–3 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 145°F. Use meat thermometer to accurately ensure doneness.

Add figs and tomatoes to bacon mixture; reduce heat to medium and simmer 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and liquid evaporates. Serve salsa over salmon.


courtesy of: Publix Apron's / Publix Super Markets, P.O. Box 407, Lakeland, Florida 33802, 863-688-7407 ext. 53028 / Apron’s Cooking Schools: Publix at University Walk, 2875 University Parkway, Sarasota, Florida 34243, 941-358-7829 / Publix at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa, Florida 33626, 813-926-4465

313. PORTUGUESE PEASANT SOUP

1 lb. dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
3 quarts chicken stock (or more if necessary)
12 strips thick-sliced smoked bacon, diced
1 lb. chorizo, sliced
3 medium yellow onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium potatoes, scrubbed and diced
4 medium carrots, scrubbed and diced
4 medium turnips, scrubbed and diced
1 small cabbage, cored and chopped
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped cilantro

Simmer the beans in the chicken stock for about 2 hours, or until they are just tender. In a soup pot, saute the diced bacon until it has rendered its fat. Add the chorizo, onions, garlic and saute until they begin to color. Add the diced potatoes, carrots, turnips, cabbage, bay leaves, and kidney beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 1/2 hour, until the vegetables are tender. Add cilantro just before serving.


courtesy of: The Bean Book by Roy F. Guste. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000

312. BACON-WRAPPED, SHRIMP-STUFFED PRUNES

12 prunes, pitted
1/2 cup Burgundy wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
12 shrimp, uncooked
12 macadamia nuts
Dijon mustard
6 lean bacon strips, cut in half

Pit prunes and let soak overnight in wine, bay, soy sauce, and garlic. Peel uncooked shrimp and stuff into prune with a macadamia nut and a dollop of mustard. Wrap in bacon, secure with toothpick and broil until bacon is crisp and shrimp is cooked. Let cool and eat as an appetizer.


courtesy of: Secrets of the Tsil Cafe: A Novel with Recipes, by Thomas Fox Averil. Blue Hen Books, 2002.

311. APPLE and BACON SALAD

serves 2


4 slices streaky bacon, sliced
2 red apples, unpeeled, diced
2 wholemeal bread slices, diced
Ground pepper to taste
2 spring onions, or 1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
1 pinch dried rosemary, crumbled
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive or other salad oil

Fry the bacon in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat until it is crisp. Put it in a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the apples to the pan and brown them lightly on one side. Put the apples in the bowl with the bacon. Add the bread to the pan and ‘toast’ it briefly, until bread starts to turn golden. Add the bread to the bowl, along with onions and rosemary. Whisk together the vinegar and oil, drizzle over salad and toss together. Season to taste with pepper and serve.

Serving suggestion: Pile atop lettuce or spinach for lunch.


courtesy of: Abel & Cole, Organic Home Delivery, 16 Waterside Way, Plough Lane, Wimbledon, SW17 0HB

310. BACON-CHEESE MUFFINS

yields 12 servings


½ lb. bacon
vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup milk
1¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar *
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup Grape Nuts cereal

* You may reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon, if you wish. *

Heat oven to 400 F.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Measure the drippings; and add vegetable order to make 1/3 cup, if needed. Combine drippings with egg and milk and set aside. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and baking powder. Make a well in the center and add the dripping/egg mix all at once. Stir until just moistened; the batter will be lumpy. Lightly fold in the crumbled bacon, cheese and cereal.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 20 mins, or until lightly browned.


courtesy of: Bonnie Engel, the Shawano County Fair, Shawano, Wisconsin / The County Fair Cookbook

309. PARSNIP and HAZELNUT GRATIN with BACON

makes 8 to 10 servings


4 ounces bacon slices, chopped
2 pounds parsnips (about 11 medium), peeled, trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped, toasted, divided
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sauté bacon in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to large bowl. Stir in parsnips and 1/4 cup hazelnuts. Arrange mixture in even layer in 2-quart baking dish. Combine whipping cream, broth, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Pour over parsnip mixture in dish.

Bake gratin 30 minutes. Press down on parsnips with spatula to moisten evenly. Continue baking until parsnips are tender and liquid bubbles thickly, about 35 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining hazelnuts and sage.


courtesy of: Jill Silverman Hough, Bon Appétit, March 2006

308. ASPARAGUS and SMOKED BACON FILO PARCEL

serves 2


6 asparagus spears
6 rashers smoked back bacon
2 sheets filo pastry
Hoi Sin dressing
Basil Vinaigrette dressing
Mixed leaves
Cucumber
Diced, deseeded tomato
Diced red onion
Shredded carrot

Wrap each asparagus spear with a rasher of bacon and then two layers of filo pastry which has been brushed with butter. (Wrap like a Christmas cracker). Deep fry until gold and crisp at 180 degrees Centigrade (approx 2-3 minutes) then drain on kitchen roll. Garnish plate with shredded lettuce and salad leaves and dress with vinaigrette. Arrange filo parcels on top and dress with hoi sin sauce. Deep fry shredded carrot until crisp then place on peak of parcels and serve.


courtesy of: AJ's Bistro, 65 Topping Street, Blackpool, FY1 3AF

307. PASTA CARBONARA

makes enough carbonara sauce for 2 small portions or 1 large portion of pasta

Tagliatelle (or linguine or any pasta you like for that matter) for one or two people
2 egg yolks
½ cup of heavy cream
¾ cups grated parmesan cheese
as much bacon or pancetta as you wish to have
chopped parsley (optional)
additional grated parmesan
salt and pepper

Dice your bacon and cook according to desired crispness. (or dice after cooking if you prefer)

Drain on paper towel. Reserve the bacon grease.

Mix 2 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 3/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook your noodles and strain, reserving some of the starchy water.

Put the noodles back in your saucepan and add a teaspoon or two of the bacon grease to coat the noodles (this prevents the cream sauce from soaking right into the noodles).

Add your egg mixture to the noodles and combine well. If the sauce is too thick add a bit of your reserved starchy water. This is all dependent on how you like it.

Mix in your bacon bits right into the sauce and noodles or pile them on top as I did.

