Tuesday, October 29, 2013

3095. ROAST BEEF with CRISPY BACON, MUSTARD and HERBS

serves six

3 lb. lean beef topside, boneless rib or sirloin joint
salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
4 tablespoons freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
6-8 streaky bacon rashers, stretched

Cooking Times

Rare: 20 minutes per 1 lb. plus 20 minutes

Medium: 25 minutes per 1 lb. plus 25 minutes

Well done: 30 minutes per 1 lb. plus 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 350-375°F. In a small bowl mix together the mustard and parsley. Place the topside joint on a chopping board, make several slits over the surface of the joint and season. Rub with the mustard and herb mixture over the surface of the joint and inside the slits. Wrap the bacon rashers around the joint. Place the joint on a metal rack in a large roasting tin and open roast for the preferred, calculated cooking time, basting occasionally with any rich beefy juices. Leave the joint to rest for 10-15 minutes, slice and serve with sauté or roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Simply Beef and Lamb; EBLEX, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2TL UK

EBLEX is part of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) along with five other levy organisations: - See more at: http://www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk/eblex-corporate-website#sthash.i9y86JIb.dpuf

EBLEX is a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development board (AHDB) © Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2013. All rights reserved. - See more at: http://www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk/eblex-corporate-website#sthash.i9y86JIb.dpuf

Roast Beef with Crispy Bacon, Mustard and Herbs

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 5 minutes Avg. cooking time for 3lb: 1 hour 40 minutes

A different take on the weekend roast. Topside, rib or sirloin joint spread with mustard and topped with crispy bacon

Cooking Times

Rare

20 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 20 minutes

Medium

25 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 25 minutes

Well done

30 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 30 minutes

Method

Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4-5, 180-190°C, 350-375°F.
In a small bowl mix together the mustard and parsley.
Place the topside joint on a chopping board, make several slits over the surface of the joint and season. Rub with the mustard and herb mixture over the surface of the joint and inside the slits. Wrap the bacon rashers around the joint.
Place the joint on a metal rack in a large roasting tin and open roast for the preferred, calculated cooking time, basting occasionally with any rich beefy juices.
Leave the joint to rest for 10-15 minutes, slice and serve with sauté or roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Ingredients

1 x 1.3kg/3lb lean beef topside, boneless rib or sirloin joint
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
30ml/2tbsp wholegrain mustard
60ml/4tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
6-8 streaky bacon rashers, stretched

Printable version

Monday, October 28, 2013

3094. SEAFOOD CHOWDER with BACON, DILLISK and CARRAGEEN (SEAWEED)

serves 6-8

1 lb. pollock, cod, or other white fish fillets
8 oz. shellfish (mussels, cockles, prawns)
4 oz. salmon, cubed
1/4 stick butter
2 oz. streaky bacon, cut into matchstick strips
2 lb. mixed vegetables (onions, leeks, carrots, celery, waxy potatoes), diced
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 oz. dillisk (purple-reddish seaweed)
1/4 oz. Carrageen, a.k.a. Irish moss
2 1/4 cups milk
Garnish: fresh parsley and chives

Cook the bacon strips in butter until crisp. Add all the vegetables except the potatoes. Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add water, dilisk and Carrageen and cook for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and milk and cook until potatoes are soft. Add fish and shellfish and cook for 3-5 minutes. Check seasoning and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and chives.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Best of Irish Potato Recipes by Biddy White Lennon, pp. 62-63. Dublin: The O'Brien Press, 12 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6, Ireland, 2002

Sunday, October 27, 2013

3093. BACON and LIVER APPETIZERS

makes 16 appetizers

3/4 cup chicken livers
2 hard-cooked eggs
chopped chives or finely grated onion, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cognac (optional)
8 slices bacon, cut in half

Cook the chicken livers in a small amount of boiling, salted water until barely done, five to eight minutes. Rub the livers and hard-cooked eggs through a fine sieve or use a food mill. Blend well and mix with the remaining ingredients except the bacon. Chill. Spread the mixture on the strips of bacon. Roll and fasten with toothpicks. Grill under a preheated broiler until the bacon is crisp. Serve hot.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne, pp. 15-16; New York & Evanston: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1961

Saturday, October 26, 2013

3092. SLOW COOKER BEEF and MUSHROOM STEW with BACON

makes eight servings

2 lb. stewing beef cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups sodium-reduced beef stock
1 onion, sliced
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups button mushrooms, halved
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cups cubed peeled potatoes
1 package dried porcini mushrooms
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen peas

Trim and cut beef into 1-inch cubes; toss with 1/4 cup of the flour. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In large skillet, heat half the oil over medium-high heat; brown meat, in 4 batches and adding more oil if necessary. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add stock to skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any brown bits; pour into slow cooker.

In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; fry onion, bacon and thyme for 1 minute. Add button mushrooms; fry until softened and almost no liquid remains, about 8 minutes. Add to slow cooker.

Add celery, potatoes, porcini mushrooms, bay leaf, and 1 cup water to slow cooker; stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Whisk remaining flour with 1/4 cup water; whisk into slow cooker. Add peas. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened. Discard bay leaf.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Make It Tonight, by Elizabeth Baird and the Canadian Living Test Kitchen. Montreal: Transcontinental Books, 2007

Friday, October 25, 2013

3091. BABY SPINACH and BACON with SPICY PICKLED RED ONIONS and FETA

serves 4-6

For the pickled red onions
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of hot sauce
a sprinkle or two of salt and lots of freshly ground pepper
1 large red onion, sliced into thin rounds

For the salad
8 slices of bacon, diced
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of any mustard
8-10 oz. of baby spinach
8 oz. of feta cheese chunks

Begin with the pickled red onions. Put the sugar, vinegar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the onion and heat just long enough to return the mixture to a simmer, 2 or 3 minutes. Cool to room temperature. For best results, rest the mixture overnight in your refrigerator.

