2621. SWEET BACON MUSUBI

yield dependent on how small or large you make each


3 cups steamed white rice
½ teaspoon salt
2 strips of raw bacon
1 tablespoon sugar
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
nori seaweed sheets cut into 2 ½ x 5 inch strips

Finely chop the strips of bacon. Fry them in a hot skillet. When halfway done, pour out some of the fat and then sprinkle on the brown sugar. Cook until the bacon is crisp and caramelized. Scoop out the sugary bits of bacon with a slotted spoon and place them into the hot rice. Sprinkle in the toasted sesame seeds, salt and sliced green onion. Fluff well to distribute the ingredients evenly into the rice.

Moisten a musubi mold or rice bowl with water. Wet your hands with water, too. Place about 3/4 cup of the rice mixture into the mold or bowl. If using the mold, press down the lid (moisten the lid, too to prevent the rice from sticking to it). If using the bowl, make quick up and down movements with the bowl to pack the rice together; then dump the rice into one palm and form the rice into a triangle by pressing it as though you were forming a snowball, only squeeze gently to form three sides. If using a mold, take the rice out of the mold and firmly press with damp hands to reinforce the triangle shape. Wrap a nori strip around the front and back of the triangle.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chidori Phillips, BellaOnline: The Voice of Women

2620. BEEMSTER VEAL PINWHEELS with BACON in PORT SAUCE

serves four


8 slices of Beemster cheese
4 uncoated veal schnitzels
freshly ground salt and pepper
8 strips of bacon
8 sage or basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil or liquid margarine
1 garlic clove, peeled
½ cup ruby port
¾ cup beef stock or meat bouillon
2 tablespoons cold butter, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Arrange the veal schnitzels side by side. If necessary, use a mallet to flatten. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and top each schnitzel with 2 strips of bacon and 2 slices of cheese, and lastly a sage or basil leaf. Roll the schnitzels and the filling tightly, securing with a cocktail toothpick. Heat the olive oil or liquid margarine in a pan and fry the veal pinwheels until brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and place in a casserole dish and bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes. Add the port to the meat juices in the pan and add the stock or bouillon. Reduce the mixture by 1/3. To thicken the sauce, first remove from the heat and add bits of butter, stirring vigorously. Delicious with peapods and mashed potatoes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Beemster: Premium Gourmet Dutch Cheese, Finica International Food Specialties LTD, 5942 Ambler Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 2N3 CANADA

2619. BACON and CANE SYRUP PECAN PIE

serves 8-10; yields one 9-inch pie 


For the pie dough

all-purpose flour granulated sugar kosher salt butter egg yolks pure vanilla extract brown sugar cream

7-1/2 oz. (1-2/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for rolling
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 oz. (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
5 to 7 tablespoons ice water 

 

For the filling
8 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup cane syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon (3 or 4 strips)

Make the pie dough: Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the largest pieces are about the size of corn kernels, 8 to 12 one-second pulses. Drizzle 5 Tbs. of the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture becomes a moist, crumbly-looking dough that holds together when squeezed in your hand, 4 to 6 pulses. If the dough is still dry, add another tablespoon or two of ice water and test again.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Gently gather and press the dough into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Let the dough sit at room temperature to soften slightly (it should be firm but not rock hard), 5 to 20 minutes, depending on how long it was chilled. Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin until it’s about 13 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick. Roll from the center of the dough to the edges and try to use as few passes as possible to avoid overworking the dough. After every few passes, run an offset spatula or a bench knife under the dough to be sure it isn’t sticking, and give the dough a quarter turn. Reflour the work surface and rolling pin only as needed—excess flour makes the crust tough.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate by rolling it around the rolling pin and unrolling it into the plate. You can also fold the dough in half and unfold it into the plate. To fit the dough into the plate, gently lift the edges to create enough slack to line the sides without stretching the dough. Trim off all but 3/4 inch of the overhang. Roll the dough under itself to build up the edge of the crust. Crimp the edge of the crust with your fingers. With the tines of a fork, prick the crust all over. Chill for up to 1 hour in the refrigerator or about 30 minutes in the freezer.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Line the piecrust with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until the bottom looks dry and the edges are golden, 5 to 7 minutes more. Cool on a rack while you prepare the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and put a large, rimmed baking sheet on the oven rack.

Make the filling: Put the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl set on a kitchen towel and add the vanilla. Combine the sugar, butter, cane syrup, cream, and salt in a 1-quart sauce-pan. Heat over medium heat just until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisking vigorously and constantly, very slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the yolks. Strain through a fine strainer set over a 1-quart measuring cup.

Fill and bake the pie: Tip: Pour the filling over the pecans in a slow, spiral motion; if you go too fast, the pecans may move, leaving gaps in the finished pie.

 Spread the pecans evenly in the piecrust. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon evenly over the pecans. Slowly pour the filling over the pecans. Put the pie on the baking sheet and bake until the center of the pie is slightly firm to the touch and the filling doesn’t wobble when the pie is nudged, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for at least 1 hour before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: David Guas, Fine Cooking, Issue 113, pp. 49-53, September 1, 2011

2618. CRISPY SALAD with MIMOLETTE SHAVINGS and BACON

6 rashers streaky bacon

8 thin slices French bread
a little olive oil
100 grams/4 oz. Mimolette cheese
1 (150 grams) bag spinach, rocket and watercress salad
3 tablespoons French dressing

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Place the bacon on a small baking tray. Lay the bread on a baking sheet and drizzle over a little olive oil. Bake the bacon and bread for 8 mins or until crisp. Cool the bacon then snip into bite sized pieces. Use a potato peeler to thinly pare the Mimolette into shavings. Empty the leaves into a salad bowl, add the cheese, bacon and dressing and toss to mix. Place two croutons on four plates, then top with the salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Vive le Cheese, CNIEL (the Interprofessional Centre for the Dairy Economy) & FranceAgriMer |  French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

2617. FRESH YAKISOBA with BACON and VEGETABLES

serves 4-6 people


5-6 slices of bacon
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 large onion, sliced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, sliced
2-3 green peppers, sliced (add color by using red & yellow)
3 scallions, finely sliced
Salt & Pepper
½ Chinese cabbage or 1 small cabbage head, shredded or torn
3 packages precooked soba noodles
Soy sauce
Mirin (sweet rice wine) (optional)

In a large skillet, at med-high heat cook bacon until brown but still soft. Remove chop into bite size pieces. Set aside. In the same pan (along with the cooked bacon oil) add 1 tsp sesame oil and
onions, sauté for 2-3 mins. Add garlic sauté together. Add carrots, onion, and green bell peppers in the skillet and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Sauté some more, sprinkle salt & pepper. Toss and mix well. Add cabbage, then soba noodles continue to fold and mix together. Drizzle a little sesame oil, add 3-5 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons mirin on top. Mix more. Add bacon pieces then taste until perfection. Add more soy sauce and other sauces and seasoning if needed. Serve hot with rice & chopsticks.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jackie Allen, President & CEO, Allen International Inc. / International Learning Center, Iwakuni, Japan, June 2012