Serve it up in a bowl or two and sprinkle with additional parmesan, chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper to taste.


courtesy of: Michèle at Oswego Tea, Paris, France

306. SALMON CHOWDER with BACON and CILANTRO

makes about 10 cups


4 slices thick-cut bacon (about 4 ounces), cut into 1/8-inch dice
2 onions (about 1 1/4 pounds), quartered, then thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 pound sweet potatoes (red-skinned, yam variety), peeled, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice
1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillet*, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 cups half-and-half or light cream
1/2 cup (lightly packed) chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper

Cook bacon in a large soup pot, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; reserve. Stir onions into the bacon fat remaining in pan; cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in potatoes and clam juice; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in salmon. Cook until salmon is just firm and opaque, about 5 minutes. Add half-and-half, stirring, until heated through. Stir in reserved bacon and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*For variation, substitute coarsely diced shrimp and/or scallops for the salmon, or combine the three for a seafood melange.


courtesy of: The Sweet Onion Source

305. BOK CHOY with HOT BACON SAUCE

1-2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup Chili sauce
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cups chopped bok choy

Combine first six ingredients in a wok or skillet; simmer 5 minutes. Add bok choy; stir fry until crisp tender. Serve, with more chili sauce on the side.


courtesy of: Richard Karnesky, Evanston, Illinois /

304. MUSHROOM and BACON DIP

makes 4 cups


3 pieces dried porcini mushroom
½ cup boiling water
8 slices thick-cut bacon
1 large or 2 small leeks, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise, and rinsed well (about 2 cups)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (4 teaspoons)
1 lb. fresh cremini, white, or shiitake mushrooms (stems discarded), coarsely chopped, plus sliced mushrooms for garnish (optional)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sour cream (16 oz.)
3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (green parts only), plus more for garnish

Soak dried porcini in boiling water until soft, about 20 minutes. Lift out porcini and drain well, squeezing out liquid. Coarsely chop porcini (you should have about 4 teaspoons). Pour soaking liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl; set aside.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve 4 tablespoons bacon fat. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels. Coarsely chop bacon; set aside.

Return 3 tablespoons bacon fat to skillet. Add leek and garlic; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms and reserved porcini; season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to high; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add thyme; cook 2 minutes more. Remove mixture from skillet and let cool completely.

Put cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat until smooth. With mixer running, add sour cream a little at a time; beat until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, stir in mushrooms, three-quarters of the bacon, and the sliced scallions. Stir in 2 tablespoons reserved porcini liquid. If necessary, add more porcini liquid to achieve desired consistency.

Just before serving, garnish with remaining bacon and sliced scallions. If desired, cook additional sliced mushrooms in remaining tablespoon bacon fat in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Scatter over dip. Serve with roasted fingerling potato chips.


courtesy of: Martha Stewart Living Annual Recipes 2005, from the editors of Martha Stewart Living. New York: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc., 2004. pp. 282-283.

303. BACON-FLAVORED MAYO for BLT's

makes at least 1½ cups


¼ cup warm bacon grease
¾ cups light oil (canola, light olive oil)
1 egg yolk (use a fresh, high quality organic or free range yolk)
2 teaspoon dry mustard
fresh lemon juice, to taste (½ to 1 whole lemon)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix bacon grease and oil in a measuring cup, combining thoroughly.

In a small work bowl, whisk the egg yolk with a tsp of lemon juice until it lightens a bit in color. Add most of the dry mustard and whisk again to combine. The mustard will help the mayo emulsify and stay stable.

Begin to drizzle the oil/grease combination slowly at first into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. As it's incorporated, add the fat more quickly, whisking constantly until the mixture is quite thick.

Add the chives, combine. Stop. Taste. Season with more lemon juice, salt and pepper, and dry mustard as your taste buds dictate. Stop when it's right, lay some plastic wrap lightly on top of the mayo, and refrigerate promptly. It'll keep for a few days, but don't let it become a science experiment. When in doubt, throw it out!

NOTE: Making mayonnaise is easy. If it takes longer than 5 minutes to whisk together, you're doing something wrong. Because the egg yolk is raw, take the appropriate precautions.


courtesy of: Scott, aka The Pragmatic Chef™ / Desert Island Foods.com, Phoenix, Arizona

302. DEVILLED RABBIT with BACON

serves 4


1 rabbit, washed in water with a little vinegar, then diced
4 oz. fat bacon, finely chopped
1 large onion finely chopped

8 oz. mixed carrots, leeks and turnips, diced
5 tablespoons flour

1/4 pint milk

1 pint water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper
finely chopped parsley, for garnish



Sauté the bacon in a large saucepan with the onion, carrots, turnips, rabbit, curry powder and Worcester sauce for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the water and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, until the rabbit is tender about 1 1/2 hours. Blend the milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring continuously, and cook until the sauce is smooth and thick. Add more salt and pepper if necessary, and serve at once, garnishing with parsley.


courtesy of: Graig Farm Organics, Llandrindod Wells, Powys LD1 5TL, Telephone: 01597 851655

301. MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER with BACON

5 slices bacon
2 carrots, diced
2 medium to large onions, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 potato, diced (you may want more)
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 quart water (can add more)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 (6 1/2-oz.) cans chopped clams
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cut up pieces of bacon. Fry bacon slightly, then add onion and celery and sauté until onion is yellow, but not browned. In large cooking pot, pour bacon, onion and celery. To this add stewed tomatoes, diced potato, carrots, water, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook gently until carrots and potatoes are done. Last add chopped clams that have been drained. Heat for approximately 15 minutes. Do not boil after the clams have been added or they will get tough.


courtesy of: Vonnie Beaver Edwards / S. Wallace Edwards & Sons, Inc., 11455 Rolfe Highway, PO Box 25, Surrey, Virginia, 23883

300. ROMAN CHIANINO FILET and BACON in a MINT and CHIANTI SAUCE

serves four people


4 slices of beef filet, about 150g each

50 grams butter, plus a bit extra

2 cups of reserve Chianti

1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar 

1 medium scallion

4 thick slices of bacon

1 bunch of thyme

peppercorns

4 potatoes

salt

pepper

Slide the slices of beef, salted and peppered, onto a wooden skewer, alternating with slices of bacon. Place them in an oven at 200° for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, finely chop the scallion and brown it gently in the butter. Skim off the grease. Add wine and the sauce that dripped from meat. Let the sauce thicken to about half on a high flame. Lower the flame. Add the thyme and some whole peppercorns. Finish the cooking. On four warm plates, distribute the filet slices without the bacon, add the balsamic vinegar to the wine sauce with the fire off, stir well and cover the filet with the sauce. Garnish with some leaves of the thyme and accompany the plate with a potato cooked in the oven foil with a chunk of butter.


courtesy of: Avventure Bellissime Tours, 2442/A San Marco, 30124 Venice, Tel +39 041 970499, (Head Office: Via Villanova n.27, 33170 Pordenone, Italy)

299. BANG-BANG BACON BITCHES

8 strips of thick-sliced bacon
3-4 tablespoons light cream cheese
8 jalapeno rings
salt and pepper

Masala:
4 curry leaves
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon asafetida
1 or 2 whole cloves

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a small skillet, heat a dab of oil until it is sizzle-hot. Add the masala and saute until the cumin seeds have darkened a few shades.