When it's salad time, brown the bacon pieces in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat until they're crispy. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a few pieces of folded paper towel. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the bacon fat, vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and mustard until smooth. Just before serving, toss the dressing with the spinach leaves and top with the feta, bacon, and pickled red onions. Serve and share!

bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Michael Smith's Kitchen: 100 of My Favorite Recipes, by Michael Smith, p. 55; Penguin Canada, 2011

Thursday, October 24, 2013

3090. CHICKEN SKEWERS with BACON PASTE

yields six servings

For the BBQ Sauce

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

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

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

Preheat the grill while you start prepping the chicken skewers.

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

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

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

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

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

3089. POLISH VEAL and ANCHOVY STUFFING with BACON

makes 6 cups, enough to stuff body cavity and neck of a 10-lb. bird

5 slices bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb. lean veal, minced
4 cups cubed bread, crusts removed
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1/2 cup butter, softened
5 egg yolks
salt and pepper
rind of 1 lemon, grated
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Fry bacon until fat becomes rendered. Add onion and sauté with bacon until onion is light golden brown. Add veal, stir, and fry until it begins to take on color. Cool thoroughly. Sprinkle bread with enough milk to moisten it slightly. Squeeze out excess milk and add bread to veal mixture. Work anchovy paste into softened butter and beat with egg yolks. Stir this into veal and bread until thoroughly blended. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon rind; fold in egg whites.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Horizon Cookbook: An Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking through the Ages, by the Editors of Horizon Magazine. American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., 1968

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

3088. OYSTERS, BACON and PULLETS

serves 4-6

2 2-lb. broiling chickens
salt
1 pint oysters and their liquor
4 shallots or 1 small onion, minced
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 lb. bacon
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon each: pepper, thyme, and marjoram
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup chicken broth

Wipe the broilers and salt the cavities. Simmer the oysters in their liquor until the edges barely curl. Strain and reserve liquor for basting. Cook the shallots in 1 tablespoon butter. Dice the bacon, fry it for 5 minutes, and drain. Mix the oysters, shallots, bacon, bread crumbs, and seasonings. Stuff the birds and truss. Spread each bird with 1 tablespoon butter. Use remaining tablespoon butter to butter a roasting pan. Place birds in the pan and roast in a preheated 400-degree oven for 45 minutes, basting twice with the oyster liquor after the first 20 minutes. Keep chickens warm. Deglaze the pan on a low fire by pouring in chicken broth and scraping all the drippings. Simmer for 3 minutes. Serve separately in a sauceboat.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Horizon Cookbook: An Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking through the Ages, by the Editors of Horizon Magazine. American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., 1968

Monday, October 21, 2013

3087. PEANUT BUTTER BACON FUDGE

12 strips maple-smoked bacon, with 2 strips reserved for garnish
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon maple extract

Coat an 8-inch-square pan with cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, turning several times, until browned and done, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Chop finely. Reserve 2 of the chopped slices for garnish. Combine all ingredients except bacon in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until chips and butter are melted, and mixture is thick and smooth. 4.)Remove from heat. Stir in bacon. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle the reserved chopped bacon on top and lightly press with your fingertips. Cover with aluminum foil and chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Slice into 7 equal rows to create 49 squares. It’s a good idea to use a ruler to ensure equal-sized pieces. Serve at about room temperature.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Bacon Dessert Recipes

Sunday, October 20, 2013

3086. MAPLE BACON BROWN SUGAR SCONES

makes 16 scones

3 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cups cold butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
course sugar for sprinkling
maple glaze (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 425. In large bowl combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until it forms coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Fold in bacon crumbles. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently. Divide in half and pat into 7 inch round circles. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cut into 6 or 8 wedges. Bake at 425 for 12-14 minutes. Top with maple glaze.

Maple Glaze
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
drop of water
1 cup powdered sugar

Combine syrup, vanilla and powdered sugar and stir until combined. Based on the consistency of the glaze, add water one drop at a time and stir – if you accidentally add too much, just add a bit more powdered sugar. Continue to stir until desired consistency is reached. Pour over scones!

bacon recipe courtesy of: Jessica, How Sweet It Is, February 22, 2011

Saturday, October 19, 2013

3085. CHICKEN BROCCOLI BACON DAIKON CASSEROLE

makes 8 servings

2 cups cooked, diced chicken
2 cups raw, diced broccoli tops and stems
1 cup cooked, roughly crumbled bacon
2 cups peeled, cubed, raw daikon radish
4 tablespoons butter
1.5 cups heavy white cream or half and half
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cube daikon radish into ½” cubes. Add daikon to the pot and boil for 20 minutes or until slightly softened. Drain thoroughly. Heat butter in a 2 quart sauce pan on the stove over medium heat until melted. Add salt, pepper, mustard and half and half. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, for one minute. Remove from heat. Add cheddar, mozzarella, and feta. Stir until melted. Prepare fresh broccoli by cutting florets and stems into smaller pieces. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a 12 x 12 casserole, combine cheesy chicken sauce, daikon, bacon and broccoli. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Your Lighter Side, February 20, 2013

Friday, October 18, 2013

3084. RUSTIC CRANBERRY BACON CHUTNEY with ROSEMARY and PORT

6 slices of bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped coarsely
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of freshly cracked pepper
1/2 cup orange juice
12 oz. fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon tawny port