2616. RED BEAN, CHORIZO and BACON STEW

100 grams dried beans
60 grams bacon
50 grams chorizo sausage
1 onion
1 carrot
1 leek
olive oil
salt

Place the beans, diced bacon, chopped onion, carrot and leek and a few drops of olive oil into a saucepan season with salt. Cover with water and bring to the boil and then simmer for about an hour and a half before adding the chopped chorizo. Continue boiling until the beans are well cooked (this depends on the variety of red beans you are using). This should be at least an hour and 40 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Euroresidentes.com, Spain

2615. COFFEE BACON SANDWICHES

makes 8 pieces of bacon and enough spread 4 sandwiches 

For the Bacon:

8 slices uncooked bacon

1/4 cup freshly ground coffee

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon water

For the Spread:

4 ounces goat cheese

4 medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the Sandwich:

fresh baby spinach leaves

crusty, toasted bread

Lay cascading bacon slices atop one another so that the fat is on top.  Place bacon on top of a piece of plastic wrap or brown butcher paper. In a small bowl, stir together ground coffee, chili powder, brown sugar, molasses, and water. Spread the mixture on top of the bacon slices, pressing with the back of a spoon. The coffee topping will only be on the top, fatted rim of the bacon. Wrap the bacon and coffee in the plastic wrap or butcher paper and place in the fridge. You may want to put the mixture in a large sealable back to prevent any leaking. Let sit for 2 hours of overnight. When ready to bake, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pay separate bacon slices on the paper in a single layer. If you prefer, you can wipe some of the ground coffee marinade off before baking. The majority of the coffee will only be on the top layer of the bacon slice. Bake until browned and crisp, 14 to 17 minutes, or until bacon has reached your desired crispiness. Remove from the oven, allow to drain on a piece of paper towel and assemble goat cheese spread. To make the Spread: In a medium bowl, place goat cheese, pitted dates, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and red pepper flakes. Use a fork to mash the ingredients together. Mash until well incorporated. Add a touch more lemon juice or olive oil to reach your desired consistency. Spread goat cheese mixture on buttered and toasted bread. Top with coffee bacon and fresh spinach. Serve immediately.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes by Joy Wilson. Hyperion, 2012 | Joy the Baker, March 1, 2012

2614. CASSAVA and BACON HASH

1 medium-large (approximately 1 pound) cassava root (yuca, manioc)
1 small onion, diced
4 strips of organic, nitrate/nitrite free bacon, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Peel the cassava with a potato peeler and dice into small (1/2 inch) pieces. Place diced cassava in a pan of cold water and bring to a simmer, cooking until not quite done and still firm, 3-4 minutes. Strain and set aside. Cook the diced bacon on medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy. Strain the bacon out of the pan and reserve. Cook the diced onion in the bacon fat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the partially cooked cassava, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pan and sauté until fully cooked and browned on the outside. Approximately 10 minutes. (Add a little bit of water if the mixture sticks too much.) Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lea, Paleo Spirit, February 13, 2012

2613. BUCATINI with BACON, TOMATO and GREEN ONIONS

serves four


salt
1 pound bucatini
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling, plus a tablespoon
8 slices smoky bacon, chopped
3-4 spring Vidalia onions with a few inches of green tops intact, very thinly sliced or 2 leeks, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced then washed and dried
4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped or 1 jalapeno or red Fresno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 pints ripe cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
black pepper
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls, chopped
a handful of basil leaves, torn or shredded
a generous handful of grated pecorino, plus some to pass at table

Heat a large pot of water to a boil for bucatini, season water with salt then cook pasta to al dente. In a deep skillet or Dutch oven with tight fitting lid heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat, add bacon and cook to crisp, remove with slotted spoon and reserve on a paper towel covered plate. Drain off some fat if pan has more than a couple of tablespoons of drippings. Add spring sliced Vidalia onions or leeks, garlic and hot pepper and sauté 2-3 minutes then add tomatoes and stir to combine, cover pan. Shake pan occasionally and cook until tomatoes begin to burst, 6-8 minutes. Uncover pot and mash up tomatoes with wooden spoon, add wine and stir a 1-2 minutes. Season the sauce with some salt and black pepper to taste, then reduce the heat to low. When pasta is ready, add a ladle of starchy water to sauce along with parsley, bacon and bucatini, toss 1-2 minutes with an extra tablespoon olive oil. Turn off heat and toss in basil and cheese, serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rachael Ray, Rachael Ray Show, April 15, 2010

2612. MUSHROOMS, BACON and SWISS CHARD with GEMELLI

makes eight servings 


2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 thick-cut smoked bacon, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 fresh thyme sprigs 
1 package (340 g) mixed fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup sodium-reduced chicken broth
1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and leaves cut in thirds
3/4 cup whipping cream
4 cups gemelli pasta
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook bacon until crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain all but 1 tbsp fat from pan. Add onion and thyme; cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms and half each of the salt and pepper; cook until mushrooms are browned and no liquid remains, about 5 minutes.

Stir in wine, scraping up browned bits. Add chicken broth and Swiss chard; cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Stir in cream and remaining salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs.

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and add to mushroom mixture, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss in half of the Parmesan cheese and enough of the cooking liquid to coat. Top with remaining cheese.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Soo Kim and The Test Kitchen, Canadian Living Magazine, March 2011

2611. CAULIFLOWER, CHEDDAR and APPLEWOOD-SMOKED BACON BISQUE

yields ten servings

5 slices applewood-smoked bacon, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

4 ribs celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 heads cauliflower, cut up into small flowerets

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1" cubes

1 cup half-and-half, fat free

salt and white pepper, to taste

truffle oil, for garnish

Saute bacon in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat until browned. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Cover and sweat vegetables until soft, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add cauliflower, chicken broth and cheese and stir to loosen up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until cauliflower is tenderuntil , about 30 minutes. Let cool about 20 minutes.

