2773. POLENTA with BACON-WRAPPED SHRIMP and PORT WINE FIG SAUCE

1 cup polenta
6 thick slices bacon, chopped into chunks
1 shallot, chopped
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons butter

Port Wine Fig Sauce:
1 teaspoon butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 cup dried figs, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 cup port wine
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves
10 whole Allspice
10 whole black peppercorns
4 pieces star anise

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp:
6 slices thin cut bacon
12 large shrimp, tail on shelled and deveined
1 tablespoon thyme, picked
Salt and pepper, to taste 
Oil, as needed

Garnish:
Frisee greens (for example arugula) 
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Salt and pepper, to taste

Polenta: Render bacon and caramelize the shallots, then strain the contents and reserve the bacon fat. Add the milk, cream, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer then whisk in the polenta. Simmer on low until most of the liquid has cooked out and the polenta is soft. Stir in the butter.

Port Wine Fig Sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and sauté the shallot, dried fig and red onion. Season with the salt. When the mixture has sweat out, add the sugar and turn the heat to high. Caramelize the sugar, then add the port, red wine, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, black peppercorns and star anise. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Reduce the sauce until it is sauce consistency, nape. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer. Turn the heat off, then let the halved figs sit in the sauce to reconstitute.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp: Cut the bacon strips in half, lay them all out and sprinkle the thyme on each strip. Wrap the shrimp, thyme on the inside, starting at the head end of the shrimp. Then, in a large sauté pan over medium high heat, using a bit of oil, sauté the bacon wrapped shrimp. The pan needs to be hot enough that the bacon doesn't stick to the pan but not too high because you don’t want the bacon to brown before the shrimp is cooked through. When the bacon is golden brown the shrimp should be done. Season to taste.

Assembly: Place the polenta in the center of a small plate, then place the shrimp on top of it in an interlocking position. Drizzle the sauce and place the figs. Two shrimp and two figs per plate. Garnish with some frisee greens tossed with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Grayson Schmitz, Top Chef, Season 9, Episode 2, Elimination Challenge; Bravo

2772. MACARONI and CHEESE PIE with a BACON CRUST

1 3/4 pounds bacon
8 ounces uncooked cellentani (corkscrew-shaped) macaroni
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded sharp colby jack cheese
1/2 cup (about 1 ounce) grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch fresh basil, chopped


Take 1 pound of bacon and tightly weave it into a square, alternating over and under with the strips of bacon, that is roughly the size of your pie tin. Flip the bacon weave into your pie tin and press down, conforming the bacon to the shape of the tin. Place another pie tin on top of the bacon and press down firmly. This will help your bacon pie crust keep its shape while cooking. Create another bacon weave using the remaining 3/4 pound of bacon. This will be the lattice top for the pie, so with this one you’ll want to leave some space in between the slices of bacon. Place the bacon pie crust and lattice top on separate baking sheets and cook at 400°F for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni according to the package directions, drain it and set aside. In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat and stir in the flour. Add milk to the mix slowly while stirring constantly. Stir in the cheeses and cook over low heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce is slightly thick. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. When the bacon is done cooking remove the second pie tin from the top of the crust and let it cool for a few minutes. (Pat the bacon gently with paper towel to absorb any excess grease.) Spoon the macaroni mixture into your bacon pie crust and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with nutmeg and basil leaves. Cover your pie with the bacon lattice top and cook at 400°F for 15 minutes. Once your pie is done cooking let it cool and then dig in and enjoy!


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nick, DudeFoods.com | 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni & Cheese, Wisconsin Cheese/Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, 8418 Excelsior Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53717

2771. PANETTONE PANZANELLA with BACON and BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Apple Vinaigrette: 
2 tablespoons butter
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, quarter, cored, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sweet onion, diced
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup apple cider (may not need all of this)

Croutons: 
9 cups 3/4" cubes Panettone
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Salad:
1 10 oz head of radicchio, halved cored, sliced
12 ounces center cut bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the vinaigrette: In a medium heavy skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add apples and diced onion and saute until brown, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Cover and cook until apples are completely cooked and soft. Place apples, onions and pan juices into a blender and let cool for a bit. Add honey, oil and vinegar and process until smooth. Add cider a little bit at a time until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper.

For the croutons: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place Panettone cubes into a large bowl. In a small skillet, melt butter then add garlic, sage and thyme. Saute for a minute or two, until fragrant. Pour butter mixture over the Panettone and toss to coast. Sprinkle cheese over all and season with salt and pepper. Spread cubes onto prepared baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, about 6-8 minutes, stirring halfway through bake time. Do not over brown these. You'll want them golden and crispy on the outside, but still soft on the inside. Cool on baking sheet.

For the salad: Place radicchio in a large bowl of ice water. Chill for at least an hour. Oven roast the Brussels sprouts at the same time you're toasting your croutons. Toss Brussels sprouts with the 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes or until lightly caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to use. You'll want these at room temperature. Combine croutons, bacon and Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Drain radicchio very well and then add to salad. Add vinaigrette to coat, tossing to blend well.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Maggie Lauer, The Other Side of Fifty, October 21, 2009

2770. ESPRESSO-MAPLE LACQUERED BACON

makes ½ pound of bacon and 1 cup of espresso-maple syrup


½ pound thick-cut, nitrate-free smoked bacon (about 6–8 slices)
3 shots espresso
½ cup pure maple syrup
6 whole cardamom pods

Stir together the espresso and the syrup. Add the cardamom pods and let steep together in the fridge overnight. Remove the cardamom pods.

Preheat oven to 350°. Lay the bacon out on a sheet pan. Bake, turning once until the bacon is mostly crisp but not too dry. Remove from the pan. Brush ½ teaspoon of the espresso-maple syrup on each slice of bacon and let cool a bit before devouring.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Toby’s Estate Coffee, 125 N. Sixth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249 | Edible Brooklyn: The Edible Blog, October 18, 2012

2769. DRIED PLUM and BACON STRATA

serves eight


no-stick cooking spray

1 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 cups French bread, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup (about 6 ounces) quartered dried plums
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
3 cups milk
8 large eggs
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
1 teaspoon salt

Lightly coat 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. In large nonstick skillet, add bacon; cook and stir 8 minutes over medium-high heat or until bacon is crisp. Drain. In large bowl, combine bread, dried plums, cheese and bacon. Arrange in baking dish; set aside. In medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, Italian herb seasoning and salt until well blended; pour over bread mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Heat oven to 350ºF. Bake, covered, 55 to 65 minutes or until top is golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean. Serve warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: California Dried Plums Board, 3840 Rosin Court, Sacramento, California 95834

2768. FIERY HOT BACON-SWISS DIP with MELBA ROUNDS

makes four servings


2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 of a 3 oz. package of real bacon pieces (fully cooked, or make your own)
green onion tops, chopped (about 1/2 of a bunch)
Ritz crackers, crushed (about 2/3 of an inner packet)
2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
Melba toast rounds

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, and 1/2 package of real bacon pieces. Stir ingredients completely. Now, add 1/2 bunch chopped green onion tops, and gently fold them in. Spread the mixture evenly into an oven-proof baking dish. Make your cracker crumb topping by mixing 2/3 inner packet of Ritz cracker crumbs with 2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine, until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the bacon-Swiss cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is beginning to bubble, and the topping is beginning to brown. Remove from the oven, and serve with Melba toast rounds.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Betty (member), for ifood.tv