Cut the bacon up into a fairly small pieces. Add the bacon to a medium-size saucepan. Set on the stove over medium-high heat Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If it starts to burn or smoke, turn your heat down. When your bacon is crisp, turn the heat off. Drain off most of the rendered bacon fat, leaving just a teaspoon or two in the pan with the bacon. Add the brown sugar to the bacon and fat in the pan. Toss in the rosemary, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Stir your pot to combine the ingredients well. Break up any lumps of brown sugar against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon. Pour in the orange juice. Stir well, scraping at the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Raise the heat to medium-high so your mixture can start to come up to a simmer. Add the cranberries to the pot. Give the pot a good stir to combine everything. Add the port. Stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes up to a simmer. When it does, turn the heat down a little and cover the pot tightly. Simmer covered for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, uncover the pot. Stir the mixture. As you stir, smoosh the cranberries against the side of the pot to pop them. Keep the heat on medium as you do this. Turn the heat off and transfer the chutney to a bowl to cool. The chutney will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Jessie Cross, The Hungry Mouse, December 11, 2008

Thursday, October 17, 2013

3083. ONE POT PARTRIDGE with BACON and CHESTNUTS

serves four

1 tablespoon juniper berries

4 oven-ready partridges

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 oz. butter

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

1 medium onion, finely sliced

4 rashers rindless streaky bacon, cut into 2cm/1in slices

3-4 bushy sprigs fresh thyme

2 tablespoons plain flour

5 tablespoons dry gin

3½fl oz orange juice (about 1 large orange)

7fl oz red wine

12fl oz chicken stock, fresh or made with 1 stock cube

2 tablespoons cranberry sauce or red currant jelly

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

7 oz. cooked and peeled chestnuts, halved

½ medium Savoy cabbage, tough outer leaves removed

Put the juniper seeds in a pestle and mortar and pound until roughly crushed. Sprinkle the juniper seeds over all the partridges, pressing lightly into the skin, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Melt the butter with the oil in a large flame-proof casserole or your largest saucepan over a medium heat. Add the partridges to the casserole, breast-side down, and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until nicely browned. Turn and fry on each of the remaining three sides for a further minute until browned all over. Remove from the casserole and put on a plate.

Reduce the heat and add the onion, bacon and thyme to the casserole. Fry gently for 5-6 minutes, or until the onions are softened and the bacon is beginning to brown, stirring regularly.

Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir well. Cook for about five minutes, then add the gin and orange juice and bubble for a few seconds before slowly stirring in the wine and chicken stock. Spoon the cranberry sauce or redcurrant jelly on top, stir in the orange zest and chestnuts and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Gently return the partridges to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook over a low heat for 30 minutes.

Cut the cabbage into four wedges and remove the tough central core. Remove the casserole from the heat and turn the partridges over. Nestle the cabbage between the birds, cover and continue to cook for a further 30-40 minutes, or until the birds are very tender, the cabbage has softened and the sauce has thickened. Pick out the thyme stalks and adjust the seasoning to taste.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Hairy Bikers, The Hairy Bikers' Cook Off, BBC-Food

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

3082. PAN-FRIED TURBOT with RED WINE BUTTER, BACON, PUMPKIN and CHESTNUTS

serves four

12 small shallots, blanched until soft
300 grams pumpkin, flesh only, cut into bite sized chunks
120 grams chunky lardons of bacon
12 cooked chestnuts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the red wine butter

200 ml red wine

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 shallots, peeled and finely diced

1 tablespoon whipping cream

120 grams unsalted butter

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

sugar, to taste

For the turbot

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 turbot fillets, each about 160g each, skin removed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

10 sprigs flat leaf parsley, leaves picked

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5. Blanch the shallots and pumpkin chunks for 3-4 minutes, until just softened.

Place the bacon, shallots, pumpkin, and chestnuts on a baking tray that is just large enough to hold them. Add the vegetable oil, season with salt and pepper and toss until well coated. Dot the butter over the top and roast for 12-15 minutes until golden.

For the red wine sauce: pour the red wine, red wine vinegar and soy sauce into a saucepan and add the shallots. Cook over a medium heat for several minutes, until the liquid has reduced to about 4 tablespoons. Whisk in the cream.

Add 100g of the butter, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Do not let the sauce boil.

Season to taste with salt, black pepper and sugar (you shouldn't need much salt because of the soy). Keep warm.

For the turbot: heat the oil in a large frying pan. Season the turbot and fry for 1 minute over a very high heat.

Add the butter, lower the heat slightly and fry for a further 2 minutes. Turn and fry for 3 minutes more.

Once the fish is cooked, stir the parsley into the bacon mixture.

Spoon the red wine butter onto four plates, put the fish in the middle and scatter the bacon mixture over the top. Serve immediately.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Alex Mackay, Market Kitchen, Good Food Channel, UK TV

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

3081. DRIED PLUMS with BACON and FRESH GOAT CHEESE

serves twelve

12 pitted dried plums
5 1/3 ounces goat cheese, divided into 12 equal portions
3 slices bacon, each cut into 2-inch pieces (to total 12 pieces)

For each dried plum, make a lengthwise slit and spoon a portion of cheese into slit; wrap with a piece of bacon. Secure bacon with wooden pick; arrange on rack in broiler pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat 6 to 8 minutes or until browned and barely crisp, turning once. Serve hot or warm.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Georgeanne Brennan, California Dried Plums Board

Monday, October 14, 2013

3080. TUBETTI RIGATI with CABBAGE and BACON

serves six

500 grams tubetti rigati
1 small green cabbage
100 grams bacon cut into strips
1 clove of garlic
100 ml olive oil
grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Slice the cabbage and cook in a boiling salted water for a few minutes, drain when tender. Put half of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the garlic clove and the strips of speck or bacon, add the cabbage. Season with salt and paper, cook until it is dry. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, drain when cooked reserving some cooking water. Put the drained pasta in a pan, add remaining oil and grated cheese with some cooking water stir well until creamy. Add the cooked cabbage, stir well and add some more cooking water if needed. Serve hot with freshly ground pepper.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Gluten Free Food Market, Lavida Food Ltd, Office Suite 1, Woodcockhill Rd, Meelick, Co. Clare, Ireland