Puree soup in batches in blender, returning to same saucepan. Add half and half and bring soup to a simmer over medium low heat. If soup is too thick, thin with more chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with truffle oil for a garnish.

bacon recipe courtesy of: primethyme (member), BakeSpace.com

2610. RED BEAN and BACON SOUP

makes about 12 cups, serving 6 to 8 1/2 pound lean bacon (about 8 slices), cut into 1/2-inches pieces 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion 2 large garlic cloves 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cuminseed 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste 1 1/2 cups chopped celery 1 1/2 cups chopped carrot 1 pound red beans such as kidney or pinto, soaked in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches overnight or quick-soaked (procedure follows) and drained 4 cups chicken broth plus, if desired, additional for thinning the soup a 28-ounce can Italian tomatoes, drained, reserving the juice, and chopped 1/2 cup medium-dry Sherry chopped scallion greens as an accompaniment sour cream as an accompaniment In a heavy kettle cook the bacon over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is crisp, transfer it to paper towels to drain, and reserve it. Pour off all but 1/4 cup of the fat and in the remaining fat cook the onion, the garlic, the bay leaf, the chili powder, the cuminseed, and the cayenne, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the celery, the carrot, the beans, 4 cups of the broth, and 2 cups water and simmer the soup, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Add the tomatoes with the reserved juice and simmer the soup, covered, for 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and force the soup in batches through a food mill into a large saucepan. Stir in the Sherry, salt and pepper to taste, and the additional broth or water to thin the soup to the desired consistency, simmer the soup for 5 minutes, and serve it with the reserved bacon, the scallion greens, and the sour cream. To quick-soak dried beans: In a colander rinse the beans under cold water and discard any discolored ones. In a kettle combine the beans with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches, bring the water to a boil, and boil the beans for 2 minutes. Remove the kettle from the heat and let the beans soak, covered, for 1 hour. bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet, March 1991

2609. BACON ICE CREAM

makes about ¾ qt (¾l)


For the candied bacon;
5 strips bacon
about 2 teaspoons light brown sugar

For the ice cream custard:
3 tablespoons (45g) salted butter
¾ cup (packed) brown sugar (140g), light or dark (you can use either)
2¾ (675ml) cup half-and-half
5 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons dark rum or whiskey
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
optional: ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

To candy the bacon, preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Lay the strips of bacon on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or aluminum foil, shiny side down. Sprinkle 1½-2 teaspoons of brown sugar evenly over each strip of bacon, depending on length. Bake for 12-16 minutes. Midway during baking, flip the bacon strips over and drag them through the dark, syrupy liquid that’s collected on the baking sheet. Continue to bake until as dark as mahogany. Remove from oven and cool the strips on a wire rack. Once crisp and cool, chop into little pieces, about the size of grains of rice. To make the ice cream custard, melt the butter in a heavy, medium-size saucepan. Stir in the brown sugar and half of the half-and-half. Pour the remaining half-and-half into a bowl set in an ice bath and set a mesh strainer over the top. In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks, then gradually add some of the warm brown sugar mixture to them, whisking the yolks constantly as you pour. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low to moderate heat, constantly stirring and scraping the bottom with a heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Strain the custard into the half-and-half, stirring over the ice bath, until cool. Add liquor, vanilla and cinnamon, if using. Refrigerate the mixture. Once thoroughly chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the bacon bits during the last moment of churning, or stir them in when you remove the ice cream from the machine.


bacon recipe courtesy of: David Lebovitz, Paris, France, March 9, 2009

2608. PEA, BACON and RICOTTA AGNOLOTTI

serves two


For the Pasta:
100 grams Tipo 00 flour
pinch of salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk

For the Filling:
125 grams frozen peas
75 grams ricotta
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
50 grams finely chopped smoked bacon
25 grams grated Parmesan
seasoning to taste

To serve:
50 grams frozen peas
Whey ricotta
chopped, fresh mint and basil
Parmesan
olive oil

First make the pasta dough. Put the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre of the flour. Put the egg and the egg yolk in the well in the flour and beat with a fork. Gradually incorporate the flour until it starts to form a dough then knead to make a soft elastic dough. Set aside in the fridge for half an hour while you make the filling.  Depending on the size of your eggs, you may need to add a little extra flour if the dough is too sticky, or a little extra water or olive oil if the dough is too dry.

To make the filling, fry the bacon until crisp and set aside to cool. Put the peas in a bowl and blanch them with boiling water for a couple of minutes until defrosted then transfer to a mini food processor with the olive oil, mint and basil. Blend until pureed then transfer to a bowl with the ricotta, lemon juice, Parmesan and bacon. Stir gently to combine and season to taste.

To make the agnolotti, roll the pasta dough out to the thinnest setting on the pasta machine. Working in batches, cut out circles of dough using a 5cm cookie cutter.  You have to work quite quickly to fill the pasta before it dries out too much, so I always find this is easier as a two man job, you can set up a bit of a production line then.

Place a teaspoon of the filling in the centre of the pasta disc. Brush a little water around the edge of the pasta then fold in half to enclose the filling.  Pinch shut to seal, making sure the pasta is firmly pressed together. I like to squeeze it flat to make the edge nice and thin. There’s nothing worse than fat pasta.  Repeat until you run out of pasta or filling.

The pasta shapes can now be covered and kept in the fridge until you are ready to eat them. They’ll be fine in the fridge for a couple of hours as long as you dust them in flour or semolina so they don’t stick together. Alternatively they freeze well, and can be boiled from frozen to cook when ready.

When you are ready to cook them, boil a large pan of salted water and cook for 2-3 minutes until the pasta shapes rise to the surface and are cooked to your liking. I like mine al dente so 2 minutes is usually plenty.

To serve, it is also nice to cook some peas with the pasta, then sprinkle with chopped, fresh mint, basil, Parmesan and a little more ricotta if you have some.  I also like a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nic Midgley, nic cooks, April 21, 2012

2607. TARO, PINEAPPLE and BACON

500 gm (1 lb) taro

4 slices pineapple

4 slices bacon

4 spring onions

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon oil

4 spring onions

freshly ground black pepper 

 

Steam or boil taro slices till just cooked. Drain and put aside till cool, then cut into chips 2 cm (1 in) long and 1 cm (1/2 in) wide. Cut pineapple into wedges and bacon slices into several pieces. Chop the spring onions. Put oil and butter into a heavy pan and heat. Fry the taro till golden, and drain on paper, saute the pineapple pieces till golden and, lastly, fry the bacon till crisp. Combine taro, bacon and pineapple, toss with chopped spring onion and black pepper and serve immediately.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: ifood.tv

2606. BACON MAPLE CUSTARD PIE

3/4 cup maple syrup
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 apple
1/8 lb walnuts
1 9-inch pie crust
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 package regular sized bacon

Par-bake pie crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line pie refrigerated pie shell with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until beginning to set. Remove foil with weights and bake 15 to 18 minutes longer or until golden. If shell puffs during baking, press it down with back of spoon. Cool on wire rack. Lower temperature to 300 degrees.

Prepare filling: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce maple syrup by a quarter, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and egg. Whisking constantly, slowly add cream mixture to eggs. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a cup or bowl with pouring spout. Stir in salt, nutmeg and vanilla.