Now dump the masala in your coffee grinder and whizz it into a powder. Add it to the cream cheese along with salt and pepper, and mix it well.

Place a small glob of the cream cheese mixture onto a bacon strip. Place a jalapeno on top. Roll tightly and repeat with the rest.

Arrange them on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Done.

NOTE: They can be prepared and stored in the fridge, so that when it's time to party, they can go right in the oven.


courtesy of: Courtney Knettel and Becky Trowbridge, Naughty Curry, central Minnesota

298. TRI-COLOR PEPPERS with SMOKED BACON

serves 6


5 slices smoked bacon, diced
2 green peppers, cut into ¼-inch strips
1 red pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips
1 small onion, chopped (about ¼ cup)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup sour cream
Fresh cilantro, snipped

Fry bacon until crisp, remove from pan and drain. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in pan. Add colored peppers and onion, frying over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add diced bacon and remaining ingredients, except sour cream and cilantro. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream, sprinkle with cilantro. Serve warm.


courtesy of: Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats, Rural Route #2, P.O. Box D, Wittenberg, WI 54499, 1-800-720-1153

297. BROCCOLI, BACON, and ONION SALAD

5 cups broccoli
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8 slices bacon
1 cup chopped red onion
2/3 cup olive oil
½ cup toasted salted sunflower seeds

Cook broccoli in medium pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well.

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels and drain. Crumble bacon.

Whisk oil and vinegar in medium bowl to blend. Mix in onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Broccoli, bacon and dressing can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand separately at room temperature.)

Combine broccoli and bacon in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Garnish with sunflower seeds. Pass remaining dressing separately.


courtesy of: Turtle Farm Organic Fruits & Vegetables, 7260 NW 58th Street, Johnston, Iowa 50131

296. JAPANESE TOFU STEAK with BACON

makes 4 servings


2 firm tofu
1 bunch fresh spinach
4 bacon
1 tsp sake
2 tbsp soy sauce
butter and vegetable oil for frying
flour for coating

Wrap tofu in paper towel and leave on a tray for 15 min. Cut bacon into 2-inch lengths. Wash spinach and cut into 2-inch lengths. Cut tofu in half horizontally and dust with flour. Heat oil and butter in a frying pan and saute tofu for 2 minutes. Turn the tofu over and saute. Remove tofu into plates. Saute bacon and spinach in a frying pan on high heat. Pour soy sauce and sake and stir quickly. Put sauteed spinach and bacon on top of tofu steaks.


courtesy of: Setsuko Yoshizuka, japanesefood.guide@about.com

295. MARINATED ROAST LEG OF LAMB with BACON and ANCHOVIES

serves 6

leg of lamb
garlic
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 onion
1 carrot
4 cloves
2 stalks celery
2 small sour pickles
tarragon
4 anchovy fillets
2 strips bacon

Remove as much fat and skin as possible from a small leg of lamb. Insert a cut clove of garlic near the bone at each end of the roast and marinate it for 24 hours with 1/2 cup of oil, 1/2 cup white wine, 1 onion and 1 carrot, both sliced, and 4 whole cloves. The next day put the leg of lamb in a roasting pan and over it slice 2 stalks of celery and 2 small sour pickles. Sprinkle it with a little chopped tarragon and across the top arrange 4 anchovy fillets and 2 strips of bacon. Roast the gigot in a 400 degree oven for 18 minutes per pound, basting it often, until it is done but still pink in the centre. Carve it at the table and serve the pan juices, diluted with a little hot water or stock, in a sauceboat. Be sure to skim the excess fat from them first.


courtesy of: The Mietta Foundation, Australia

294. ROLLED STUFFED ROAST of VENISON with BACON

6 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped carrot
1/3 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
¼ teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3-4 lb. roast of any big game or regular meat up to an inch thick
3 slices of bacon, cut in half

Heat oven to 325°. Fry first part of bacon and reserve 3 tablespoons of fat, drain bacon on paper towel. Crumble bacon and set aside. Cook and stir onion, celery, and carrot in reserved bacon fat over medium heat until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbled bacon, bread crumbs, parsley flakes, salt and pepper. Spread vegetable mixture firmly into meat. Roll up jelly-roll style, rolling with grain of the meat. Tie roast with kitchen string or whatever works for you. Place in roasting pan. Top roast with 3 halved slices of bacon. Roast to desired doneness, 22 to 33 minutes per pound.


courtesy of: Ed and Regina Woods / Woods Smoked Meats, 1501 Business Hwy. 54 West, Bowling Green, Missouri 63334, 573-324-2247

293. STEWED VEAL RIBLETS with BEER, BACON, and BEANS

serves 4


2 tablespoons olive oil
3 lb. veal riblets
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
4 slices bacon, diced large
1 onion, peeled and diced small
Two 12-oz. bottles beer of your choice
2 plum tomatoes, cored and diced small
¼ cup grainy mustard
¼ cup catsup
¼ cup molasses
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 lb. (about 2 cups) dried white beans, picked over, rinsed, and soaked in water to cover for 2 hours, and drained (or substitute two 15½-oz. cans white beans, rinsed and drained)
½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

In a 5-inch-deep Dutch oven or other large heavy pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Dry the veal riblets with paper towels and sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper. Add them to the pot in a single layer, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, and brown well on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes total; transfer the pieces to a platter as they are done.

When all the veal is browned, pour the fact out of the pot, then add the bacon to the pot and cook until it is crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to the platter of ribs.

Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 11 to 13 minutes. Add the beer and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the brown crusty stuff in the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, mustard, catsup, molasses, vinegar, beans, and the bacon, stirring well to combine. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour if using soaked white beans, 10 minutes if using canned beans.