2767. CROSTINI with WILD MUSHROOM, BACON and ROSEMARY

makes 10-15 crostini


1/4 pound bacon, diced into small pieces

1 shallot or small red onion, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 pound wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced or torn
1/4 cup of vermouth
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, minced

olive oil, for brushing on crostini
1 baguette, sliced 1/2” thick

Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the bacon, turn the heat down to medium and render the fat out of the bacon. After a few minutes, add the shallot and rosemary and stir. Cook for another few minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan, raise the heat and stir until a lot of the water has evaporated out of the mushrooms, about 5 minutes. Leave the mushrooms to brown and caramelize on the bottom of the pan and then deglaze the pan with the vermouth, scraping up any browned bits. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the Italian parsley and keep warm. Heat a broiler or grill. Lightly brush olive oil onto the sliced bread and cook under the broiler or grill until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Top each piece of crostini with some of the mushroom mixture, garnishing with rosemary flowers if you have them.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Becky Selengut, Cornucopia Cuisine, Seattle, Washington

2766. ORECCHIETTE with ARTICHOKES and BACON

serves six


¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta pot
1 pound orecchiette
6 medium artichokes
2 lemons
8 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
¼ teaspoon peperoncino flakes
⅓ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Once it is boiling, plop in the orecchiette and cook until al dente. Clean and prepare the artichokes as detailed on page 18. Then cut all of the artichokes into ½- inch-thick slices, and leave in the water while you start the sauce. Put the bacon, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the crushed garlic in a large straight- sided skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until most of the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Drain the artichokes, pat dry, and add to the skillet along with the juice of the remaining lemon. Season with the salt and peperoncino. Cover, and let the artichokes cook gently until they begin to soften and caramelize, about 10 minutes. Uncover, and add about 1 cup pasta water, then bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the artichokes are tender, about 10 minutes more. When the pasta is al dente, scoop it out of the water and add to the sauce. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and add the chopped parsley. Cook, tossing to coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from heat, sprinkle with the grated Pecorino Romano, and toss. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Knopf, 2011 | Lidia's Italy

2765. STAR ANISE BACON SOUP

serves 3-4


1-2 tablespoons butter
12 oz. bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 - 1 cup onions
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 bag cole slaw veggie mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5-6 dried star anise stars
2 cups or more other vegetables and/or mushrooms
salt or tamari to taste, if desired

To a large soup pot on high heat, add butter, bacon, onions, garlic powder, and ginger. Stir continuously until onions sizzle and turn translucent. Add cole slaw mix, black pepper, star anise stars, and continue to stir for about 2 more minutes. Add water and other vegetables, and cook an additional 10-15 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Pick out star anise stars, and serve hot.




bacon recipe courtesy of: Primal Kitchen: A Family Grokumentary, November 22, 2010

2764. BACON, ASPARAGUS and BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD

serves 4-6


8 oz. asparagus spears
1 bunch butter lettuce, torn in pieces
1 handful of arugula leaves
3 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
12 black pitted olives
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
8 slices bacon, fried medium crisp and crumbled (divided)
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed 1/4 inch

Dressing:
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
sea salt
black pepper

Steam asparagus for 4 minutes. Rinse in cold water. Cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Toss all the ingredients together and arrange on salad plates. Drizzle dressing over top. Top with a few reserved bacon crumbles.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nueske's, 203 N. Genesee Street, Wittenberg, Wisconsin 54499

2763. QUINOA, BACON, and BLUE CHEESE FRITTERS with HORSERADISH-YOGURT SAUCE

makes two dozen fritters 


1/3 cup red quinoa, or a mix of red and white, rinsed
2/3 cup water
1 cup quinoa flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 large egg
3/4 cup whole milk
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (3 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 to 1 cup canola oil, as needed for frying
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon bottled horseradish
1 tablespoon minced chives

In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Preheat the oven to 200°F. In a small bowl, stir together the quinoa flour, salt, and baking powder. In another small bowl, whisk the egg, then add the milk and whisk to combine. Pour the egg mixture into the quinoa flour mixture and whisk to combine. Fold in the bacon, quinoa, blue cheese, and parsley. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Pour enough oil into a large nonstick skillet to cover the bottom by about 1/4 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Test the oil's temperature by dropping in a tiny bit of batter; if it sizzles, it's hot enough. Spoon heaping teaspoons of batter into the skillet. Do not overcrowd. Fry until browned, about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining batter and additional oil, as needed. Keep cooked fritters warm in a 200°F oven. Stir together the yogurt, horseradish, and chives in a small bowl, and serve with the fritters for dipping. Fritters should be served hot, as soon as possible after frying.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Quinoa Cuisine: 150 Creative Recipes for Super Nutritious, Amazingly Delicious Dishes by Jessica Harlan and Kelley Sparwasser, 2012 | Epicurious.com  | October 2012

2762. COTTAGE CHEESE and BACON QUICHE

makes one quiche


1 (9 inch deep dish) pie shell
1 (16 ounce) container large curd cottage cheese
2 eggs
5 slices bacon
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Mexican style cheese, shredded
1/2 cup colby jack cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste

Drain the cottage cheese in a colander. Cook the bacon until crispy and set aside. Beat eggs, then add cottage cheese. Add salt, pepper and onions to egg mixture. Layer the pie in the following order: (1) 1/2 cup shredded cheese in bottom of shell, (2) 1 piece of the bacon, crumbled, (3) 1 cup cottage cheese mixture, (4) 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese, (5) 1 piece of bacon, crumbled, (6) 1 cup cottage cheese mixture, (7) 1/2 cup colby jack cheese, (8) 1 piece bacon, crumbled, (9) Remainder of the cottage cheese mixture, (10) 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, (11) 1 piece of bacon crumbled. You should have one slice of bacon left over for the top once the pie is cooked. Cook pie in preheated 350 degree oven 45 to 50 minutes. Let pie cool before slicing.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Judy, The Southern Lady Cooks, September 16, 2011

2761. BRAISED BACON, PEA SHOOT and WATERCRESS SALAD

yields six servings


6 4 oz. pieces molasses and soy braised bacon, warm (recipe below)
3 ounce pea shoot, washed and spun dry
1.5 ounces of watercress
6 ounces of buttermilk herb dressing (recipe below)
3 deviled yard eggs
6 pieces slow roasted tomato

Molasses and Soy Braised Bacon
1 pound slab of bacon, cut into 4 oz. pieces
1.5 ounces of ginger root, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 jar of molasses
1 cup of soy sauce
star anise
1 teaspoon of sriracha chili sauce

Score the fat presentation side of the bacon pieces. Brown the tops in a hot skillet. Remove from the pan and pour out most of the fat. Sauté garlic and ginger in the same pan. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil and then put the bacon back into the pan. Braise the bacon In a 225-250 degrees oven for 1.5 hours. This dish is easily burned so keep the oven very low and checked often. It’s okay to turn over the bacon during the cooking process. The bacon should be tender.

Buttermilk Herb Salad Dressing (yields four servings)
1/8 an ounce of chives
1 ounce of basil
1/8 of a bunch of flat leaf parsley
1/8 of a clove of garlic
1 teaspoon of dry mustard
1/16 of a cup of white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of honey
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon of salt

In a blender, combine herbs, garlic, mustard, vinegar, and honey. Puree. Mix together mayo, buttermilk, and salt. Add herb mixture, stir to fully combine.