Cook bacon thoroughly to a crispy level on a skillet. Place evenly throughout the bottom of the crust shell.

Pour filling into crust and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in oven for 1 hour. Sauté thinly sliced apples and walnuts in maple syrup and vanilla and place evenly on top of pie after ~30 minutes of baking time. Place pie back in oven and continue to cook until pie is firm to touch but jiggles slightly when moved. Let cool to room temperature before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bac'n.com, 207 W. Los Angeles Ave., #346, Moorpark, CA 93021 | Max Ogden, 1st Annual Masterbacon, Portland, Oregon, January 17, 2009

2605. SMOKED LEGS of SUCKLING PIG with GARLIC-BACON GRITS and CASSIA APPLE CHUTNEY

yields 4 to 6 servings


2 hind quarters suckling pig, about 6 pounds each
2 cups sugar
1 cup salt
Water, to cover
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup dark soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar
1 tablespoon ginger powder
1 tablespoon five spice powder
1 cup rice
1 cup black tea leaves
1 cup sugar

Brine the legs in the sugar, salt and water mixture overnight. Set up a steamer with a large bamboo basket and cover. In a bowl, mix together molasses, soy, vinegar, ginger and five spice powder. Brush the glaze on the legs and place in the steamer. Steam for 2 to 3 hours on low steam, occasionally brushing more glaze on and checking the water level. When a paring knife can easily penetrate the pork, it's ready. Pull steamer basket with the pork off, glaze again and set aside. Dump water out of wok, wipe dry and line with foil. Add the rice, tea and sugar and mix well. Turn wok on medium heat and watch for smoke. When it starts to smoke, turn heat to low and replace basket on wok. Seal with wet kitchen towels placed between the wok and basket. Smoke on low heat for 10 minutes. Turn wok on high for 30 seconds, then turn it off completely. It will continue to smoke. Let stand 30 minutes. For service, if pork is cold, re-steam for 8 minutes then deep fry at 350 degrees until brown, about 5 minutes. If pork is still room temperature, then just deep fry.

GARLIC-BACON GRITS:
6 slices bacon
12 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 medium white onion, minced
1 minced jalapeno
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup grits
1/4 cup sliced scallions
salt and black pepper, to taste

In a skillet on medium heat, add bacon and cook until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels and when cool, chop into 1/8-inch pieces. Pour off bacon fat and reserve. In the same skillet, add garlic, onions and jalapeno, brown and season, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add stock and boil. Slowly sprinkle in grits and whisk to incorporate well. Cover and let simmer, on very low heat for 12 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and season. Check for seasoning and add back the bacon and scallions. Reserve hot.

CASSIA APPLE CHUTNEY:
2 tablespoons butter
1 heaping tablespoon minced ginger
1 large yellow onion, 1/2-inch dice
1/2 tablespoon cassia powder or cinnamon
8 Fuji apples, peeled and 1/2-inch dice
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup chopped chives, for garnish
s and white pepper, to taste
11/4 cups sambal, for side

In a saucepan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and saute ginger and onions until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add cassia and apples, cook 2 minutes and season. Add juice and simmer until a 50 percent reduction. Whisk in remaining butter and check for seasoning.

PLATING: Serve family style. On a large platter, place grits in center and surround with apples. Place pig on top (some can be pre-sliced) and garnish with chives. Serve with side of sambal.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ming Tsai, "American BBQ-Chinese Style," East Meets West with Ming Tsai, Food Network, 1999

2604. PAN-FRIED SWEETBREADS with MADEIRA and BACON

300g lamb’s sweetbreads
the juice of one lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
150 grams bacon
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 beaten egg OR 50 ml double cream
flour for dredging
125 ml Madeira
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

First soak the sweetbreads for about an hour in enough cold water to cover them completely. Then drain, rinse and repeat, for at least another hour or until you’re ready to cook them. Drain the sweetbreads and dry them well, then in a saucepan cover them with more cold water. Add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice, then bring the pan to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the sweetbreads and plunge them into ice water. Leave them to cool. In a dry pan, fry off the lardons until they’re crispy and golden. While they’re cooking, peel the membranes off the cooled sweetbreads. Then dredge them in the egg or cream, and then some seasoned flour. When the bacon’s cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside. Then melt the oil and butter in the pan and gently fry the sweetbreads until they’re golden and crispy.  Set aside. Deglaze the pan with the Madeira, bubbling it up to cook out the alcohol and scraping up the cooking residues. Add the juice of half a lemon and the cayenne, followed by the other teaspoon of butter. Stir together until the butter has melted. Serve the sweetbreads with a watercress and lamb’s lettuce salad, with the sauce drizzled around them and the lardons scattered on top, and some crusty French bread to mop up the juices.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kay Plunkett-Hogge, Kay Cooks, London, UK 

2603. BACON PORK ROLLS with LYCHEE SAUCE

600 grams pork belly
10 pieces of bacon
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 sprigs thyme
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
lemon juice from one lemon
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Sauce:
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
5 fresh lychee fruits, seeds removed
salt to taste
a dash of pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
a little water

Marinade the pork belly with pepper, thyme, salt, cumin, lemon juice and brown sugar. Wrap the bacon over the pork belly and tie with strings. Heat up oven to 120 degrees C and slow roast for 2 hours. To make the sauce, add some water in pan, add lychee and put in the tomato sauce. Add salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to a boil. You can use corn flour mixed with a little water to thicken the sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: PeteFormation Foodie Adventure, September 29, 2009

2602. BACON KIMCHI FRIED RICE

yields enough for 2 for dinner plus leftovers for lunch


4 cups old cooked rice (cold)
8 slices of bacon, sliced into 1 cm pieces
3 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
3/4 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons kimchi liquid from your jar of kimchi
1/2 onion, diced
oil

Heat some oil in a wok over high heat. When the oil is shimmery, add the diced onions, stirring until cooked, but not brown. Remove the onions from the wok and put in a bowl on the side. There should still be ample oil in the wok, if not, add a tiny bit more and scramble your lightly beaten eggs until mostly set, but not over cooked. The eggs will cook a bit more when you fry all the ingredients together. Remove the eggs from the wok and add them to the bowl with the onions. Cook the bacon until crisp. Remove and put in the bowl with the onions and eggs. If you’re concerned about how much fat you consume, remove the bacon fat from the wok, otherwise, add the rice and fry it, stirring occasionally until all the clumps are broken down and the rice is heated, about five minutes. Add the onions, eggs, bacon, and peas and fry until all ingredients are mixed throughout the rice. Add the chopped kimchi and kimchi liquid, mixing thoroughly. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Momofuku at home/Momofuku for 2, March 20, 2010