Sunday, October 13, 2013

3079. BACON and EGG CANAPES

makes twelve

For the pastry
5½ oz plain flour

3½ oz cold butter, cut into cubes

1 free-range egg, beaten

For the bacon and egg filling

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

4 thin rashers rindless streaky bacon, cut into 2 inch strips

2 free-range eggs, hard boiled, peeled

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

salt and fresh ground black pepper

6 quails’ eggs, hard boiled, peeled

fresh rocket leaves

For the pastry pulse the flour and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. With the motor running, add the beaten egg and blend until the mixture starts to come together in a ball. Shape the dough into a ball and flatten slightly. Roll the pastry out on a floured work surface, and using a 3-inch cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Use them to line a 12 hole muffin tin. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork, and freeze for one hour. Preheat the oven to 400F. Bake the pastry cases for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. For the bacon and egg filling, heat the oil in a small non-stick frying pan and fry the bacon over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Mash the hens’ eggs with the mayonnaise, adding salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into the pastry cases. Cut the quails’ eggs in half and place on top. Add a strip of bacon to each one and garnish the canapés with rocket leaves.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Hairy Bikers, The Hairy Bikers' Christmas Party, BBC-Food

Saturday, October 12, 2013

3078. CANDIED MAPLE BACON DONUT

yields twelve donuts

Donut:

2 tablespoons water, warmed
1.25 oz envelope fast-rise yeast
3/4 cup whole milk, warmed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3 tablespoons shortening or lard
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
vegetable oil or peanut oil, for frying

Maple Glaze:
1 1/2 tablespoons whole milk (possibly more)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Candied Bacon:
1 lb center cut bacon
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Donut: In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if you are going to kneed the dough by hand), whisk together yeast and warm water and let stand for 5 minutes.

Add milk, sugar, salt, egg, shortening, and 1 cup of flour. Mix on medium low for 2 minutes, then switch to the dough hook. Slowly add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour a half a cup at a time. Once you have added all the flour, knead on medium for 2-3 minutes, until dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Turn up the speed to medium high and continue to knead dough for 3-4 minutes, until dough is smooth.

Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover with a slightly damp tea towel. Place bowl in a warm area (or a preheated oven to 200 degrees and then turned off) for about one hour. Dough is ready when it has doubled in size.

Transfer raised dough onto a lightly floured surface and carefully roll out till it is 1 inch thick. Cut out doughnuts with a floured 4 inch biscuit cutter and then cut out the center of each donut with a floured 1-2 inch biscuit cutter.

Place donuts and donut holes on a lightly floured cookie sheet and cover again with a slightly damp tea towel. Place in a warm area (or a preheated oven to 200 degrees and then turned off) for about one hour. Dough is ready when it has doubled in size.

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or deep fryer to 350 degrees.

Once oil is hot, working with 4-6 donuts at a time, carefully drop donuts into oil. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown and flip and fry the other side.

Remove and drain on a paper towel (or newspaper) lined plate. Continue this process until each donut has been fried.

Maple Glaze: Place wax paper under a wire rack to collect any drippings for an easy clean up. Then, in a small bowl whisk together milk, maple syrup and maple extract. Add powdered sugar, whisking until smooth. If icing is to stiff, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until desired consistency is reached.

While the donuts are still warm, dip the tops of each donut and donut hole into the icing and transfer to a wire rack and let set for 5 minutes. Save any remaining frosting to drizzle on top of the completed donut.

Candied Bacon: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil, and position a cooling rack on top of pan. Lightly spray the rack with non-stick spray (or grease with oil).

Combine the brown sugar, black pepper and salt in a shallow plate/dish. Press each side of each slice of bacon firmly into the spiced sugar to coat well.

Arrange the slices of bacon on top of the rack in a single layer. If there is any sugar remaining in the dish, sprinkle it on top of the bacon slices evenly.

Bake until the bacon is crisp and the sugar is bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and then cut each strip in half.

Arrange candied bacon on top of donuts and drizzle the top with any remaining maple glaze. Serve immediately!

bacon recipe courtesy of: Jessica Segarra, The Novice Chef, June 26, 2013

Friday, October 11, 2013

3077. GARLIC and LEMON BROCCOLI RABE with BACON LARDONS

serves 3-4

1 bunch broccoli rabe
4-5 slices thick cut bacon
4 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
 zest of 1/4 lemon pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

First, bring a pot of water to a boil and add int he broccoli rabe. Let the broccoli blanch for 2-3 minutes, then remove and rinse with very cold water, to stop the cooking process, then drain all of the water from the broccoli and pat dry.

In a large pan, cook your bacon over medium-high heat, for 6-8 minutes or so, until crispy. Remove with a slotted spatula onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Remove all but 1-2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan (and reserve the rest for later - I like to keep excess bacon fat in the fridge to use later for extra crispy home fries) and add in the broccoli rabe (alternatively, you can just use olive oil in place of the bacon/bacon fat). Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, then add in the garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, for another 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the broccoli is tender. Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Sydney Kramer, The Crepes of Wrath, May 16, 2012

Thursday, October 10, 2013

3076. CREAMY BOWTIES with BACON, ONION and PEAS

serves 3 as a main dish; 6 as a side

1 pound bowtie pasta
 4 slices thick-sliced bacon
olive oil as needed
 1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 cup frozen sweet peas
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
 2 tablespoons butter 
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. When boiling, cook pasta until al dente (firm to the bite), about 10 minutes. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. While pasta is cooking, make the sauce.