Toss together the pea shoots, watercress and the dressing. Place the braised bacon on one end of the bowl, top with greens. With a squeeze bottle, squeeze a zig zag on the other side of the plate. Place egg and tomato on that side of the plate.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ralph's on the Park, 900 City Park Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119

2760. BACON and EGG SPINACH SALAD with POPPY SEED DRESSING

yields 10-12 servings 


Poppy Seed Dressing 
1/3 cup red wine vinegar 
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon 
3/4 teaspoon ground dried mustard 
2 teaspoons salt 
3 tablespoons yellow onion, finely minced 
2/3 cup sugar 
1 tablespoon poppy seeds 
1 cup canola oil

Bacon and Egg Salad 
12-15 oz baby spinach 
4-6 slices crisp bacon, crumbled 
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 
1 small or 1/2 large red onion, sliced very thin 
1 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms, about 5-6 medium 
1/2 cup dried cranberries 
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese, (4 ounces) 
1/2 cup candied walnuts

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake to combine. Or add to a food processor and while processing, slowly add the oil. In this case the onion could be coarsely chopped as it will become fine during processing. Place the spinach, bacon, eggs, red onion, mushrooms, cranberries, cheese and walnuts to a large bowl. Pour dressing over all and gently toss. May save some eggs and bacon to garnish top of salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Helen Horton, Saucy Cuisine, September 3, 2011

2759. CHERRY COKE BRAISED BACON

2-3 lbs slab of smoked bacon with skin
3 tablespoons cherry jam
1/4 cups dried cherries
1 vanilla bean split in half lengthwise
15 whole cloves
2 liter bottle of Coke
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced
1 small head of cabbage, cored and shredded

Put the bacon in a large bowl and cover with water. Put it in the fridge overnight to reduce the amount of salt. Put the rack in the lower position and preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Place the bacon into a heavy pot that it will fit snugly into (you may want to cut it into 2-3 smaller pieces). Add the jam, vanilla, cloves, and cherries and pour enough Coke over to cover the pork. Bring it to a boil over the stove, cover and put it in the oven until the meat is fork tender (about 3 1/2 to 4 hours). Remove the bacon from the braising liquid and place it skin-side up on a rack over a baking sheet and tent with foil. Skim off the fat from the braising liquid and strain half of it into a sauce pan. Boil this until it is a nice syrupy sauce. Put the cabbage and apples into the other half and simmer until both are tender about 30-40 minutes. When you’re ready to serve, move the rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Uncover the bacon and put it in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the the skin is nice and crispy. Serve immediately with reduced braising liquid drizzled on top along with some of the braised cabbage and apples.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Marc Matsumoto, No Recipes, March 23, 2008

2758. ROASTED HAMILTON POUSSIN wrapped with STREAKY BACON and stuffed with POTATOES and SAGE

serves four 


4 poussin chickens 
12 rashers dry-curled streaky bacon 
1 lb. potato, peeled 
handful fresh sage or handful fresh rosemary, or handful fresh thyme 
12 cloves garlic, peeled 
1 1/2 cups white wine
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper 
olive oil

Preheat your oven and an appropriately sized roasting tray to 425 to 450 degrees. Boil your potatoes in salted water until perfectly cooked (don't overcook). Drain and allow to cool. Remove any fat from inside the chicken cavity. Wash and pat dry with kitchen paper. Slice your potatoes thickly, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add your freshly torn herbs and enough olive oil just to coat. Toss over and then stuff your chickens with the potatoes. Place them into the tray with about 12 cloves of garlic and cook for 30 minutes. After this time, the chicken should be looking as handsome as its inventor and the skin should be crisp and golden. At this point, lay your streaky bacon snugly over the breast meat and add a 1/2 cup of wine to the pan to get some sticky marmitey juices happening. Cook for another 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven. Take them out of the tray and allow them to rest for 5 minutes while you make a quick bit of gravy. I normally remove as much fat as possible from the tray before placing on gentle heat. Splash the remaining 1 cup of white wine into it. Then boil up and scrape away all the goodness from the sides of the tray. Simmer this for a couple of minutes until tasty. It's not a thick, robust gravy, just a tasty gesture. Served with something nice and green like steamed spinach and the potatoes pulled out from the chickens.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jamie Oliver, Naked Chef, for Asian Food Channel, 3 Fusionopolis Way, 12-21 Symbiosis, Singapore 138633

2757. CORN PUDDING with BACON

makes 6 to 8 servings


2 packages (16 oz. each) frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups crushed buttery crackers, such as Ritz

In a 4-quart electric slow cooker, combine the corn, red onion, crumbled bacon, and sugar. Mix well. In a bowl, whisk together the cream, half-and-half, and eggs until thoroughly blended. Season with the black pepper and cayenne. Pour over the corn and stir to blend. Last, mix in 1 1/4 cups of the crushed crackers. Cover and cook on the high heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the pudding is set. Uncover and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup crushed crackers over the top. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Slow & Easy: Fast-Fix Recipes for your Electric Slow Cooker by Natalie Haughton, 2009, p. 294

2756. SPEKA PIRAGI (BACON TURNOVERS)

makes about 60

 

1 1/4 cups milk

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/4-oz. packages active dry yeast

5 cups flour

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 lb. double-smoked bacon, cut into 1/8″ cubes

1 small yellow onion, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 egg yolk

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Make the dough: Heat milk, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves; set aside. Whisk together remaining sugar, yeast, and 1/4 cup water heated to 115° in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Whisk in milk mixture, add flour, and mix on low speed until dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let sit until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Heat oil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat, and add bacon; cook, stirring, until fat renders, about 6 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is lightly caramelized but bacon is not crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Let cool completely.

Heat oven to 400°. Whisk together cream and egg yolk in a small bowl; set egg wash aside. Transfer dough to a floured work surface and cut in half. Working with one half at a time, roll dough until 1/4″ thick. Using a 2 1/2″ round cutter, cut out dough rounds. Place 1 heaping tsp. bacon filling in center of each round, and, using your fingers, moisten edges of round with egg white; fold over to enclose filling, and pinch edges together to seal. Transfer turnovers, seam side down, to parchment paper—lined baking sheets, spaced 3″ apart. Using a pastry brush, brush wash over each bun; bake until golden brown, 12–15 minutes.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Gabriella Gershenson, "Riga Revisited: A Latvian Homecoming," Saveur, May 2011

2755. ROASTED SWEET POTATO SPEARS with BACON VINAIGRETTE

serves eight


1/2 lb. bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
4 lbs. medium sweet potatoes (about 7)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts kept separate
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon water

Put a rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 450 F.

Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel sweet potatoes and cut each lengthwise into 6 spears. Cut spears in half crosswise if desired, and arrange in one layer on a large baking sheet.

Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour bacon fat through a fine-mesh sieve onto potato spears and toss with two spatulas to coat. Sprinkle spears with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast, turning every 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender and edges are browned, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to a serving dish.