2601. DAIKON and BACON SALAD

1/2 daikon
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
80 grams bacon
lemon slices
1/2 cup vinaigrette dressing
a little lemon juice

Wash and peel the daikon and cut into thin strips. Cut the bacon into thin strips, fry until crispy and mix with the vinaigrette dressing. Arrange the lemon slices in a serving dish, place (1) and (2) on them and top with a mound of chopped parsley. Sprinkle with lemon juice before eating.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Takii Seed, Takii & Company, Ltd., Kyoto, Japan

2600. CHICKEN BACON TACOS with SOUR CHERRIES and BRIE CHEESE

1 box taco shells
4-5 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 tablespoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 cup sour cherries
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoon butter, sweet, unsalted
1 cup red onions, diced
 2 small wheels brie cheese, sliced
½ head shredded butter/bibb lettuce
1 cup sliced scallions
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cooked & crumbled bacon
2 cup salsa

Preheat Chicken to 325 to heat taco shells in oven as directed on box. When done, set aside. In a medium sauté pan place vegetable oil and heat on high add chicken garlic and onions, cherries, sprinkle seasoning and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Fill Taco shells with chicken filling and top off with shredded lettuce, brie cheese, sour cream & scallions, crumbled bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: KY3, PO Box 3500/999 West Sunshine Street, Springfield, MO 65808

2599. GORGONZOLA and SMOKY BACON BURGERS

serves four


4 slices bacon, chopped

1 pound 90% lean ground beef
3 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large tomato, thickly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 whole-wheat burger buns

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Drain, transfer to a small plate, and set aside to let cool. Form beef into eight thin, round patties. Divide bacon and gorgonzola between four of the patties, then top each with one of the remaining patties. Press the edges of each burger closed to seal well. Season burgers all over with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, or cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until desired doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Top burgers with tomatoes and onions and serve on buns.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Whole Foods Market

2598. BACON-WRAPPED PORK FILET MIGNON with BEAUFORT

yields four servings


1 pork tenderloin (1.7 lbs (800g))

6 oz (170 g) of Beaufort cheese 

12 slices of bacon
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to  400° F (200° C – Th 7). Remove silver skin and remaining fat from pork tenderloin. Cut tenderloin in the middle without getting to open more than one side. Leave extremities closed so cheese doesn’t escape when cooking. Dice cheese and stuff inside tenderloin. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap bacon slices around pork filet mignon and tie it up with kitchen string. Dispose wrapped tenderloin in an ovenproof dish. Pour a dash of olive oil, add salt and pepper and bake in oven until bacon looks crispy and inside is entirely cooked.

bacon recipe courtesy of: French Cooking for Dummies, October 31, 2011

2597. CREAM CHEESE PUFF with CRAB and BACON

makes 9-10 pastries


2 puff pastry sheets (thawed)
4 oz of cream cheese (1/2 cup softened to room temperature)
1/4 lb fresh crab meat
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup diced scallion
1 egg yolk
3 slices of applewood smoked bacon
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper

To begin, thaw your frozen puff pastry dough by following the directions on the box. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook your bacon on low heat, letting it cook in its juices. Once it begins to brown on the edges, take them out of the pan and set off to the side. In a medium sized bowl, add the scallion, egg yolk, cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and crab meat. Mix together and set aside while you work with the puff pastry dough. Take your thawed puff pastry and lay it out on a lightly floured surface. Begin cutting the dough using a medium sized circular cookie cutter. Once you've cut through the dough, you should have enough for 9 or 10 little bites. Then place about 1-2 tbsp of the crab, cream cheese and ricotta mixture on one of the rounds. Place a second puff pastry on top of the mixture and press down lightly. Arrange the assembled puffs on a lightly greased cookie sheet, and place in the oven to bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly, serve and enjoy.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Teresa Vogelpohl, Ellicott City Food Examiner, June 13, 2012

2596. ROASTED MONKFISH TAIL with BACON, POTATOES and FRESH THYME

1/3 pound thick sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
4 little red creamer potatoes, or new potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 shallots, sliced thin
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves plus sprigs for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds fillet of monkfish tail, membranes removed and the fish cut into 4 thick serving pieces
2 tablespoons dry white wine
4 teaspoons butter at room temperature

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook the bacon in a 10-inch heavy, ovenproof skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until the bacon begins to crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and reserve.

While the bacon is cooking, add the potatoes to boiling salted water, return to a boil, and boil for 4 minutes. Drain the potatoes completely in a colander.

Cook the shallots in the skillet with the bacon fat over moderate heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, 1 teaspoon of the thyme leaves, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Push the potato mixture to the side, and add the monkfish to the center of the skillet. Drizzle the white wine over the monkfish fillets. Roast the monkfish in the oven for 10 minutes, then place under a hot broiler until it is just cooked through and very browned on the outside.

When ready to serve, remove the monkfish from the skillet, place on a dish, and cover with aluminum foil. Place the skillet over moderately high heat, and add the reserved bacon pieces and the remaining 2 teaspoons of thyme leaves to the potatoes and shallots. Toss until the bacon is heated through.

Place each monkfish fillet on a dinner plate, reserving the juice that has collected around the fillets. Top each fillet with a teaspoon of butter. Surround the fillets decoratively with potato slices, leaving behind as much of the shallots and bacon as possible in the pan. Salt and pepper each fillet and the potato slices. Then top the monkfish fillets with the remaining shallots and bacon. Pour the collected monkfish juice over the fillets, and garnish each one with fresh thyme sprigs. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dean & Deluca

2595. MAPLE BOURBON GLAZED DOUGHNUTS with BACON SPRINKLES

serves twelve


3/4 cups milk
2 large eggs
5 tablespoons melted butter, unsalted
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
canola oil for frying

Maple Bourbon Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

maple syrup

Maker's Mark bourbon

splash of heavy cream

1 package applewood-smoked bacon, baked, finely chopped/crumbled

 

Place ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturer and set to dough setting. When cycle is done, remove dough, punch down and let rest 10 minutes. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/2-inch thick. Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Place on lightly floured board, cover and let rise about 1 hour or until very light. In the meantime make the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, and enough maple syrup to make a thick paste in a mixing bowl. Mix well and add just enough cream until glaze is the consistency you desire. Add bourbon to taste. Fry dough in preheated 375°F (190°C) oil, a few at a time, about 2 minutes, each side. Drain on paper towel. Dip one side of each doughnut into the glaze and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle a little bacon on each doughnut.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Luisa Ormonde, Luisa's Catering, San Carlos, California | for Group Recipes

2594. BACON KIMCHI PIZZA

makes one 10″ pizza

about 1/2 pound of pizza dough
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
1 cup of aged kimchi, cut into strips
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 on the vine tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
3 strips of bacon
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons of Hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon of Sriracha sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon of mayonnaise
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 stalks of scallion
2 teaspoons of olive oil

In a pan over high heat. Place bacon on the pan and cook until crispy on both sides, about 6-7 minutes. Transfer bacon pieces to a plate. With the fat that is already on the pan, turn the heat to high. Add kimchi, with garlic and cook. Continue to stir and cook until there is no more moisture left in the pan. Once the kimchi and garlic both turn slightly brown, remove from heat.