Return the ribs and bacon to the pot and continue cooking until both beans and meat are tender, 1½ to 2 hours more. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with the parsley, and serve.


courtesy of: How to Cook Meat, by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby. New York: HarperCollins, 2000. pp. 219-220

292. OVEN-ROASTED LAMB LOIN with SWISS CHEESE BACON GRATIN

serves 4


4 strips bacon, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
6 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fine
½ tsp. thyme, chopped
½ tsp. oregano, chopped
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
¼ cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tbsp olive oil
2 lamb loins, trimmed
1 tsp. rosemary, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a sauté pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Drain off the fat. In a bowl, combine the bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, oregano, cheese and bread crumbs. Set aside. In a sauté pan set over medium heat, add the oil. Season the lamb with the rosemary, salt and pepper. Brown the lamb on all sides for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not burn. Let sit for 15 minutes. Slice the lamb on a bias cut and slightly fan the slices on a baking dish. Sprinkle the lamb with the bacon-cheese mixture. Place the dish in the oven and let roast for 10 minutes or until the cheese lightly browns. Serve at once.


courtesy of: Frank Tarranova / The Great Cheeses of New England, New England Dairy Promotion Board, 1034 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, MA 02215

291. BACON BREAKFAST COOKIES

1/2 pound bacon
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup of flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups of multi-grain flakes or corn flakes
1/2 cup raisins

Cook bacon until very crisp, drain well and break into 1/2 inch pieces. Beat together butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine flour and baking soda; stir into butter mixture. Stir in bacon, mult-grain flakes and raisins.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Space 2 inches apart. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove to rack to cool--about 2 minutes, then remove from rack.


courtesy of: The Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, Rector, Grace Episcopal Church, Episcopal Chaplain, Syracuse University, Cookin' in the 'Cuse

290. PEPPER-CRUSTED BEEF, BACON, and ARUGULA SANDWICHES with SPICY MUSTARD

makes 6 servings


3 8-ounce beef tenderloin steaks
3 tablespoons coarsely cracked black peppercorns
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons spicy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon prepared white horseradish, drained
12 mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Olive oil
1 pound sliced bacon

6 3- to 4-inch-diameter kaiser, egg, or country-style rolls, cut in half horizontally, toasted if desired
3 cups (packed) baby arugula

Coat steaks all over with pepper. Mix mayonnaise, mustard, and horseradish in small bowl for dressing. Cover steaks and dressing separately and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Toss thinly sliced mushrooms and lemon juice in medium bowl to coat evenly. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Brush heavy large skillet generously with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to plate; let stand 15 minutes. Cook bacon in same skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using tongs, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Place roll bottoms on plates; spread with dressing. Slice steaks thinly and divide among rolls. Top with bacon, mushrooms, and arugula. Cover sandwiches with roll tops and serve.

courtesy of: Bon Appétit, January 2006

289. BACON-WRAPPED PORK and APPLE PATTIES

makes 4 servings


1 pound lean ground pork
3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/3 cup applesauce
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup minced green onion
4 slices bacon
1 large tart green apple, cored and cut in thin wedges
1/2 medium onion, cut in small wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large bowl combine oats, sage, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir in applesauce, egg and green onion; mix well. Stir in ground pork until well blended. Form into 4 patties about 3/4 to 1-inch thick. Wrap a bacon strip around each patty; secure with a toothpick. Grill or broil 4-5 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile in a small skillet, cook and stir apples and onions in hot oil until tender. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve with patties.


courtesy of: Iowa Pork Producers Association, PO Box 71009, Clive, IA 50325, 515/225-7675 FAX: 515/225-0563

287. PORK CHOPS with BANANA and BACON

serves four


4 pork chops, about 1" thick
3/4 tablespoon cumin
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoon softened butter
2 large bananas
6 strips bacon
Beer (optional)

Combine the butter, salt, pepper and cumin. Rub mixture into both sides of the meat. Sauté the bacon briefly, until some of the fat has rendered. Remove and drain. Peel bananas and cut into 1 1/4" chunks. Place bananas on a dish and sprinkle with lemon juice. Cut the bacon strips into lengths just long enough to wrap around each banana slice. Place on bananas on skewers, threading through where the bacon slice overlaps. Place the pork chops on a hot grill, for 15 minutes, turning once. Turn grill down to medium, adding the bacon and bananas; grill another 10 minutes, turning both the meat and the bananas. For extra flavor, baste with beer, while the meat cooks.


courtesy of: Caribbean Choice.com, from Antigua and Barbuda

286. BACON RISOTTO with PEAS

makes 4 servings


3/4 cup diced bacon
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup raw short-grain Italian rice
3 cups hot beef stock or bouillon
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the bacon in a large skillet for 4 minutes. Add the peas and cook until the bacon is lightly browned. Add the rice and stir until it is coated with the bacon drippings. Pour in 1 cup of the hot stock and cook over moderate heat until all the liquid is absorbed, adding more stock by cupfuls until the rice is tender. Using a fork, toss the rice with the butter and cheese and serve.


courtesy of: The Complete Pork Cookbook, by Louise Sherman Schoon and Corrinne Hardesty. New York: Stein and Day, 1977. p. 45

285. SPICY BACON-WRAPPED BARBEQUE SHRIMP

makes 4 appetizers


12 medium-sized fresh shrimp
1 small jalapeno
12 strips of bacon
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
4 bamboo skewers, soaked in water
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Additional barbecue sauce


Shell shrimp leaving tail intact. Make a shallow cut lengthwise down the back of each shrimp; wash out and de-vein. With rubber gloves, remove seeds form pepper and cut into 12 slivers. Make a shallow cut into the underside of each shrimp and insert a piece of pepper. Wrap each shrimp with a bacon strip. Thread 3 bacon/shrimp bundles on to each skewer, leaving a small space between bundles. Baste with barbecue sauce.

Grill uncovered over medium coals 4-5 minutes. Turn, baste and grill an additional 4-5 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and shrimp has turned pink. Serve on a lettuce-lined plate with onion and additional barbecue sauce.

Note: Discard barbecue sauce used for basting. Serve with a separate bowl of barbecue sauce.


courtesy of: Jones Dairy Farm, 800 Jones Avenue, P.O. Box 808, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538-0808, 800-563-1004

284. OSTRICH, BACON and APRICOT KEBABS

Marinade:
1 bottle red wine
300 ml vinegar
400 grams chutney
750 grams onion, sliced and sautéed
1 tablespoon ginger
5 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspooon red pepper
1-1/2 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons turmeric
4 lemon leaves or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup oil
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns

Kebabs:
2-1/2 kg tender ostrich meat, cut into cubes
500 grams bacon, cut into cubes
Salt
750 grams dried apricots
1 cup sugar
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind

Mix ingredients and place in non metallic bowl. Salt meat and bacon lightly and marinate for 3 days, stirring occasionally.