Cut the bacon into 1/4-inch pieces. Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until just lightly golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave remaining bacon drippings in the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add onion to the skillet and sauté until soft and tender, about 4 minutes. Add peas and sauté a few minutes more until heated through. If the skillet starts to get dry, add a little olive oil.

Stir in cream and simmer a few minutes until it begins to reduce and thicken.

Add cooked, drained pasta and bacon to the skillet and toss gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated and pasta is coated with the sauce. If the dish seems dry, add in some of the pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and drizzle in a little more olive oil and the butter. Swirl until butter is melted. Sprinkle on some grated cheese and serve.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Susan Filson, Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy, November 4, 2010

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

3075. KIMCHI and BACON GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

one serving

2 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
2-4 tablespoons kimchi, drained and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 slices bread
2 slices cheddar (or 1/2 cup shredded)

Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat, set aside on paper towels to drain reserving 1 teaspoon of grease in the pan. Add the kimchi and saute until it starts to caramelize, about 3-5 minutes. Heat a clean pan over medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of bread, place one slice in the pan with buttered side down, top with half of the cheese, the kimchi, bacon, the remaining cheese and finally the other slice of bread with buttered side up. Grill until golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2-4 minutes per side.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Kevin Lynch, Closet Cooking, April 7, 2013

Tuesday, October 08, 2013

3074. LEEKS en COCOTTE

makes 8 servings

8 leeks, white and pale-green parts only
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 pound thick-cut bacon, sliced crosswise 1/4 " thick
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Slice each leek in half lengthwise without cutting all the way through the other side; rinse under cold water (gently opening layers) until water runs clear. Pat dry. Heat oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add shallot and bacon and cook, stirring, until bacon is crisp, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook, occasionally turning leeks and stirring gently, until leeks are bright green, about 5 minutes. Add wine to skillet; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until leeks are just tender, 8–10 minutes longer. Mix in butter. Serve leeks topped with chives.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Mimi Thorrison, Bon Appétit, October 2013

Monday, October 07, 2013

3073. SMOKED EEL, BACON and MASH

serves two as a main course, or four as a starter

250 grams smoked eel fillets
200 grams dry-cure bacon, back or streaky
4 large baking potatoes
150 grams butter
150ml thick cream
grated horseradish
chives
pepper

Prick the skin of the potatoes with a fork and sling in a 200°C oven for an hour and a half. Slice the potatoes in half, spoon out the contents into a pan placed over a low heat. Mash the potatoes. Once the potatoes are reasonably mashed start adding the butter, a little at a time, and mashing it thoroughly into the potatoes. Once all the the butter is incorporated then add the cream and mash/stir that in completely. Stick a lid on the pan and put it in the oven to keep warm. Fry the bacon up until the fat only just begins to go slightly crispy. Stick the bacon on a warm plate so it doesn’t go cold.
You’ll want the eel fillets in a total of 4-8 pieces for ease of sharing, so cut them up if you need to, then put all the pieces in the still-warm bacon pan for 30 seconds, turn them over and leave them for another 30 seconds. Put put the eel on a plate, put bacon on top, stir a bum-load of freshly ground pepper into the mash and then spoon a helping of peppered-creamy-butter-potato onto each plate. To finish this you’ll want a little spoonful of grated horseradish on the side of each plate and finely chop some chives on top of the the mash.

bacon recipe courtesy of: adapted from David Strange's Elitistreview.com, October 6, 2012; The New Forest Smokery, River Cottage, Ashford Road, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 1BZ UK

Sunday, October 06, 2013

3072. SMOKED HADDOCK with POTATO and BACON

serves two

100 grams unsmoked streaky bacon
3 tablespoons rapeseed oil
400 grams, potatoes, medium-sized
500 grams smoked haddock fillets
500 ml double cream
2 bay leaves
6 peppercorns
2 tablespoons curly parsley, finely chopped

Cut the bacon into pieces roughly the size of a postage stamp. Warm the oil in a nonstick frying pan and add the bacon pieces, letting them colour lightly. Cut the potatoes, without peeling them, into 1cm thick slices then cut each slice into short pieces, like tiny chips. Tip into the pan with the bacon and fry for about 15 minutes until golden and cooked right through. Meanwhile put the smoked haddock into a pan with the cream, a couple of bay leaves and 6 black peppercorns. Bring almost to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 5 minutes. Put the lid on and leave to infuse for 15 minutes or so while the potatoes finish cooking. Divide the potatoes and bacon between two warm plates, lift the haddock out of the cream and place a fillet on each plate. Stir the chopped parsley into the cream, then spoon over the fish and serve.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Nigel Slater, for The Observer, January 8, 2012, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, UK

Saturday, October 05, 2013

3071. GREENS with BACON, MUSHROOMS and BLUE CHEESE

makes eight servings

4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1" pieces
1 small red onion, sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 pound chanterelles or crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, cut into pieces
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
8 ounces hearty greens (such as mustard greens, spinach, or baby kale), torn
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Cook onion in same skillet, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 6–8 minutes, using a slotted spoon, transfer to plate with bacon. Repeat with mushrooms. Remove skillet from heat. Add garlic, vinegar, sugar, and mustard, scraping up browned bits. Whisk in oil; season dressing with salt and pepper. Toss greens, warm dressing, bacon, onion, and mushrooms in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper and top with cheese.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Duane Sorenson, Bon Appétit, October 2013

Friday, October 04, 2013

3070. BACON CHOPS with GOOSEBERRY SAUCE

serves four

1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
1 teaspoon mustard powder pepper
4 bacon chops, each weighing 6 oz.
1/2 oz. butter
1 large onion, skinned and chopped
1/4 pint vegetable stock
4 oz. gooseberries, topped and tailed