Place cookie sheet upside down on the top rack of an oven set at 500 degrees.

Slice tomatoes into 1″ pieces. Sprinkle kosher salt all over the tomatoes to draw out the moisture. Place it over a bowl and set aside.

Place flour on your surface and rolling pin. Roll out the dough slowly into a circle. Take the dough in your hands and stretch them out as evenly as possible. Continue rolling until the dough forms a circle.

In a small bowl, mix Worcestershire sauce, Hoisin sauce, Sriracha sauce (optional), and mayonnaise. Adjust seasonings to your liking. Set aside.

Remove cookie sheet from the oven. Let the pan cool for about 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the sheet (so that the pizza doesn’t stick to the pan later.)

Place pizza dough directly on the cookie sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon of olive oil on the dough. Add sauce. leaving a little bit of space on the edges. Add tomatoes. Add kimchi. Use kitchen scissors to cut scallions and bacon right onto the pizza. Finish with cheese.

Place pizza in the middle rack of the oven and cook for 7 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the dough has a crispy brown color.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Esther Chai, Ambitious Deliciousness, March 8, 2012

2593. BACON, CHEESE and ONION CROQUETTES

makes eight croquettes


2 cups soft breadcrumbs
2 spring onions
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
3 rashers lean bacon
½ teaspoon iodised salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup oil
2 tablespoons butter

Place fresh, soft breadcrumbs in a bowl. Wash spring onions and slice finely. Add to breadcrumbs with mozzarella. Remove rind and any fat from bacon. Chop bacon roughly. Add to breadcrumb mixture with salt and pepper. Combine. Measure out ¼ cupfuls of mixture and shape into croquettes. Place dried breadcrumbs on a piece of greaseproof paper. Beat egg and water together. Dip croquettes in egg mixture and roll in breadcrumbs. Heat oil and butter in a frying pan and cook for five to eight minutes, turning to brown all sides. Serve with relish and salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: New Zealand Woman's Weekly,  PO Box 90119, Victoria Street West, Auckland 1142, New Zealand

2592. BACON, ROQUEFORT and ROMAINE SALAD

makes eight servings


12 cups torn romaine lettuce (1 small head) 
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped 
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes 
1/2 cup crumbled Roquefort or other blue cheese 

Garlic Croutons: 
3 cups cubed (3/4 inch/2 cm) French or Italian bread 
2 tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil  
1 clove garlic, minced  
Pinch each salt and pepper

Dressing:  
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil  
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar  
1-1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste  
1 clove garlic, minced  
1/4 teaspoon pepper  
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce  
Pinch salt 

Dressing: In small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, anchovy paste, garlic, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Garlic Croutons: In bowl, toss together bread cubes, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Bake on baking sheet in 400°F (200°C) oven for about 12 minutes or until golden. Let cool. In large bowl, toss lettuce with dressing to coat. Add croutons, bacon, tomatoes and cheese; toss lightly.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Canadian Living Test Kitchen, Canadian Living Magazine, June 2008

2591. SAUTEED CHAYOTE with SWEET ONION and BACON

serves four

3 slices bacon (about 2 oz.), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1-1/2 lb. chayote (about 2 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1 medium sweet onion (about 8 oz.), thinly sliced into half-moons
3 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a 12-inch skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the chayote, onion, and garlic to the bacon fat in the skillet and toss to coat. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the chayote and onion begin to brown slightly, about 10 minutes. Add the wine, rosemary, and thyme; continue to cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the chayote is tender, about 8 minutes more. Remove from the heat, stir in the bacon, and season to taste with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Julissa Roberts, Fine Cooking, The Taunton Press, Inc., 63 South Main Street, PO Box 5506, Newtown, Connecticut 06470-5506

2590. PEPPERED BACON and QUAIL EGG BREAKFAST SANDWICH

makes one sandwich


2 strips peppered bacon
10-12 quail eggs
brioche roll or roll of choice
fresh chives or micro chives for garnish (optional)

Get a seasoned cast-iron skillet or sauté pan hot on the stove. Mince the bacon and add to a pan over medium heat briefly to render out some of the remaining fat. Crack the quail eggs into a bowl. Gently pour in the quail eggs and season with salt and pepper. Once the egg whites have set, flip them as one piece with a spatula. Cook briefly until the yolks are cooked to your preference. Cut the egg “patty” as necessary to get it to fit in the bun.  If desired, garnish with chives or micro chives. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Matthew, for MarxFoods.com, 111 W. John Street, #144, Seattle, Washington 98119, June 18, 2011

2589. CAULIFLOWER SOUP with BACON, PECORINO ROMANO and TRUFFLE OIL

2 ounces applewood-smoked bacon (about 2 1/2 slices), chopped

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped celery

2 garlic cloves, chopped

6 cups 1-inch pieces cauliflower (cut from 1 large head)

3 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth

1 3/4-inch cube Pecorino Romano cheese plus additional cheese shavings for serving

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

white or black truffle oil (for drizzling)

Sauté bacon in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until golden brown and some fat renders. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add cauliflower, 3 1/2 cups broth, and cheese cube. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes. Puree soup in batches in processor. Return to same pan. Add cream and bring soup to simmer. Thin with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if desired. Season with salt and pepper. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly; cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with cheese shavings; drizzle with truffle oil.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Carolynn Angle, Standard Tap, 2nd & Poplar Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19123 | Bon Appetit, January 2007

2588. SMOKED EEL, PIGS' TROTTERS, SMOKED BACON CRISPS, MAPLE and SHERRY VINEGAR

serves four


For the cauliflower crisps
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets, florets thinly sliced on a mandoline
salt, to taste

For the pigs' trotters
drizzle olive oil
1 leek, chopped
1 onion, peeled, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 white peppercorns
1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
4 pigs' trotters
1 litre/1 pint 15fl oz ham stock or water, to cover the trotters

For the maple and sherry vinegar jelly
200ml/7fl oz maple syrup
50ml/2fl oz sherry vinegar
2 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water until softened
pinch agar-agar powder (available from larger supermarkets and Asian
grocers)

For the smoked eel beignets
200g/7oz smoked eel fillets
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 free-range egg
100g/3½oz breadcrumbs
vegetable oil, for deep frying

For the cauliflower cream
1 large head cauliflower, chopped into florets
250ml/9fl oz milk
200ml/7fl oz whipping cream
pinch agar-agar powder (available from larger supermarkets and Asian
grocers)

For the smoked bacon crisps and powder 
15 smoked bacon rashers

For the maple and sherry reduction
100ml/3½fl oz maple syrup




50ml/2fl oz sherry vinegar
100ml/3½fl oz olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the garnish
micro cress

Preheat the oven to 80C/175F, or to its lowest setting.