Return bacon to cleaned skillet add oil, and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Stir in white parts of scallions and remove from heat. Stir in vinegar, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Pour bacon mixture over potato spears and sprinkle with scallion greens.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet Today: More Than 1000 All-New Recipes from the Contemporary Kitchen, edited by Ruth Reichl; Boston/New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009, p. 635

2754. SHRIMP and BACON QUESADILLAS

serves two


4 bacon slices, chopped
8 oz. peeled and deveined medium shrimp (36 to 42 per lb.), halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
2 flour tortillas (10-inches wide)
1 cup shredded jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
sliced avocado
salsa
sour cream

Cook bacon in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Pour off grease, then add shrimp to pan and cook until pink, about 1 minute, stirring often. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Set a tortilla in pan and sprinkle half of it with half the bacon, shrimp, cheese, and onions. Fold tortilla over filling and press down gently. Cook, covered, until browned, turning once, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat to make second quesadilla.

Cut each quesadilla into 4 pieces. Serve with avocado, salsa, and sour cream.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kathryn Rex, Redmond, Oregon, "Fast & Fresh," Sunset: Living in the West, October 2011

2753. OXTAIL and BARLEY SOUP with BACON

serves 4-6


3 tablespoons olive oil
3 slice bacon, chopped
4 lbs. oxtails, cut into 3-inch segments
2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes, with juice
4 cups beef stock
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
1 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
croutons (recommended: garlic croutons)

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add bacon and saute until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside. Increase heat to medium-high and add half the oxtails, cut ends down, to the pot; let cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 8 minutes. Turn to brown the other end, then brown the sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a warm plate. Repeat with remaining oxtails. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, celery and onion to the pot; saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Return the oxtails and any accumulated juices to the pot and add garlic, tomatoes with juice, stock, wine, salt, marjoram, five-spice powder (if using) and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until meat is falling off the bones, about 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring water to a boil over medium heat. Add barley and a pinch of salt; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove oxtails from the pot with a slotted spoon and let cool slightly, then pick the meat from the bones. Discard bones. Skim the fat from the surface of the soup with a large spoon. Return meat to the pot and add reserved bacon; reheat, if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide barley among heated bowls and top with soup. Garnish with parsley and croutons.


bacon recipe courtesy of: 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, 2008, pp. 166-167

2752. SALTINE TOFFEE BACON BARK

1 pack of saltine crackers

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup cream

9-12 oz. dark chocolate (disks, chips or chunks)

1/2 cup (or more) toasted chopped pecans (or other nuts)

2-3 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Line the crackers facing up, side to side in a lined baking pan. In a saucepan, heat the brown sugar and cream to boiling and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, stirring.
 Carefully pour the brown sugar toffee over the crackers in your pan and bake in the oven on preheated 350F for about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate all over the toffee. Let rest for a few minutes, then using a spatula, spread the melted chocolate out evenly. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and bacon and allow to cool for 15 more minutes. Place in the refrigerator to help set the chocolate for about 20 minutes or more.

Break into pieces and serve, or you can hold in an airtight container or freezer for a couple days. 


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cathy Shambly, ShowFood Chef, February 26, 2011

2751. TILAPIA with BACON HORSERADISH SAUCE

makes four servings 


1 lb tilapia, catfish, red snapper or salmon fillets, 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 slices bacon, chopped

Half onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 

Arrange fish on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; brush with oil. Roast in 400°F oven until fish flakes easily when tested, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes; drain off fat. Add onion and garlic; cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and horseradish; cook over high heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in half of the chopped parsley. Arrange fish on plate; spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Canadian Living Test Kitchen, Canadian Living Magazine, August 2002

2750. APPLE PIE with CHEDDAR CRUST and BACON STREUSEL

Filling
6 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with lemon juice and set aside. Pour water into a Dutch oven over medium heat. Combine the sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Add to water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the apple slices, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the apples are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Bacon Streusel
10 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces

In a large skillet, cook the bacon pieces over medium-low heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper plate to drain. Pour off the bacon drippings, and wipe out the skillet with another paper towel. Return the bacon to the pan. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the brown sugar over the bacon and cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is melted and has coated the bacon pieces. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a baking sheet and chop it into bits. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, and the remaining 4 tablespoons of brown sugar. Add the butter pieces and mix together with a fork until crumbly. Stir in the bacon bits.

Cheddar Crust (makes two crusts)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup ice water

Process flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter; pulse until pea-size lumps appear. Pulse in cheese. With processor running, add ice water; process just until dough comes together. Turn dough out; gather into a block and split in two. Wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. Dough can be frozen up to 3 weeks. Roll out one dough round and transfer to a pie plate. Fill with apple goodness and top with bacon streusel. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 30-35 minutes, until the apples are quite tender and the topping is bubbling and crisp. If the topping is browning too quickly or too much, cover it with foil. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before cutting.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Suzanna Winter, Galley Kitchen, December 15, 2010

2749. SPINACH, ARUGULA, MIZUNA and BACON SALAD

1 bunch arugula, stems cut to base of leaf, washed
1 bunch mizuna, stems cut to base of leaf, washed
1 8 oz. bag of spinach; remove excess stems, wash thoroughly
 8 strips of bacon, fried until crispy (reserve fat for dressing)

The warm vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons warm bacon fat (reserved from frying bacon)
3 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon sugar

Salad: Combine arugula, mizuna and spinach in a salad bowl and coarsely crumble bacon on top. 

Vinaigrette: Whisk warm bacon fat into vinegar, add mustard and sugar; mix thoroughly. Dress salad and serve while dressing is still warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Anton Burkett, Early Morning Farm, 9658 State Route 90, Genoa, New York 13071

2748. SPRING LEEKS, FAVA BEANS and BACON

serves two 


3 or 4 young, slim leeks  
6 slices unsmoked bacon

1 thick slice butter
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
2 lb. fava beans in their pods
2 loosely packed tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 

 

Bring a deep pan of water to a boil. Wash and thickly slice the leeks. Remove the rind from the bacon slices and cut each slice into finger-thick strips. Warm the butter in a shallow pan and add the strips of bacon. Let the bacon color lightly in the hot butter until its fat is starting to turn pale gold, then add the sliced leeks and the garlic clove. Partially cover with a lid and let the leeks soften but not color.

 

While the bacon and leeks are cooking, shell the beans and add them to the boiling water. Salt the water and let the beans cook for four or five minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water until cool enough to skin. Leave the tiniest of beans unskinned, but it is probably better to skin anything larger than a thumbnail-just squeeze each bean between thumb and finger and pop it out of its skin.

When the leeks and bacon are soft and fragrant, stir in the tarragon, parsley, and the drained and skinned beans, then season. Stir gently, allow to heat through for a minute or two, then serve on warm plates.


bacon recipe courtesy of:  Tender: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch by Nigel Slater, Ten Speed Press, 2010, p. 296

2747. YELLOWTAIL TARTAR with BACON and TANGERINE DRESSING

yields four servings


Bacon and Tangerine Dressing:
3 tangerines, zested and juiced
1 pound sliced bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

Crostini:
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 baguette, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Yellowtail Tartar:
1 pound yellowtail tuna, 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, picked and chopped
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon chipotle puree
3 scallions, thinly sliced
3 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 shallot, brunoised
1/2 lemon, juiced
Olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bull's blood, for garnish
Chervil, for garnish

Special Equipment: 2 1/2-inch ring mold

Note: Bull's blood is a variety of heirloom beet, typically grown and used for its dark purple leaves.

For the bacon and tangerine dressing: Strain the tangerine juice through a mesh strainer into a small saute pan. Bring the juice to a simmer and reduce to a syrup consistency, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon in a little olive oil until crispy, about 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving the fat from the pan in a small bowl.
Whisk together the mustard, 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat, the tangerine zest and the tangerine reduction in a small bowl.