Marinate dried apricots in a mixture of 1 cup of sugar, 2 cups of warm water and 2 Tbsp. grated lemon rind for about 12 hours. Skewer, alternating with meat, bacon and apricots. BBQ kebabs over low heat and baste with remaining marinade.


courtesy of: Touch of Africa, Pieter & Dawn Willemse, Highway 10 / PO Box 851, Dauphin, MB R7N 2T3, 204-638-0085

283. BACON PIE

1/2 lb. bacon
tomato sauce
biscuit mix
1 teaspoon grated onion or chopped green onion


Spead bacon thin in pie-pan or shallow casserole. Let heat in quick oven and pout off almost all fat.

Make one-half usual baking powder biscuit, mixing with tomato sauce [... or meat stock. It is a question of flavors. One good combination with bacon strips is milk in the biscuit mix, plus a generous half-cup of grated cheese.] instad of milk or water. Add the onion and any chopped herbs you like. Pour over the bacon, and bake in hot oven until firm and brown, about 20 minutes.


courtesy of: "How to Carve the Wolf," How to Cook a Wolf, by M.F.K. Fisher, 1942.

282. PHEASANT WILD RICE & BACON SOUP

½ lb. cooked wild rice in chicken stock
7 strips bacon, chopped
½ lb. butter
2 onions, diced
1 bunch celery, diced
1 lb. raw mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ cup flour
3 pheasant breasts
2 quarts chicken stock
1 teaspoons white pepper
1 tablespoons Lawry's Seasoning Salt
1 quart heavy whipping cream

Fry bacon in large pot until brown. Add butter to bacon and grease; melt. Add onions, celery and mushrooms; sauté about 5 minutes. Add flour, stir well and continue to cook and stir another 4-5 minutes. Add raw pheasant and stock; bring to boil. Lower hear and simmer 20 minutes. Add seasoning and heavy cream. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes; adjust seasoning if necessary. Add wild rice at very end. If too thick, thin down with half-&-half or milk. May want to add a little poultry seasoning.


courtesy of: Halverson Hunts, Kennebec, South Dakota

281. IRISH LAMB STEW with BACON

1/2 pound thickly sliced bacon,diced
6 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup water
4 cups beef stock, canned or homemade
2 teaspoons sugar
4 cups carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced
3 lbs. potatoes, peeled, quartered and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme, whole
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
chopped parsley, for garnish


Saute bacon in large frying pan-reserve fat and bacon.

Put lamb salt pepper and flour in large mixing bowl-toss to coat meat evenly

Brown meat in frying pan with bacon fat. Put meat into 10 quart stove top casserole-leave 1/4 cup of fat in frying pan. Add the garlic and yellow onion and saute till onion begins to color.Deglaze frying pan with 1/2 cup water and add the garlic-onion mixture to casserole with bacon pieces,beef stock and sugar.Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or till tender. Add remaining ingredients to pot and simmer covered for 20 minutes until veg. is tender.

Check for salt and pepper before serving-top with parsley garnish before serving.


courtesy of: FoodIreland.com

280. BOK CHOY and BACON QUICHE

yields 2 servings

2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups frozen hashed brown potatoes
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6-7 eggs
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 stalks Bok Choy; thick white part, diced and reserving leafy green part
1/2 cup leafy green part of Bok Choy
4-5 slices of bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1 cup shredded Jack Cheese

Melt butter in 8 inch skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes; lower flame to prevent quick browning. Sprinkle with pepper if desired. Whip eggs with half and half and baking powder and set aside. Layer Bok Choy over potatoes, white stalks and then greens. Pour egg mixture over the vegetables and sprinkle the bacon on top. Spread shredded cheese over entire mixture. Cook over burner until mixture is almost set, then place in 400 degree hot oven for 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven; let sit 5 minutes. Serve with sliced tomatoes and hot bread.


courtesy of: Cavanagh Inn, Innkeepers Ray & Jeanne Farris, 10 Keller Street, Petaluma, CA 94952, 707-765-4657

279. STEAMED CLAMS with BACON and BEER

yields 4 servings


4 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 pounds manila clams, scrubbed well
1 cup beer, water or chicken stock


Fry bacon in a medium pot until soft and golden, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue cooking until the bacon is nicely browned and the onion is tender, about 4 minutes longer. Stir in the clams and add the beer. Cover the pot and steam the clams for 6-7 minutes, until they open. Discard any clams that do not open. Stir gently to mix with the bacon, garlic and onion, and serve immediately.


courtesy of: Off The Hook: Reflections & Recipes from an Old Salt, by Roger Fitzgerald and Susan Volland. Ten Speed Press, January 2002.

278. BACON-STUFFED FLOUNDER ROLLS

3 slices bacon
butter or margarine, melted
1 6oz. package herb stuffing mix
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley
6 4-oz. skinless flounder
leaf lettuce
seedless red grapes
cheddar cheese sauce (as follows)

FOR STUFFING: Cook the bacon til crisp. Drain, reserve the drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside.
Measure drippings, then add enough melted margarine to equal ¼ cup.

Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions, except use the dripping mixture instead of plain butter and add onion with the water. Stir in bacon and parsley. Cool about 15 minutes.

FOR ROLLS: Cut fillets lengthwise in half. Lay 2 pieces end to end, overlapping the thinner ends. Repeat with remaining fillets. Place 1/3 cup stuffing onto one end of each pair of pieces. Roll fish around stuffing. Secure with wooden toothpicks.

Place rolls upright in a 12x 7 1/2x2inch baking dish. Brush with additional butter. Bake in a 375* oven 20 minutes or until done.

To serve, transfer rolls to a platter. Remove toothpicks. Garnish with lettuce and grapes. Spoon on sauce.