Mix together the brown sugar, mustard and pepper and rub into both sides of the bacon chops. Melt the butter in a large frying pan or flameproof casserole. Cook the onion for 2 minutes, then add the bacon chops, half the stock and the gooseberries. Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove chops. Puree onions and gooseberries in blender or food processor until smooth. Return the chops and puree to the pan with the remaining stock. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, until the chops are tender and cooked through.

bacon recipe courtesy of: All British Food.com

Thursday, October 03, 2013

3069. PAN-FRIED WHITING with CRISPY BACON and BUTTER SAUCE

serves four

4 whiting fillets, about 175 grams each, skin on
12 slices of thinly sliced streaky bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil

Butter Sauce
25 grams shallots, peeled and very finely chopped
4 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cream
125 grams unsalted butter, diced
salt and freshly-ground pepper
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste

Grill the bacon until crispy, keep warm. Place the shallots, white wine and water in a heavy-based pan and bring to boil. Let it simmer until reduced to a quarter. Add the cream and boil for one minute. Reduce the heat and add in all the butter. Whisk vigorously until you have a lovely silky sauce - do not let the sauce boil or it will separate. Remove from the heat, season and keep warm. Season the whiting with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add 2 tablesp. of olive oil. Add the fillets skin side down and cook for 3-4 minutes, the skin should be crisp. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Bord Bia: Irish Food Board, Clanwilliam Court, Lower Mount St, Dublin, Ireland

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

3068. PIKE with SAUERKRAUT and BACON

serves six

2 lb. of pike or other firm white-meat fish, cut in fillets
water or fish stock, to cover
3 onions
1 stalk celery, with leaves
6 peppercorns
salt
8 slices bacon, diced
1 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
sauerkraut
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sour cream
paprika
6-8 cooked crawfish tails or shrimps (optional)

Poach fish in water or stock along with 1 sliced onion, celery, peppercorns, and a little salt. When flaky, remove fish; strain and reserve stock. Fry bacon and as fat becomes rendered add 2 diced onions. Fry slowly until bacon and onion are golden brown. Butter a 6-cup soufflé dish and sprinkle bottom and sides with bread crumbs, tapping out excess. Place a layer of sauerkraut in the dish, add a layer of the onion and bacon mixture and another of fish. Repeat layers in that order until dish is full, ending with sauerkraut. Melt 3 tablespoons butter, stir in flour, and sauté over low heat for about 5 minutes or until flour begins to take on color. Measure stock and, if necessary, add enough water to make 2 cups. Add to butter and flour mixture along with the sour cream. Stir until smooth. Season with salt and paprika to taste. Place crawfish or shrimps around top of sauerkraut. Add sauce and a generous layer of bread crumbs dotted with remaining butter. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until sauce is golden brown and bubbling.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Horizon Cookbook: An Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking through the Ages, by the Editors of Horizon Magazine. American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., 1968

Tuesday, October 01, 2013

3067. CREMINI MUSHROOM, BACON and SHALLOT CRUSTLESS QUICHE

yields 1 (9-inch) quiche, 6 to 8 servings

8 thin slices bacon, about 6 ounces

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms or a combination of cultivated and wild mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
6 medium shallots, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups half-and-half
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
Freshly ground black pepper
Generous pinch freshly grated nutmeg
4 ounces grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese, about 1 cup
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the bacon in a medium skillet, over medium-high heat until just crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan. Add 2 tablespoons butter, the mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring over medium heat, until the mushroom juices evaporate, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the shallots and cook until tender and mushrooms are golden, about 3 minutes more. Add the garlic and parsley. Remove from heat, cool slightly.

Brush a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie pan with the remaining butter and sprinkle evenly with the grated Parmesan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Scatter half the Gruyere into the pan and crumble the bacon on top. Add 3/4 of the mushrooms, then the remaining cheese.

Whisk the half-and-half, eggs and yolks in large glass measuring cup. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Pour the custard over the fillings. Top with remaining mushroom mixture and sprinkle with chives.

Bake until the quiche is just set in the center, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a rack before serving.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Food Network Kitchens, Food Network, 2009

Monday, September 30, 2013

3066. WHOLE TROUT stuffed with PEA PODS, MUSHROOMS and SCRAMBLED EGGS broiled in BACON

4 medium trout
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped Chinese pea pods
bacon

Slit the trout open along the back, between the head and tail, carefully removing the bones and entrails. Sprinkle the trout with salt.

Beat the eggs and season with salt. Add the chopped mushrooms and pea pods. Scramble the mixture, but do not allow to become too dry. Remove to a dish and allow to cool.

Stuff the egg and vegetable mixture into the trout. Wrap each fish spirally with a strip of bacon, securing with toothpicks. Broil the trout slowly until done, turning once. Remove the toothpicks before serving.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Japanese Cuisine: A Culinary Tour, by John D. Keys. Tokyo & Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1966, p. 71

Sunday, September 29, 2013

3065. BIGOS (HUNTER'S STEW)

serves 6-8

1 large cabbage
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 lb. bacon, diced
1/2 lb. each: boneless veal, pork, lamb, and beef, cubed
2 large onions, chopped
2 large tart apples, peeled and chopped
2 cups beef broth
1/2 Polish sausage

Shred the cabbage and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let stand for 1 hour. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy pot with lid and fry the bacon cubes. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Brown cubed meat well and add onions and apples to brown. Season with salt and pepper. Press out the water from the cabbage. Add to the meat along with remaining butter and fry lightly, turning mixture over with a fork. Add broth to stew. Put the lid on the pot, leaving a small vent, and simmer slowly fro 2 1/2 hours. Slice sausage and add to stew. Add reserved bacon and simmer for 1/2 hour longer.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Horizon Cookbook: An Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking through the Ages, by the Editors of Horizon Magazine. American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., 1968