For the crostini: Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Toast the fennel seeds in a small saute pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes, and then grind in a spice grinder. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with a little olive oil and season generously with salt, black pepper and ground fennel seed. Grill until the bread is toasted, 3 minutes per side. Remove and reserve.

For the tartar: Combine the yellowtail, parsley, capers, vinegar, mustard, chipotle puree, scallions, thyme, shallots, lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil in a large bowl. Adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Plate with the ring mold.

Drizzle some of the dressing around the plate and garnish with reserved bacon pieces. Dress the bull's blood and chervil with some of the vinaigrette, season with salt and black pepper, and use to garnish the tartar. Serve with the crostini on the side.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bobby Flay, "Worst to First: The Final Battle," Worst Cookes in America, Food Network

2746. MASHED ROOT VEGETABLES with BACON VINAIGRETTE

makes 8 to 10 servings

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds

4-5 pounds mixed root vegetables (such as parsnips, kohlrabi, celery root, turnips, and rutabagas), peeled, cut into 1" cubes

1/2 pound thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, diced

1 large white onion, diced

1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Bring vinegar, mustard seeds, and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small pot; cook until seeds are plump, 20-25 minutes. Drain; set aside seeds and cooking liquid separately. 

Place a steamer basket inside a large pot. Add water to a depth of 1". Bring to a boil. Add root vegetables to steamer basket. Cover and cook, adding water by 1/2-cupfuls if needed to maintain level of water in pot, until vegetables are very tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, place bacon in a large skillet; set over medium-low heat and cook until bacon softens and fat begins to render, about 4 minutes. Add onion; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion and bacon are browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. 

Add reserved mustard seeds to bacon mixture and cook until seeds begin to pop, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and stir in brown sugar and reserved mustard seed cooking liquid. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. 

Drain vegetables and return to pot. Using a fork or potato masher, coarsely mash. Stir in vinaigrette; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 13x9x2" baking dish; cover with foil. DO AHEAD: Vegetable mash can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.

 

Rewarm vegetable mash, covered, in a 350°F oven until just warmed through, 45-55 minutes. Alternatively, place in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until warmed through (time will vary). 

Stir parsley into mash. Transfer to a bowl; serve warm or at room temperature.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Victoria Granof, Bon Appetit, November 2012

2745. BLT BASIL CROSTINI

makes 8-10


8-10 French baguette slices (about 1/2-inch/1-cm thick slices)
1/4 mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 Roma (plum) tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F. Preheat broiler with rack 4 inches from heat. Arrange baguette slices on a large baking sheet. Baked in preheated oven for 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, parsley and basil. Spread mayonnaise mixture equally over bread rounds. Top with crumbled bacon, tomatoes and shredded cheese. Broil crostini for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately and top with additional basil, if desired.

bacon recipe courtesy of/excerpted from: 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches by Alison Lewis © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca. All rights reserved: May not be reprinted without publisher permission.

2744. SPINACH, ARTICHOKE and BACON DIP with CRISPY PITAS

yields 4 cups of dip; yields 96 pita crisps


1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
10 bacon strips, fried until crisp and crumbled
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups sour cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Crispy Pitas, recipe follows

Heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium low heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot softens and the garlic begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Put the spinach in a colander and squeeze out all of the excess water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the artichoke hearts, crumbled bacon, cooked garlic and shallot, lemon zest, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix well with a rubber spatula, and transfer to a decorative bowl. Allow to sit for 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can blend. Serve with crispy pitas.

Crispy Pitas:
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
8 pitas, cut into 12 wedges each

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all of the herbs and spices in a small bowl. Put the pita wedges into a large mixing bowl and add the spice mix. Drizzle the oil over all and toss well to coat. Put the pitas onto a baking sheet, shake it to even them out and place the pan into the top half of the preheated oven until they are crispy and lightly brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool 10 minutes and mound around the dip bowl.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, "DVD Night," Party Line with the Hearty Boys, Food Network

2743. RAVIOLI with PEAS and CRISPY BACON

serves four


16-18 oz. cheese ravioli (fresh or frozen)
6 slices bacon
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 10-oz. package frozen peas
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 oz. ricotta salata, grated (1/4 cup)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool, then break into pieces. Return the skillet to medium heat, add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the peas and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pasta, the reserved cooking water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss. Sprinkle with the bacon and ricotta salata.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Real Simple's Dinner Tonight: Done!—189 Quick and Delicious Recipes, edited by Allie Lewis Clapp and Lygeia Grace, 2011, p. 274

2742. BACON PIEROGI BAKE

1 (16-ounce) package frozen potato and onion pierogies
cooking spray
2 center-cut bacon slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 ounces cream cheese
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup thinly diagonally sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped seeded plum tomato
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. Arrange the pierogies in an 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cook bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until crisp; remove from pan. Set aside and crumble once cooled. Pour out all but about ½ teaspoon of bacon drippings. Add garlic to pan, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add ⅓ cup cream cheese to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until cream cheese begins to melt, stirring frequently. Gradually add chicken broth to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over pierogies. Top evenly with ½ cup cheddar cheese. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon, green onions, tomato, and pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Julianna Grimes, Cooking Light, December 2010

2741. CHOCOLATE and BACON LASAGNA with APPLE JUICE and CANDY

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
4 slices bacon, pan fried and fat drained
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk
1 cup flour 
salt, pinch
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 pound butter
1/2 cup mascarpone

In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips. In a small bowl, combine milk and flour. Add a pinch of salt. Add sugar. If mixture is too thick, add milk. It should have the consistency of a batter. In a non-stick pan, add a pat of butter and swirl around to ensure bottom of pan is coated. When butter is foamy, add enough batter to coat pan. When crepe begins to cook, flip to cook other side. Cook all batter. On a flat surface, place 1 crepe. Coat with mascarpone and top with another crepe. Layer a thin chocolate spread. Rotate ingredients until you have used all crepes. Spread chocolate and sprinkled chopped bacon on top. Gently cut with square mold squares out of the stack. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Casey Thompson, Top Chef, Season 8, Episode 2, Quickfire Challenge, Bravo TV

2740. CHOCOLATE-COVERED BACON ON A STICK with MARCONA ALMONDS and DRIED CHERRIES

serves twelve


12 slices of thick-sliced apple or hickory wood smoked bacon, skewered lengthwise
2 cups high quality semi sweet chocolate chips

6 tablespoons butter 

1/8 teaspoon sea salt 

1/2 cup finely chopped marcona almonds

1/2 cup finely chopped dried cherries

demerara or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Cook bacon: Preheat the oven to 400. Place skewered bacon on a broiling pan. When oven is ready, bake the bacon until crisp, about 20 - 25 minutes in the top third of your oven. When done, set the pan aside and let the bacon cool. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside. 

Prep assembly line: Place bowl of finely chopped almonds and bowl of finely chopped cherries next to the bacon. Place Demerara sugar next to that. When your chocolate is done, you will have an assembly line of bacon, melted chocolate, cherries, almonds, and Demerara sugar.

Prep chocolate: Place semi sweet chocolate and butter in a shallow microwaveable bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Continue to microwave in 15 second increments, stirring after each one, until the chocolate and butter have melted. When melted, add a the sea salt and stir to combine.