FOR CHEDDAR CHEESE SAUCE: In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter or margarine. Stir in 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add 1¼ cups milk. Cook and stir until thicken and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; stir until melted. Makes 1½ cups.


courtesy of: www.dianaskitchen.com

277. BACON DIP

10 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained and crumbled
1 8 ounce package softened cream cheese (or whipped)
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 tablespoons cream
3 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon horseradish (may add more to taste)
2 tablespoons green olives, chopped

Mix cream cheese and vinegar until smooth. Add onion, horseradish, bacon and olives. Blend well.


courtesy of: North Carolina Pork Council, Raleigh, North Carolina

276. CRAB-BACON ROLLS

makes 18 rolls


¼ cup tomato juice
1 well beaten egg
1 7½-ounce can (1 cup) crab meat, flaked, and cartilage removed
½ cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon snipped parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
dash pepper
9 slices bacon, cut in half

toothpicks


Mix tomato juice and egg. Add crab, bread crumbs, parsley, lemon juice, salt, Worcestershire, and pepper; mix thoroughly. Roll into 18 fingers, about 2 inches long. Wrap each roll with ½ slice of bacon; fasten with toothpicks. Broil 5 inches from heat about 10 minutes, turning often to brown evenly. Serve hot.

courtesy of: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, Better Homes and Gardens. Des Moines, Iowa: Meredith Press (date unknown). p. 8.

275. CATFISH STEW with BACON

3 slices flavorful bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
minced parsley
1 can (48 oz.) tomato or vegetable juice
1/2 cup ketchup
1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 potatoes, 1/4-inch dice
1 lb. catfish (or other white fish), cut into 1-inch chunks
Tabasco Sauce to taste
salt and black pepper to taste

Fry the bacon pieces in the bottom of your stew pot until they are brown and crispy. Drain them on paper towels and pour off all but 1-2 tablespoons of the fat, keeping any brown bits in the bottom of the pot. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic, and saute until tender. Sti in parsley (optional) for 1 minute. Add juice, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce and heat to a simmer. Now add potato and fish and cook until done (about 20 minutes). Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Serve in soup bowls with bacon crumpled on top.


courtesy of: Nate Spell, Decatur, Georgia / Bon Appetit: A Community Cooking to Play, a Collection of Recipes by First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Decatur, Georgia, and the Ponce de Leon Heights Community, Decatur, Georgia. Kearney, NE: Morris Press Cookbooks, 2003. p. 37.

274. LAMB TONGUES on TOAST with BACON and TOMATOES

serves 4


4 lamb tongues
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, diced small
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 small bunch parsley, leaves roughly chopped and stems reserved
4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
2 whole cloves

For the sauce:
½ lb. slab bacon, diced large
¼ cup minced shallots
4 plum tomatoes, cored and diced medium
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

4 large slices country bread, toasted and lightly buttered

Scrub the tongues with a vegetable brush under cold running water. Let them soak in cold water for 2 hours, then place them in a Dutch oven and add the salt and cold water to cover. Bring the water to a simmer, skimming the foam that rises to the surface. Add the onion, carrots, celery, lemon juice, parsley stems, thyme, and cloves and simmer, partially covered, until the tongues are tender, about 2 hours.

Drain the tongues and place them in a bowl of cold water to cool. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, peel them: Cut a slit down the back of each tongue from the base to the tip with a small paring knife. Run your fingers under the skin and separate it from the meat. Slice the meat crosswise into medallions, or lengthwise in half. Place on a platter, cover with foil, and place in the oven set on the lowest setting to keep warm while you make the sauce.

In a large sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to the platter of tongue, leaving 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the sauté pan, and return the platter to the oven. Add the shallots to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes more. Pour in the sherry and bring just to a simmer, then stir in the butter, a little at a time, until all of it is incorporated.

Add the tongue and bacon to the sauce and turn a few times to coat well. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and serve on the buttered toast.


courtesy of: How to Cook Meat, by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby. New York: William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2000. pp. 317-318

273. BANANAS with BACON

makes six servings


12 slices bacon
6 bananas, peeled and split lengthwise
salt
pepper

Arrange the bacon in a baking dish. Place half a banana, flat side down, on each slice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, basting twice. Remove carefully to warm plates.

NOTE: This combination makes an unusual and filling lunch when served with mashed potato cakes, nicely browned. Or it may be used as a garnish.


courtesy of: The Complete Pork Cookbook, by Louise Sherman Schoon and Corrinne Hardesty. Briarcliff Manor, NY: Stein and Day, 1977. p. 44

272. TWISTED BACON

1/2 cup brown sugar
cracked black pepper
8 slices thick bacon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix brown sugar and pepper in plastic bag. Add bacon and coat. Twist each end of bacon. Lay on rack over baking pan and bake about 40 minutes. Do not burn.


courtesy of: Prairie Queen Bed & Breakfast, 221 Arch Street, Leavenworth, Kansas 66048, (913) 758-1959

271. CRISPY EGGS and BACON

makes 4 to 6 servings


6 slices of bacon
½ cup small croutons
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk or light cream


Cook bacon till crisp; drain and crumble coarsely. Reserve bacon drippings. Measure 1 tablespoon reserved drippings into skillet. Add croutons; heat and stir till brown and crisp; remove from skillet.

Add another tablespoon of drippings to skillet. Slightly beat eggs, milk, ¼ teaspoon salt, and dash of pepper; pour into skillet. Cook and stir till almost set. Gently stir in crumbled bacon and croutons. Cook till just set.


courtesy of: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, Better Homes and Gardens. Des Moines, Iowa: Meredith Press (date unknown). p. 268.

270. BRIOCHE GARNISHED with BACON

serves 4


1 pint oysters and liquor
1/2 cup cream
4 oz. fresh morels
4 slices diced bacon
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup dry Vermouth
pinch of nutmeg
salt and freshly ground white pepper
4 brioches

OVEN TEMPERATURE: 325 degrees F

Drain the oysters and set aside. Combine 1/2 cup of the oyster liquor with the cream and heat in a small saucepan.

Quarter the morels, soak in water, and rinse several times. Blanch in boiling water for a minute, and drain. Set aside.

Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp and drain on absorbent paper.

Metl the butter in a saucepan and saute the shallots until translucent, stir in flour, and cook until pale yellow. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the cream mixture. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens; simmer for at least 5 minutes.

Add the oysters, Vermouth, nutmeg, and morels. Season to taste.

Slice off the tops of the brioches, hollow out the centers, and arrange the tops and bottoms on a baking sheet. Spoon the sauced oysters and morels into the bottoms and top with bacon.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and heat until the brioches begin to brown. Remove from the oven and replace tops.

Serve immediately with a medly of spring vegetables.


courtesy of: Oysters: A Culinary Celebration, by Joan Reardon. Guilford, CT: The Lyons Press, 2004. pp. 134-135

269. GARLIC and BACON PIE

4 to 5 bulbs of garlic - approximately 40-60 cloves
1 deep dish piecrust
1 cup of heavy cream
4 slices of thick-sliced bacon, diced
3 eggs
½ pound Swiss cheese, diced or sliced
Salt, pepper, rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake piecrust for 7 minutes and remove. Layer with diced Swiss cheese and set aside. Break garlic cloves from head, peel all cloves individually or by using this easy method. Cut any thumb-size or larger cloves in half to allow more even baking.