Saturday, September 28, 2013

3064. LEIBERSPIESSCHEN

calf's livers grilled with bacon and sage on skewers

serves four

1 lb. calf's liver
6 slices bacon, cut in 2-inch pieces
fresh sage leaves
1/3 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped
salt and pepper

Slice the liver into 2-inch long pieces, 1/4 inch thick. Thread on small metal or wooden skewers, alternating with pieces of bacon and a sage leaf. Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet. Add onion and brown for 3 minutes, then add the skewered liver. Saute until brown on each side, for about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. If fresh sage is not available, 1/2 teaspoon dried sage may be added to the butter.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Horizon Cookbook: An Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking through the Ages, by the Editors of Horizon Magazine. American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., 1968

Friday, September 27, 2013

3063. ONION PIE with LAVENDER, BACON and BLUE CHEESE

makes 4 to 6 servings

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell (homemade or store-bought; use deep-dish shell if purchased)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk or cream
2 cups caramelized onions (recipe below)
4 ounces bacon, diced, cooked and drained
2 teaspoons food-grade dried lavender
4 to 8 ounces blue cheese, such as gorgonzola, crumbled

Caramelized Onions; makes about 2 cups
2 pounds yellow onions
1 to 2 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 teaspoons sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)

Halve the onions, remove the tough outer layers and cut the onion halves into thin slices.

Place the onion slices in a plastic bowl, sprinkle with salt and sugar, and toss. Set aside for at least 10 minutes. (There is no maximum time, although some unwanted but harmless browning may occur after a couple of hours.)

Melt the butter, if desired, over medium heat in a wide iron pot or skillet. Add the onion. Reserve any liquid left in the bowl. Cook over medium heat under close observation, stirring or tossing often with a spatula, until the first browning is visible. Reduce the heat and add the liquid from the bowl. For the best result, reduce the heat to very low, cover the pot and cook for an hour or more, stirring every 10 minutes or so. For a shorter process, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook under close observation for about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the pie shell for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Let it cool.
Whisk together the eggs and milk or cream in a medium bowl. Add the onions and bacon, whisk to combine and pour the mixture into the baked pie crust. Sprinkle with the lavender and crumbled blue cheese.

Place the pie in the oven on the lower rack. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until almost set but still slightly soft in the middle. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Andreas Viestad, for The Washington Post, April 16, 2008

Thursday, September 26, 2013

3062. POLLACK with PARSLEY SAUCE and CRISP BACON

serves two

1 tablespoon plain flour
2 x 200g/8oz thick pollack fillets, skin on
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
4 rindless rashers good streaky bacon

For the parsley sauce
200ml whole milk
½ medium onion, quartered
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon plain flour
nutmeg, for grating
small bunch curly parsley, chopped

To make the sauce, pour the milk into a medium pan and add the onion and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer on the hob and cook for 5 mins. Turn off the heat, then leave to stand for 30 mins. When cool, remove the onion and bay leaf.

To prepare the fish, toss the flour, a pinch of salt and a couple of twists of black pepper in a large bowl. Add the fish, skin-side down, to coat the skin lightly in the flour. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the fish, skin-side down, and the bacon. Cook the fish for 5-6 mins or until the skin is crisp and it is almost completely opaque – there should be a couple of fingers’ width of uncooked fish running down the centre. Cook the bacon until it is really crisp, turning once, then remove and drain on kitchen paper.

Meanwhile, finish making the parsley sauce. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the flour. Cook for 30 secs. Slowly add the milk to the pan, stirring. Simmer gently for 5 mins, stirring continuously. Season with a good grating of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Keep warm over a low heat, stirring occasionally.

Flip the pollack over, reduce the heat slightly and cook on the other side for a further min or so until just cooked. Increase the heat under the sauce until it begins to bubble. Stir in the parsley and add a little extra milk if the sauce seems too thick. Season a little more if you like.

Place the fish on two warmed plates. Spoon over the sauce and place the bacon on top. Serve.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Valentine Warner, Good Food Magazine, March 2010

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

3061. BLUE COD wrapped in SMOKED BACON

2 x 100-150 gram blue cod fillets

2-3 rashers smoked bacon
80 ml cream
80 ml white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh seasonal herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, mint, coriander)

3-5 cockles

Preheat oven to 180°C. Wrap cod in bacon, place on a baking tray and bake 10-15 minutes until fish is opaque and cooked through. Meanwhile, combine cream, wine and herbs in a small pan, add cockles and simmer until liquid is reduced to a thin sauce consistency and cockles have opened. To serve, place wrapped cod on a plate, surround with cockles and pour over sauce from pan.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Fleur Sullivan, for NZ House & Garden; Fairfax Magazines, 317 New North Road, Eden Terrace, PO Box 6341 Wellesley St, Auckland, New Zealand

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

3060. BACON-WRAPPED CATFISH NUGGETS

makes about four servings

2 lbs. catfish filets, cut into 1 ¼” pieces

2 cups milk

8 strips bacon

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

3 cups canola oil (for frying)

8-10 6” wooden skewers

In a large bowl, place the catfish pieces, cover with milk and refrigerate for about one hour. In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium-low heat until partially cooked but still limp (turning once). Remove bacon from skillet, drain on paper towels and set aside for later use. In a separate bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne, and salt, and mix well. Starting with a piece of bacon, skewer the bacon, then a piece of fish, then wrap the bacon onto the skewer again, and keep alternating bacon/fish, weaving the bacon around each piece of fish. Dredge the skewered fish in the flour mixture until well coated on all sides, and shake off any excess. Heat oil in a deep 10” skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Fry the catfish skewers in the oil until golden brown and fully cooked, about 5 minutes per side, turning with tongs. Remove from oil with spatula and place on baking tray, and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Kay & Tom Van Treese, The Three-Headed Chef: Dinner After Midnight, April 25, 2013