Cover bacon in chocolate: Using a pastry brush, coat both sides of each piece of bacon with melted chocolate and place on baking sheet. If your bowl of chocolate sauce cools and hardens before you are finished brushing it onto the bacon, just stick it back into the microwave for 20 seconds or so. 

Sprinkle with almonds, cherries, and sugar: When all of the bacon is covered in chocolate, work with one piece at a time and cover with toppings. While the chocolate is still warm, place some of the chopped cherries over the chocolate on one side of a piece of bacon. The cherries are sticky so it is a bit of work. Sprinkle that side with the almonds and a pinch of Demerara sugar. Flip that piece over and do it again so that both sides are sprinkled with cherries, almonds, and Demerara. Do this for each piece of chocolate covered bacon. Refrigerate until hardened. Serve.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Waverly (member), Food52, New York City

2739. CHOPPED SALAD with BACON and FRIED GARBANZO BEANS

serves six


3/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
4 slices (1/4 pound) bacon
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, preferably English, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 large head romaine lettuce, trimmed and sliced
1 can (15 ounces) butter beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup small feta cheese cubes
6 tablespoons ranch dressing

Heat 6 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add garbanzo beans and fry, stirring often, until crisp and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and chili powder; set aside.

Carefully discard oil in skillet and wipe clean. Return skillet to medium heat, add bacon, and cook, turning occasionally, until crisp, 7 to 8 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle, crumble into small pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, basil, oregano, garlic, shallot, and remaining 6 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to make a dressing. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, butter beans, and cheese, tossing gently to combine. Transfer to bowls, drizzle ranch dressing over the top, garnish with bacon and garbanzo beans, and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Traci Des Jardins, O, The Oprah Magazine, February 2011

2738. BACON and BOURSIN SANDWICH

makes one sandwich


1 (4-inch) ciabatta roll, split
2 teaspoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons herbed Boursin cheese
1 leaf lettuce
1 slice tomato
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced into rings
2 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked and drained

Brush cut sides of ciabatta roll with butter; grill until toasted. Spread cheese on bottom and top halves of roll. Layer bottom half with lettuce, tomato, apple and bacon. Cover with top half of roll.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Hormel Foods, Hormel Foods Corporation, Consumer Response, 1 Hormel Place, Austin, Minnesota 55912

2737. ENDIVE and WATERCRESS SALAD with BACON-CIDER DRESSING

serves six


4 slices center-cut bacon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black papper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups (1/2-inch) diagonally cut Belgian endive
3 cups chopped radicchio
1 cup trimmed watercress

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon to pan; cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; coarsely chop bacon. Combine 2 teaspoons drippings, oil, and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add remaining ingredients; toss well. Sprinkle with chopped bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: "The Enlightened Cook: Radically Simple Cooking," Cooking Light, November 2012, p. 246

2736. MIGAS with BACON

serves two


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

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

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

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


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

2735. BACON SWEET POTATO POUTINE

serves two


1 sweet potato, cut lengthwise into preference sized french fries
6-8 strips of bacon, cut into 1 inches pieces
1 head of cauliflower, stem removed, cut into small florets
½ cup canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of black pepper
pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon fat of choice
coconut oil spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut your sweet potato in half lengthwise, then slice the sweet potato into ½ inch strips then cut those in half. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and line sweet potatoes on it so they are not overlapping. Lightly spray sweet potatoes with coconut oil then top with a pinch of salt. Remove your stem from your cauliflower and roughly chop cauliflower into small florets. Cheese curd size will do. Place in a glass baking dish and drizzle a tablespoon or so of your fat of choice. Place cauliflower as well as sweet potatoes in the oven to cook for 20-25 minutes. (Your cauliflower may take longer). While the goodies are in the oven, add your diced bacon into a skillet over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to break up the bacon and help cook on all sides. Once bacon is done cooking, remove from heat and remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Pour excess bacon fat into a jar or can leaving 2 tablespoons behind in your skillet for the gravy. Place skillet back over low heat, add your coconut milk and almond butter then some thyme and black pepper. Let the coconut milk come to a slight boil then use your spoon to mix together and begin to cook down. Once the mixture begins to thicken, add your bacon back to the gravy and remove from heat. Once your sweet potatoes and cauliflower are done cooking, place in a bowl or on a plate, top with gravy, and devour!!


bacon recipe courtesy of: Juli, PaleOMG, March 5, 2012

2734. GRILLED CHICKEN, BACON and SMOKED GOUDA PANINI with PESTO MAYONNAISE

makes four panini sandwiches


2 grilled (or otherwise cooked) chicken breasts, sliced
4 slices bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons homemade or high-quality store-bought pesto
4 ciabatta rolls
2 ounces smoked gouda
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
16 large fresh spinach leaves

Preheat a panini press or a grill pan set over medium-high heat. If using a grill pan, wash and cover a brick in aluminum foil. This can be placed on top of the sandwich to mimic a panini press.
In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Drain on a piece of paper towel. In a medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise and pesto. Cut ciabatta rolls in half horizontally. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the pesto mayo on the cut sides of each roll. Lay about 4 slices of chicken on each ciabatta roll and top with a strip of that crispy bacon.

Top each sandwich with 2 to 3 slices of smoked gouda, 2 slices of tomato and 4 large leaves of fresh spinach. Close the sandwich and place in a preheated panini maker or grill pan. Cook until the bread is toasted and the cheese is starting to melt. Cut in half and serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dara Michalski, Cookin' Canuck, April 23, 2010

2733. CHEESE, MARROW and BACON PUDDING

serves 2-4


6 slices well-buttered white bread
2 medium onions, diced
6 slices bacon, diced
1 large marrow, diced
4-5 oz. grated cheese
2 oz. butter
1 pint milk
2-3 eggs
salt, pepper and mustard, to taste

Heat the frying pan with a little oil, fry the diced bacon, onions and marrow until golden brown. Well grease pie dish. Place a layer of bread and butter fingers in the bottom and sprinkle liberally with the bacon, onions, marrow and cheese. Repeat until the bread, bacon, onions, marrow and cheese are all used up. Beat the eggs well, add the milk and mustard and pour over the bread, bacon, onions, marrow and cheese. Leave to soak for a hour, then stand in a pan of cold water and bake in the oven at 180 C until the egg is set and the top of the pudding golden brown.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Julian Oxborough, River Cottage

2732. CHOCOLATE BEER BATTER CUPCAKES with MAPLE BACON FROSTING

makes approximately 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes

1 cup Guinness

1 stick butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup chocolate chips

2 cups flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Maple-Glazed Bacon 
3 strips bacon

1/3 cup maple syrup 

Frosting 

8 oz. block cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon candied bacon drippings

Preheat oven to 350. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside. In a pot or large sauce pan, simmer the beer and butter on medium until butter is completely melted. Add cocoa powder and chocolate chips and stir until your mixture smooth. Take off heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, stir eggs and yogurt together until smooth. Slowly add chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Turn oven up to 375, and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay your bacon strips across a baking rack and place the rack on the foil-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush each strip of bacon with a layer of maple syrup. Bake for 10 minutes, basting strips again about half way into that time. Flip your strips over, baste, and bake for another 10 minutes. Baste your bacon one last time, and stick them back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. While your cupcakes and bacon strips are cooling, start making your frosting. In a large bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth and well-incorporated. Add powdered sugar, maple syrup and bacon grease. Mix until smooth. Spoon frosting  into a piping bag, and frost each cupcake. Slice one piece of bacon into 1-inch strips and press one piece into each frosted cupcake. Crumble the rest of the candied bacon and sprinkle them on top of the cupcakes. Enjoy immediately, with a big glass of milk.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tina, Just Putzing Around the Kitchen, June 11, 2012

2731. ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP wtih BACON

serves six


1 head cauliflower, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
8 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 cups torn French or Italian bread, crusts removed
1 teaspoon paprika
a pinch of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

On baking sheet, combine cauliflower and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; toss to coat evenly and spread in a single layer. Roast in preheated oven until soft and brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the fat in the pot. Add onion and garlic; saute for 2 minutes. Add cauliflower, stock, bread, paprika and cayenne; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar.