For the cauliflower crisps, lay the cauliflower slices onto a baking tray
in a single layer and season with salt. Dry out in the oven for six
hours, or until crisp. Set aside.

For the pigs' trotters, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large deep pan and gently fry the leek, onion, carrots, bay leaves and peppercorns for 2-3 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic bulb and the pigs' trotters, cover with ham stock or water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3-4 hours, or until the trotters are tender. Remove the trotters from the pan and pick the meat from the bone, discarding the skin and fat. Keep the picked meat in a bowl and set aside.

For the maple and sherry vinegar jelly, place the maple syrup and sherry vinegar into a non-reactive pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until reduced by a third. Squeeze out any excess water from the gelatine leaves and stir the gelatine into to the maple and sherry reduction until dissolved. Add the agar-agar powder to the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes, then take off the heat. Allow to cool, then pour into a container and chill in the fridge for one hour, covered, or until set. When set, finely chop the jelly into small cubes.

For the smoked eel beignets, remove the skin and bones from the smoked eel fillets and shred the meat with a fork. Place the meat into a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed. With damp hands, roll the smoked eel mixture into 25g/1oz balls. Dredge the eel balls in the flour, dip into the beaten egg and coat in the breadcrumbs. Place onto a tray and chill in the fridge until needed.

For the cauliflower cream, place the cauliflower florets, milk and cream into a pan and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve. Return the cauliflower mixture to a clean pan and simmer over a low heat. Add the agar-agar powder and cook for 2-3 minutes, until thickened. Pour 75ml/2½fl oz of the cauliflower cream into a square container and chill in the fridge until set. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.



For the smoked bacon crisps and powder, lay the bacon rashers on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until crisp. Reserve 12 of the crisp bacon rashers and set aside. Allow the
remaining three bacon slices to cool completely, then place into a food processor and blend to a fine powder.

For the maple and sherry reduction, place the maple syrup and sherry vinegar into a non-reactive pan and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, blending with a
stick blender, until smooth and well combined. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the eel beignets, heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fat fryer to 160C/325F (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Fry the beignets in small batches for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Place three beignets on each of four serving plates, in a triangle formation.

Turn out the set cauliflower cream and cut into 3cm/1.5inch cubes. Lightly dust the set cauliflower cubes with the smoked bacon powder and place three cubes on each plate in between the smoked eel beignets. Place a slice of smoked bacon diagonally across each of the cauliflower cubes. Put a teaspoon of the reserved meat from the pigs' trotters in the centre of the plate and garnish with the micro cress and the cubed maple and sherry vinegar jelly. Spoon a thin line of the maple and sherry reduction around the plate and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: James Sommerin, Great British Menu, BBC-Food

2587. CRUMBED EGGPLANT STACK with BACON

serves four


2 (about 300 grams each) eggplants, trimmed
95 grams (1 1/2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh continental parsley
75 grams (1/2 cup) plain flour
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg, lightly whisked
canola oil, to shallow-fry
4 bacon rashers, halved crossways
410 grams can spicy Italian-style chopped tomatoes
40 grams (1/4 cup) pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
80 grams baby rocket leaves

Cut each eggplant crossways into six 1cm-thick slices. Combine breadcrumbs and parsley on a plate. Place flour on a plate. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk milk and egg in a bowl. Dip eggplant in flour mixture. Shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture, then in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to coat. Add enough oil to a large frying pan to come 1cm up the side. Heat over medium heat. Cook half the eggplant for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with remaining eggplant. Preheat grill on medium-high. Place the bacon on a tray lined with foil. Cook under grill for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Heat the tomato and olive in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stack the eggplant, bacon and rocket on serving plates. Drizzle over the sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kathy Knudsen, Good Taste, June 2010

2586. MINI BANANA CREAM PIES with BACON CRUST

serves twelve


Crust
6 graham crackers (full sheets)
6 slices of bacon
1/3 cup pecans
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons water (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups non-fat/skim milk
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 bananas (medium, very ripe, but not too mushy)

Whipped Cream Topping
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional: banana slices for garnish

 

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the pecans on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until the nuts begin to brown and become fragrant, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the bacon on a griddle or in a pan until very crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel to cool. Into a food processor, add all of the ingredients for the crust, making sure to break the larger items into pieces so that they will be easier to break down. Pulse the crust ingredients until you are left with a crumb mixture that resembles wet sand.

 

Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or a little bit of oil. Evenly divide the crust mixture between the 12 cups and press the crumbs into a thin layer, working it as far up the sides of the cup as possible. You can use a small cup (like a shot glass) to press it in more evenly. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes, or until it has browned a bit. Allow it to cool before filling.

 

To prepare the filling, put the water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top to prevent clumping. Stir the gelatin until it appears to have absorbed all of the water. In a medium sauce pan, combine the brown sugar, flour and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and egg yolk. Pour the milk mixture into the sugar mixture and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens and begins to boil, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the gelatin and the vanilla. Let the pudding come to room temperature before filling the crust.

 

While the pudding cools, slice the bananas, about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Place about 1/2 of the banana slices in the bottom of the muffin cups. Top those slices with about half of the pudding. Top that with the remaining banana slices, then the remaining pudding. Refrigerate the pies for a couple of hours so that they can set fully.

 

To make the whipped cream, whisk (either by hand or with a hand mixer) until it becomes frothy. Add the sugar and vanilla. Then, continue to whisk until you have stiff peaks and the mixture is thick and spoonable.

 

To plate, work a knife around the sides of the pie and gently remove it from the muffin tin. If some of the crust remains in the muffin cup, you can use it to garnish the plate or to sprinkle on top of the pie. Spoon the whipped cream into a plastic bag and push it into one corner. Snip the tip of the corner off with scissors, and pipe a small dollop of whipped cream onto to the pie. If you like, garnish with a slice of banana.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Carrie, Munchie Mashups, January 13, 2012

2585. TWICE-PEPPERED BACON and BUTTERMILK SCONES with GOUDA

makes 8 scones


3 cups all-purpose flour

1

 tablespoon baking powder

2 

teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 

teaspoon salt

1/4

  teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1/2

  cup cold unsalted butter or regular butter, cut into small pieces

6

oz Gouda cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)

1/4

  cup cooked real bacon pieces

1 

shallot, finely chopped

1

 cup buttermilk

1

 egg  

Heat oven to 425°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray, or grease with shortening. In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, black pepper, salt and red pepper. Cut in butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through mixture in opposite directions), until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese, bacon and shallot. 