Boil bacon slices in boiling water for 4 minutes. Cool and dice in ¼ " chunks. Layer diced bacon on Swiss cheese in pie crust. Layer peeled garlic cloves on top of the other layers. Mix together beaten eggs with cream, blend and pour into crust. Salt and pepper lightly.

Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then turn oven down to 350 degrees. Bake for approximately 30 minutes until firm and lightly brown on top. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon rosemary. Cool slightly and serve. Delicious and easy.


courtesy of: Dakota Garlic, 818 2nd Avenue SW, Pipestone, Minnesota 56164, 507-832-4372

268. PEANUT BUTTER, SCALLION, and BACON CANAPES

makes 36 canapés


1/2 cup peanut butter
6 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon mayonnaise plus additional for brushing the bread slices
1 teaspoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
9 slices of homemade-type white bread, crusts removed
6 slices of lean bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces and cooked until almost crisp

In a small bowl stir together the peanut butter, the scallions, the lemon juice, the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise, and the brown sugar. Spread the bread slices lightly with the additional mayonnaise, spread the peanut butter mixture on the slices, and cut the slices into quarters. Arrange the canapés on a baking sheet, put a piece of bacon on top of each canapé, and bake the canapés in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp.


courtesy of: Gourmet, September 1991

267. VENETIAN BACON and BEAN SALAD

serves 4


6 slices bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
1/2 7-ounce jar roasted red pepper, drained & coarsely chopped
3 4-cup cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 pound Swiss chard, trimmed and coarsely chopped (or 12 ounces fresh spinach leaves)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 crushed garlic clove
1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney) beans (or Great Northern beans), rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves

In small bowl, toss together the bacon, red pepper, and tomatoes; set aside. In large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat; add the Swiss chard and sauté until almost limp (2-3 minutes). Add garlic, sauté 1 minute; add beans and stir to heat through. Add vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar; stir for 30 seconds and remove from heat. Place mixture on a serving platter, garnish with bacon mixture and herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve with wedges of focaccia.


courtesy of: Iowa Pork Producers Association, PO Box 71009, Clive, IA 50325, 515/225-7675 FAX: 515/225-0563

266. BACON and EGGS BREAKFAST PIZZA

makes 8 servings


10 slices bacon, cooked crisp
1 (13.8-oz.) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded pepper jack cheese
8 eggs, beaten
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
salsa

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unroll pizza dough crust onto greased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking sheet; press out to edges and up sides of pan. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes until crust begins to brown. Sprinkle crust with pepper-jack cheese.

Scramble eggs over medium heat until set; spoon over cheese.

Break bacon into large pieces and sprinkle over eggs. Top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes until cheese is melted. Garnish with salsa before serving.


courtesy of: Farmland Foods, Kansas City, Missouri 64195

265. SWEET & SOUR RED CABBAGE with SMOKED BACON

serves 6 to 8


8 slices smoked bacon, diced
1-2 pound head red cabbage, shredded
1 apple, diced
4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Fry bacon in heavy frying pan until crisp; add cabbage, apple and water. Cover and steam slowly for 1 hour; stir often to prevent burning. Add sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar. Stir well. Serve warm.


courtesy of: Nueske Applewood-Smoked Meats, Rural Route #2, P.O. Box D, Wittenberg, WI 54499, 1-800-392-2266, Service: 1-800-720-1153

264. SAUTEED TROUT with BACON

makes 2 servings


2 whole trout, about 3/4 lb. each, gutted and split or filleted
4 slices of bacon
1 cup cornmeal
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Cook bacon in a skillet. When the bacon is nice and crisp, remove it to a warm oven, reserving bacon fat in skillet,

Rinse and dry the fish. Dredge the fish in cornmeal, place in the skillet, and raise the heat to high.

Season with salt and pepper, and cook on both sides until nicely browned and the interior turns white, 8 to 12 minutes. Garnish with the bacon slices and parsley and serve.


courtesy of: How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipe for Great Food, by Mark Bittman. New York: MacMillan, 1998. p. 307

263. RIGATONI with BACON and OLIVES

serves 4


6 slices bacon
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces dried rigatoni (or other small pasta shape)
12 pitted & chopped cured black olives (such as Kalamata)
Small piece (1-2 oz.) Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped marjoram or thyme (optional)

In medium skillet, cook bacon until crisp (reserve drippings); blot, coarsely chop and set aside. In bacon drippings, sauté onion until soft and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, drain and transfer to warm serving platter or large shallow bowl. Toss pasta with bacon, onion and olives. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, toss again. Serve with shavings of fresh Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired. Serve with a vinaigrette-dressed salad of orange wedges and romaine, and hard rolls.


courtesy of: Iowa Pork Producers Association, PO Box 71009, Clive, IA 50325, 515/225-7675 FAX: 515/225-0563

262. CHICKEN, BACON, and VEGETABLE SOUP with PARMESAN CROUTONS

serves 4


Reserved chicken carcass, defrosted
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Reserved chicken, defrosted
Reserved vegetables, defrosted
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Reserved bacon strips, cut into 1-inch pieces

for Parmesan croutons
8 slices French Bread
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, add the chicken carcass, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the carcass, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs. Add the chicken, vegetables, salt, and pepper and heat through for 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.

Parmesan croutons: Heat broiler. Sprinkle the cheese over the bread slices and broil until the cheese is bubbling. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the bacon pieces. Serve the croutons on the side.


courtesy of: Real Simple Solutions pamphlet / Real Simple Magazine, pp. 36-37

261. BLT on a STICK

serves 1


2 slices bacon
2 slices square white sandwich bread, crusts removed
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Black pepper in a mill
1 slice of iceberg lettuce, 4 inches by 4 inches by 1 1/2 inch thick
4 ripe cherry tomatoes, preferably Sweet 100s

Fry the bacon until it is just crisp and drain on a brown paper bag. Cut the ends of the bacon so that the slices are perfectly straight. Cut each piece into four 1-inch squares. Set aside.

Toast the bread until it is golden brown. Spread half the mayonnaise on both pieces of toast, and grind a little pepper on top. Set the lettuce on one piece of toast, and trim the edges to make an exact fit. Cut the toast with the lettuce into four equal squares. Cut the second piece of toast into squares of the same size.