Using an immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender in batches, puree soup until smooth. Return to the pot, if necessary, and season with salt and black pepper.

Ladle into heated bowls and garnish with parsley and bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, 2008. p. 56

2730. JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES with BACON, GARLIC and LEMON

serves eight


1 lemon
2 kg Jerusalem artichokes
2½ tablespoons olive oil
40 grams butter
150 grams unsmoked, rindless streaky bacon
2 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Finely grate the zest from the lemon onto a plate, cover with cling film and set aside to use later. Halve the lemon, squeeze out the juice and put the juice and lemon halves into a bowl with plenty of cold water. Peel the artichokes, cut away the ends, then cut into two if very long. Trim a little from each end to give barrel-shaped pieces, then drop them into the lemony water as you go, to stop them discolouring.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil and half the butter in a large sauté pan or deep frying pan over a medium heat. Drain the artichokes, dry them well, add to the pan and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt. Partially cover the pan with a lid and leave to part-steam, part-fry for 15-20 minutes until just tender, turning regularly. Don’t cook them too fast or handle them too roughly – they may collapse.

Meanwhile, cut the bacon into lardons. Five minutes before the artichokes are cooked, heat the remaining oil in another large frying pan or shallow flameproof casserole. Add the bacon and fry gently until just turning golden. Add the garlic and leave to cook for a few seconds, then stir in the remaining butter, reserved lemon zest and parsley.

Carefully tip the cooked artichokes into the second pan and gently toss everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Debbie Major, delicious. Magazine, UK 

2729. JARLSBERG BACON PUFFS

3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Jarlsberg cheese
2 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
1/4 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 24-cup mini-muffin tin with cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a large bowl. In a mixing cup, blend the buttermilk and the egg, then add them to the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Add the grated Jarlsberg, green onions, bacon, and pepper to taste.  Rachel suggests letting the mixture rest 15 minutes, but I was way too impatient for that. Your call.

Divide the batter among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Erika Penzer Kerekes, In Erika's Kitchen, November 19, 2010

2728. STIR-FRIED BAGELS with CABBAGE and BACON

serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal


1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 dried red chili pepper, snipped on one end
2 slices ginger, smashed
1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
5 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch wide pieces (about 4 oz.)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
6 cups cubed green cabbage (about 1 lb.)
2 large plain bagels, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce and vinegar. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the oil, add the chili, ginger, and peppercorns, then, using a metal spatula, stir-fry 10 seconds or until the aromatics are fragrant. Add the bacon, reduce the heat to medium, and stir-fry 3 minutes or until the bacon is slightly crispy on the edges. Add the garlic and stir-fry 10 seconds or until the garlic is just fragrant. Add the cabbage, increase the heat to high, and stir-fry 1 minute or until the cabbage leaves just begin to wilt. Swirl the soy sauce mixture into the wok, add the bagels, and stir-fry 1 minute or until well combined. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook 1 minute or until the bagels have softened. Uncover, sprinkle on the salt, and stir-fry until well combined.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lejen Chen, for Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories, by Grace Young, 2010, p. 255

2727. MAPLE-BACON ROASTED APPLES and CELERIAC

makes four servings


1 large celery root (celeriac), about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 apples, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss celery root with oil, pepper and salt and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add apples, toss gently and continue roasting until the apples and celery root are tender, 6 to 10 minutes more. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just crispy. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon; discard all but 2 teaspoons of the bacon fat. Add maple syrup to the fat in the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits. Add the cooked bacon and thyme (or rosemary). When the celery root and apples are tender, gently toss them with the maple-bacon glaze and roast for about 5 minutes more.


bacon recipe courtesy of: EatingWell, 6221 Shelburne Road, Suite 100, Shelburne, VT 05482, September/October 2012

2726. PAN-SEARED DUCK BREAST with GNOCCHI, SALSIFY, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, HOUSE-CURED BACON and RED WINE REDUCTION

yields 2-4 servings


2 duck breasts
4-6 salsify (if unavailable, use parsnips)
1 lemon
8 Brussels sprouts
2 slices thick-cut bacon (house cured preferably)
1 cup duck or chicken stock (home-made if possible)
1/2 cup red wine (merlot works well)
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
5 ounces butter (divided into: 2 ounces, 2 ounces, 1 ounce)
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup semolina flour
1/2 cup water (plus 1 gallon for boiling)
2 eggs
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley

Bring 1 gallon of water to boil in a pot, preheat an oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chop 1 tablespoon of parsley and 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme. Boil 1/2 cup of water in a sauce pot with fresh herbs, add a pinch of salt, 2 ounces of butter and wait for it to melt. Add flours and cook for 2 minutes, transfer to a kitchen aid mixer with paddle attachment. Mix for 1 minute, add eggs, mix 1 more minute until smooth. Transfer batter to a pastry bag and pipe long lines onto a sheet pan dusted with flour. Cut gnocchi into 1 inch pieces. Cook in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until doubled in size. Drain, cool under cold water and reserve.

Score diagonally across the breasts (hatch marks) making sure not to penetrate into the meat, only the skin and season breasts with salt and pepper and place skin side down in a oven safe skillet. Render fat and crisp skin over med-low heat, about 10-15 minutes. Remove fat from the pan twice during this process. Reserve. Throw in 5 sprigs of fresh thyme and place in the oven to finish cooking (about 4 minutes for medium temp, and 10 minutes for well done). Remove from the oven and flip breasts over to briefly cook the other side, about 1 minute. Remove and let duck rest for 10 minutes.

Cut bacon in to cubes and render in a skillet until browned. Remove and save for garnish.

Peel salsify and place in water with the squeezed lemon until ready to cut. Thinly slice the salsify on a mandolin and sauté pan with reserved duck fat until cooked, but still crisp, remove and reserve.

Blanch Brussels sprouts in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove and shock in ice water. Peel outer leaves and reserve, discard the centers.

Reduce red wine and sherry vinegar in a sauce pot until glossy, add duck stock reduce again until slightly thickened, add butter last minute, season with salt, reserve.