In small bowl, beat buttermilk and egg with fork or whisk. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the buttermilk mixture. Stir remaining buttermilk mixture into crumb mixture; mix with floured hands until dough forms a ball. For tender scones, handle dough as little as possible. 

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Pat dough into 8-inch round; cut into 8 wedges. Place wedges 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Brush with reserved buttermilk mixture. 

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Betty Crocker, General Mills, Inc., P.O. Box 9452, Minneapolis, MN 55440

2584. BAKED RIGATONI with BACON and FOUR CHEESES

1 tablespoon salt

1 lb. dried pasta, rigatoni or penne

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

4 cups milk

1 can (10 oz.) evaporated milk

fresh ground pepper

ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

8 slices bacon cut 1/2 inch and fried medium crisp

 

Boil pasta in water with salt until barely tender. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside. Melt the butter in small sauce pan. Whisk in the flour stirring constantly. When bubbly, remove from heat. In separate sauce pan, heat milk and evaporated milk just to a boil. Add the butter and flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the ground pepper and nutmeg. Heat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the crumbled bacon and cooked, drained pasta. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray. Spread the pasta mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Combine the 4 cheese and sprinkle over the pasta. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. If cheese needs more browning, place under broiler for a few seconds.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Member "jts" for Nueske's, 203 N. Genesee Street, Wittenberg, Wisconsin 54499, October 27, 2011

2583. RAVIOLI with SPINACH and BACON

serves four


1 pound ravioli (fresh or frozen)
6 slices bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 bunches fresh spinach, thick stems removed (about 8 cups)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Cook the ravioli according to the package directions. Drain and divide among bowls. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Crumble. Wipe out the skillet and heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing, until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the bacon and lemon juice into the spinach. Spoon the mixture over the ravioli.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sara Quessenberry, Real Simple, May 2009

2582. WELSH RAREBIT on BEER WAFFLES with BACON and TOMATOES

makes 8 open-face sandwiches


For the Waffles:
1 3/4 cups (about 8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour 
2 tablespoons sugar 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon salt 
3 large eggs, separated 
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (6 ounces), melted 
1 cup buttermilk 
3/4 cup porter ale 
cooking spray

For the Sauce and Assembly

 16 strips thick-cut bacon 

12 scallions, thinly sliced 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces 

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 

2 teaspoons dry mustard 

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1/2 cup heavy cream 

1/2 cup porter ale 

2 large egg yolks 

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese 

Salt and pepper 

16 thick slices tomato from 4 large, ripe tomatoes

 

For the Waffles: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 300°F. Place a baking sheet on lower-middle rack. Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions.

 

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, melted butter, buttermilk, and ale.

 

In clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until firm, but not dry, peaks form. 

 

Whisk beer mixture into flour mixture until incorporated. With rubber spatula, fold in egg whites.

Lightly coat waffle iron with cooking spray. Cook waffles according to manufacturer’s instructions, until crisp and golden. With tongs, carefully transfer to baking sheet in oven and repeat procedure until you run out of batter (see notes above). 

 

For the Sauce: Cook bacon in 2 to 3 batches in large skillet over medium heat until crisp and golden, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Reserve 2 tablespoons fat, and discard any additional rendered fat accumulated between batches. With slotted spoon, transfer cooked bacon paper towel-lined plate. Alternatively, line dinner plate with 2 layers paper towels. Arrange 4 bacon slices on top, then cover with 2 more layers paper towels. Microwave 4 to 6 minutes until crisp. Repeat with remaining bacon and fresh paper towels.

 

Cook scallions over medium heat in rendered bacon fat (if you microwaved the bacon, cook the scallions in 2 tablespoons butter) until softened, about 3 minutes. Reserve.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire, dry mustard, and cayenne and cook 30 seconds. In a slow, steady stream add cream and ale, whisking constantly and vigorously to avoid lumps. Whisk in egg yolks. Add cheese and cook, stirring, until completely melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Assembly: Transfer waffles on tray to cooling rack and increase oven heat to broil. Break each bacon strip in half. Top each waffle with 4 pieces bacon and 2 slices tomato, then sprinkle with the cooked scallions. Spoon about 1/4 cup sauce over each and broil on top rack until bubbling and brown at the edges (time will vary according to oven). Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: María del Mar Sacasa, for Serious Eats, April 23, 2012 | adapted from Bon Appétit

2581. FLAGEOLETS with AUTUMN GREENS and FRESH BACON

serves six


1/4 pound fresh bacon
2 cups kosher salt mixed with 2 cups sugar
2 cups dried flageolet beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 carrot, halved
1 onion, quartered
1 whole head garlic, halved widthwise
1/4 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1 dried ancho chile
About 2 tablespoons fino sherry vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A few leaves Tuscan kale
A few leaves black kale
A few leaves mustard greens
Good olive oil for drizzling

Pack the fresh bacon in the salt and sugar mixture, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Rinse and pat dry, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Combine the bacon, beans, carrot, onion, garlic, apricots, bay leaves, and chile in a pressure cooker and add cold water to come an inch above the beans. Fit the pressure cooker with the lid and raise the temperature to high until it starts to whistle. Reduce to the lowest setting and cook until the beans are creamy and cooked through, roughly 25 minutes. Remove the lid and adjust the seasoning with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Alternately, bring the ingredients to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the beans are thoroughly cooked through and creamy, roughly 1 3/4 hours. 

Remove the large aromatic vegetables, garlic, chile, and bay leaves from the pot and discard. They've done their flavoring job. Coarsely chop the greens or tear with your hands, then fold them into the beans. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the greens are tender.

Serve with warm crusty bread and a healthy dose of olive oil.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Seamus Mullen's Hero Food: How Cooking with Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better by Seamus Mullen

2580. TENDER SPRING VEGETABLE SAUTE with SMOKY BACON, MINT and FETA

1 pound spring vegetables–English peas, sugar snaps, broccoli florets, cauliflower, spinach or greens
olive oil
smoked bacon
3-4 spring onions, cut into slivers
splash of white wine
5 oz. feta cheese, cut into 1/4″ cubes
small handful mint, chopped
small handful parsley, chopped
salt  & pepper to taste

Blanch vegetables in boiling water for 30-45 seconds, then drain and refresh in ice water. Cut bacon into 1/4″ cubes or lardons and saute in a little olive oil until crisp and fat renders. Add spring onion and continue to saute for 2-3 minutes. Add vegetables to skillet and add white wine to deglaze pan. When hot throughout, add feta cheese and herbs and cook until herbs are bright. Serve sprinkled with additional chopped herbs.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Farmhouse Table, April 23, 2010