Put one of the toast-and-lettuce squares on a toothpick, with the lettuce facing up. Add a piece of bacon, pressing it down onto the lettuce. Add a tomato, and another piece of bacon, and a second piece of tomato, mayonnaise side down. Repeat until four squares have been made. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Gordon's House of Fine Eats, Florida Street, San Francisco, California / The BLT Cookbook, by Michele Anna Jordan. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. pp. 28-29

260. CRISPY BACON & CHEDDAR CAKES

makes about 12 cakes; serves 4


8 slices bacon
1½ cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
½ cup sour cream
1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice
2 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon dry mustard
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more if necessary (optional)


Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off fat into a bowl. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel, and set aside.

Stir together, cheese, sour cream, bell pepper, scallions, flour, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, cayenne, and egg yolks in a large bowl; set aside. In another large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into reserved batter.

Heat 2 tablespoons reserved fat (or vegetable oil) in skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 3 or 4, pour 2 tablespoons batter into skillet for each cake; cook, turning once, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes (add more fat or oil if skillet seems dry). Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with reserved bacon.


courtesy of: Martha Stewart Living Annual Recipes 2005, from the editors of Martha Stewart Living. New York: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc., 2004. p. 191.

259. GREEN BEANS with CINNAMON BACON

6 cans green beans (drain 3 cans)
1/2 lb. smoked bacon, cooked
1/4 cup sugar
bacon grease

Empty 3 cans with water and 3 cans, drained, into heavy skillet on medium high heat. Crumble cooked bacon and add to green beans. Add additional ingredients; stir and cover. Check frequently. Once liquid has come to a slow boil, reduce heat and cook slowly for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. (Reduce cooking time if you prefer that your beans not be "cooked down").


courtesy of: Harper’s Hams, PO BOX 122, 2955 U.S. Hwy 51 North, Clinton, KY 42031

258. BACON RINGS

yields 6 servings


12 slices bacon
12 eggs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dill
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 large croissants
Hollandaise sauce for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray. In large skillet fry bacon until almost crisp. Drain bacon slices and quickly (while bacon is pliable) place in circle around inside edge of muffin cups. Break 1 egg into each cup. Sprinkle with garlic powder and dill. Top with cheese. Bake 12 to 20 minutes, depending on desired degree of doneness. Cut croissants in half and place bacon-wrapped egg on top drizzled with Hollandaise sauce.


courtesy of: Bears Inn Bed & Breakfast, 27425 Spruce Lane, Evergreen, Colorado 80439, 303-670-1205

257. ROASTED HAMILTON POUSSIN WRAPPED with BACON and STUFFED with POTATOES and SAGE

serves 4


1 lb. potatoes, peeled and quartered
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 poussin chickens, or Cornish game hens
1 handful of fresh sage, thyme or rosemary (all are good)
olive oil
about 12 cloves of garlic
12 strips of lean bacon
1 glass of dry white wine

Preheat your oven and an appropriately sized roasting pan to 425 degrees F. Boil your potatoes in salted water until nearly cooked. Drain and allow to cool, then put them in a bowl. Remove any fat from inside of each chicken cavity. Wash and pat dry with paper towels. Season the potatoes with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add your freshly torn herbs and enough olive oil just to coat, and toss. Then stuff your chickens with half your potatoes and herbs. Put them in the roasting pan with the garlic and the rest of the potatoes and cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. After this time the chicken should be looking as handsome as its inventor and the skin should be crisp and golden. If you are using Cornish game hens larger than poussins, you may need to cook them a bit longer. At this point lay your bacon snugly over the breast meat. Cook for around another 15 minutes.

Remove the chickens from the oven. Take them out of the pan and allow them to rest for 5 minutes while you make a quick gravy. I normally remove as much fat as possible from the pan before placing it on a burner over gentle heat. Splash a glass of white wine into it. Then boil and scrape away all the goodness from the sides of the pan. Simmer this for a couple of minutes. It's not a thick, robust gravy, just a tasty gesture. (A nice option at this point is to add a little cream to the gravy, which works really well.) Served with something nice and green like steamed spinach or chard, and the potatoes pulled out from inside the chickens, it all goes down a treat. Nice one, John.


courtesy of: The Naked Chef Takes Off, by Jamie Oliver. New York: Hyperion, 2000. p. 183 / Johnny Boy Hamilton

256. BREADED BREAKFAST BACON

yields 6 servings


12 thick bacon slices
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup fine breadcrumbs, plain or Italian

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bacon slices in single layer on baking sheet with rim. Bake 10 minutes and drain off fat. In long, shallow bowl, whisk egg with water. Add mustard and Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Place crumbs on wax paper. Remove bacon from baking sheet and coat each piece on both sides with egg mixture, then crumbs. Return to baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 15 minutes longer. Drain on paper towels.


courtesy of: Sea Quest Bed & Breakfast, 95354 Highway 101, Yachats, Oregon 97498, seaquest@newportnet.com

255. MUSHROOM and BACON RAGOUT with PASTA

makes 6 servings


4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped
Two 10-oz. packages cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
Two 10-oz. packages white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 cup chopped freshly parsley
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
3/4 lb. spaghetti
Shaved Parmesan, for garnish (optional)

In a large 5-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid (that will be used later), cook the bacon over medium heat, uncovered, stirring until crispy, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain. Set aside.

Add onion; stir until golden, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms; cover. Cook until juices have evaporated, about 20 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, thyme and 2 cups water until combined; cover. Cook until sauce has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in parsley and vinegar. Add bacon, reserving some for garnish, if desired.

Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and return to pot.

To serve, toss pasta with ragout. Garnish with reserved bacon and shaved Parmesan, if desired.


courtesy of: Missoulian, Montana Life: Foods. Associated Press. Wednesday, January 11, 2006, p. C2

254. BACON and SQUASH CASSEROLE

serves 6


1 pound bacon
2 tablespoons butter
4 pounds summer squash
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground pepper

In a heavy skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and drain. Peel the squash, remove seeds and fibers, and cut into 3 inch pieces. Cook the squash in boiling salted water for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Remove and drain squash. Sauté the squash over medium heat in the butter. Stir in salt and a few grindings of pepper. Remove from heat and mix in eggs and cream. Crumble the bacon and stir 1/2 of it into the squash mixture. Spoon into a souffle dish and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the top with the remaining crumbled bacon.


courtesy of: North Carolina Pork Council, Raleigh, North Carolina