Heat a sauté pan over med-high heat and add 1 ounce of butter. Sauté gnocchi until browned on all sides. Add salsify and Brussels in the sauté pan with a splash of chicken stock, season and reduce until no liquid remains. Slice duck breast into 1/4 inch pieces and plate with vegetables and gnocchi. Pour sauce around.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Joel Gargano, Rocco's Dinner Party, Season 1, Episode 2 (Signature Dish, Winner), Bravo TV

2725. GRILLED MAHI MAHI with MELTED LEEKS, BACON and MAPLE VINAIGRETTE

serves four


4 portions fresh mahi mahi
4 shallots
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 tablespoons maple syrup
8 bacon slices
4 tablespoon olive oil
½ bunch thyme, picked
8 tablespoon vegetable stock
¼ bunch parsley, chopped
3 leeks
¾ stick butter
salt
pepper

Preheat your grill. Dice shallots and the bacon. Render out the fat from the bacon and then remove the bacon from the pan reserving the fat. Add the shallots and the olive oil to the bacon fat, sweat shallots until translucent. Add the cider vinegar. Simmer for approximately five minutes. Now add the maple syrup, vegetable stock, rendered bacon, and picked thyme. Adjust the seasonings as needed with salt, pepper, and maple syrup. Cut the leeks in to an even square dice, wash well and drain. Add butter to a large pan and melt until boiling before adding the diced leeks and salt. Cook quickly on a moderate heat until tender. Brush grill with olive oil, season mahi mahi with salt and pepper. Grill the mahi hami to the desired temperature. Place the leeks in the middle of the plate with the mahi mahi on top. Add the chopped parsley to the sauce just before spooning it around and a little on top of the fish to finish.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Clint Davies, Fish Story Restaurant, 790 Main Street at Third, Napa, California 94559

2724. MAPLE BACON KETTLE CORN

4 slices bacon, cooked, fat reserved

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 cup corn kernels

1/4 cup cooking fat (use the reserved bacon fat and extra olive or vegetable oil to make 1/4 cup of popcorn cooking fat)

3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt (depending on your taste)

Cook off bacon until brown and crisp. Set aside to cool. Once cool, chop into small bits and toss with maple syrup. Carefully measure out the hot bacon grease. If you don’t have 1/4 cup of fat, add some vegetable or canola oil to make 1/4 cup of oil for cooking the popcorn. In a large pan over medium high heat, heat the bacon fat and oil mixture. Add the corn kernels. Sprinkle over the sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and wait for the popping to begin. Once the popping begins, use two good pot holders the hold together the pan and the lid and shake the pot. Feel free to take the pot off the flame to give it a good shake. Just be careful and then return the pot to the flame. Shake often throughout the popping process. This will help ensure that the sugar doesn’t burn the pan and the popcorn. Once finished popping remove the lid and salt with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon more salt. Use a large spoon to stir the popcorn. You don’t want the hope sugar to burn you. Pour in the bacon and maple mixture. Toss together and serve. 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Joy Wilson, Joy the Baker, September 8, 2010

2723. BACON POLENTA with SAUTEED CRIMINI MUSHROOMS and THYME

1/2 cup chopped bacon (about 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and saute the bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towel. Pour out bacon drippings, leaving just 2 tablespoons dripping in the skillet.

Add shallots and saute until just starting to turn brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and slowly whisk in polenta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is soft and thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.

While the polenta is cooking, heat olive oil in another large skillet set over medium heat. Add crimini mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are tender and just starting to brown. Stir in fresh thyme. Remove from heat. Season with freshly ground black pepper and lightly with salt (remember, there will be salt in the polenta from the bacon and the chicken broth).

Just before serving, stir the reserved bacon and Parmesan cheese into the polenta. Divide the mixture across 6 plates (I typically serve this as a side) and top the polenta servings with even amounts of the mushroom mixture. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dara Michalski, Cookin' Canuck, September 1, 2010

2722. BRAISED MONTANA COFFEE-MARINATED BISON SHORT RIBS

serves 4-6


Coffee-Maple Marinade/Brine
4 cups water
3 cups chilled strong coffee
1/2 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/4 cup table salt
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups ice cubes

4 lb. bone-in English-cut bison short ribs

Montana Coffee Sauce
1/4 cup diced bacon
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 small jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 cup strong coffee
1 cup homemade beef stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chili sauce or ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, or more to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, or more to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Marinade/Brine: Combine the water, coffee, salt, and brown sugar in a large plastic tub or stainless steel bowl and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in the maple syrup, rosemary, and Worcestershire. Chill the brine by stirring in the ice until it melts; the brine should be very cold, about 45 degrees F, before the meat is added. Add the ribs, weigh them down with a plate, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

Remove the ribs from the brine and pat them dry. Discard the brine. (At this point, the ribs can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Sauce: Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned and beginning to crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high and, working in batches, add the ribs to the pot and lightly brown on all sides, about 7 minutes per batch. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the onions, shallots, garlic, and jalapeno to the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the coffee and stock and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil.

Add the bacon and short ribs, and when the pot returns to a boil, cover and pop into the oven. Cook for 2 hours, or until the ribs are fork-tender. If not done, cover and continue cooking, checking every 30 minutes.

When the ribs are done, remove from the oven an degrease any surface fat. If the sauce is too thin, remove the ribs and boil down to a syrupy consistency. You should have 2 to 3 cups sauce. Taste the sauce and add more vinegar and brown sugar, and season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. If necessary, return the ribs to the sauce and reheat before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Great Meat Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Cook Today's Meat by Bruce Aidells, with Anne-Marie Ramo. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012

2721. DITALINI with POTATOES, BACON and PROVOLA

serves six


1 onion, chopped, (about 1 cup)

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup bacon, chopped in 1/4-inch pieces
4 cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
½ teaspoon Coarse sea salt, or kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 pound ditalini
1 cup fresh tomato, seeded and diced
8 ounces smoked provola, or mozzarella, in 1/2-inch cubes
½ cup Grana Padano, or Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly grated

Put 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and the chopped bacon in the big skillet and set over medium-high heat. Stir and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, to render its fat. Stir in the chopped onion and cook until it is sizzling and wilting, about 3 minutes. Spill in the cubed potatoes, toss well in the fat, then spread them in the pan. Season with the salt and cook, tossing and turning the potatoes frequently, for another 3 or 4 minutes, until the cubes are lightly crisped all over.

Pour in 4 cups water, stir everything around and scrape up any crust on the skillet bottom. Bring the water to a gently bubbling boil and cook, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are cooked. The soup (or sauce, depending on your point of view) should reduce so it barely covers the potato cubes.

Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts of salted water to the boil in the pasta pot. After the potatoes have cooked for about 10 minutes, drop the ditalini into the pot and cook al dente. Drain the ditalini and stir into the thickened potato soup/sauce. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and simmer the pasta e patate together for another 3 minutes or so, to an even denser consistency.

Stir in the diced tomatoes, cook for a minute, and adjust salt to taste. Turn off the heat, scatter the cubed provola all over and stir into the pasta e patate continuously as it melts into threads. Finally, stir in the grated cheese. Serve immediately, in warm bowls.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Lidia Bastianich, Lidia's Italy

2720. ZITI with BACON TOMATO SAUCE

serves four


1 pound bacon 
1/4 cup olive oil 
1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 (28 ounce) cans peeled tomatoes 

1 (8 ounce) can tomato paste 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon pepper 

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

1 pound dry ziti pasta

 

Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until cooked through and crispy, about 12 minutes. Drain excess fat. Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic. Cook until the onions start to get soft (but before they get brown), about five minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mash up the whole tomatoes into smaller chunks. Keep heating sauce until it starts to bubble (a.k.a. simmer), then turn the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. For the ziti: A good time to start boiling the water is just before you add the tomatoes to the sauce. Fill a large pot with water. Bring to a boil, and cook for the time directed on the pasta box. When the ziti is cooked, drain it and put it in a large bowl. Add the sauce. Crumble the bacon in to the bowl and mix. Serve.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Man Tested Recipes, 413 Pine Street, Suite 500, Seattle, Washington 98101