Monday, September 23, 2013

3059. SMOKY PECANS and CASHEWS with BACON

½ cup sugar
½ cup water
20 ounces (total) of cashews and pecan halves
½ cup bacon, approximately 6 slices, cooked and chopped; reserve drippings
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon smoked sea salt, or more to taste

Cook the bacon and chop it into ½ inch pieces. Reserve the drippings in a small bowl. You will use half of it at the end of the cooking time. Place the water and sugar in a sauté pan (do not use non-stick) and allow it to come to a boil. Add the nuts and stir continuously until the sugar has caramelized and the water has evaporated. Stir in the bacon and remove the nuts from the heat. Stir in half of the bacon drippings and the butter. Pour the nuts onto a silicone baking sheet or a greased baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle the salt onto the nuts. When they have cooled completely, separate the nuts and place them in a serving bowl.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Kelly Yandell, The Meaning of Pie, February 4, 2012

Sunday, September 22, 2013

3058. PASTA with BACON GARLIC MARINARA and HOMEMADE MEATBALLS

For the Marinara:
2 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 large heirloom tomatoes (about 3 pounds), blanched, peeled, and cored (keep the seeds)
salt and pepper

For the Meatballs:
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French or country-style bread
1/3 cup whole milk
8 ounces ground beef (15% fat)
8 ounces ground pork
1 cup finely ground (not grated) Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 large garlic cloves, pressed

To serve:
1 pound of fresh pasta
parmesan cheese

First, get the sauce going (it will take about 2 hours). Saute the bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over high heat until starting to brown. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper and saute for an additional 2 minutes, stirring pretty constantly. Add the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you put them into the pot, and scrape the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Immediately start the meatballs once sauce is simmering. Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl, stirring until breadcrumbs are evenly moistened. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Place beef and pork in a large bowl and break into small clumps. Add the parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Whisk together the eggs and the garlic cloves in another small bowl. Pour over meat mixture.

Using your hands, squeeze the excess milk from the breadcrumbs, reserving the milk. Add the breadcrumbs to the meat mixture. Using your hands, quickly and gently mix all ingredients together until everything is evenly distributed, taking care to not overmix. Chill at least 15 minutes and up to one hour.

Moisten your hands with the excess milk, then roll the meat into golfball-size balls. You should have about 16 meatballs.

Using an immersion blender or regular blender, puree the sauce to the desired consistency. Return to a wide, shallow saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Add the meatballs in a single layer, and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. You'll want to turn them about halfway through, but be careful not to break them apart before they are ready to move.

Cook pasta and drain. Remove meatballs from sauce. Add pasta to sauce pan and toss to coat. Serve with meatballs and shredded parmesan cheese.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Relay Foods: An Online Market for Sustainable Foods & Everyday Groceries; adapted from a recipe by Molly Wizenberg, Bon Appétit

Saturday, September 21, 2013

3057. WARM KIDNEY and BACON SALAD

serves two

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

6 tablespoons olive oil

9-10 cm square piece of bacon, sliced into 3cm x 1cm batons

6 lambs kidney, split in half lengthways and white core removed

knob butter

2 large handfuls frisée lettuce, washed

For the shallot puree

butter, for frying

3 banana shallots, diced

1 bay leaf

double cream, for moistening

For the croutons

oil, for frying

4 slices of day old white bread, crust removed and cut into 1cm cubes

For the puree: melt a knob of butter in a heavy-based pan over a low heat and gently sweat the shallots with the bay leaf for about 30 miutes, until they are really soft.

Add a splash of cream and increase the heat until the cream bubbles. Remove the pan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a blender (don’t add all the liquid from the pan until you know the consistency you have after blending). Puree the mix and add a little more liquid from the pan if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set the mixture aside until ready to serve.

For the croutons: heat a little oil in a heavy-based shallow pan and fry the bread cubes until golden on all sides. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and mustard, then slowly pour in the oil and whisk until emulsified into a dressing. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a heavy-based pan until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the pan, and chop.

Season the kidneys on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Melt a knob of butter in the bacon frying pan, and add the kidneys, colouring then for about 2 minutes on each side and shaking the pan. They should still be a little pink in the middle. Remove them from the pan and leave them to rest for 1-2 minutes, then drain off any blood.

Put the bacon and kidneys back in the pan over a gentle heat to warm through. Add the croutons and a drizzle of the dressing and toss over the heat again for a minute or two.

To serve, dress the lettuce with the remaining dressing and arrange on serving plates. Add a couple of dollops of shallot puree, sprinkle over the bacon pieces and then top with the warm kidney and scatter over the croutons.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Matt Tebbutt, Market Kitchen, Good Food Channel, UK-TV

Friday, September 20, 2013

3056. HONEY MAPLE BRIOCHE with BACON JAM

12 oz bread flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground clove
1.5 teaspoon table salt
1 oz dark brown sugar
1/2 oz honey
1/2 oz maple syrup (plus more for glaze)
1 large egg
2 1/4 oz package instant/rapid rise yeast
7 oz whole milk
1.5 oz unsalted butter, room temperature, cut in small pieces
bacon jam (recipe below)
powdered sugar
bourbon

Bacon jam
1.5 lbs uncooked bacon, cut into pieces (about 1-inch)
1 teaspoon (plus more to taste) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon (plus more to taste) chile powder
1 teaspoon (plus more to taste) dried thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 vidalia onion, thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2–3 cloves of garlic, smashed
4 tablespoons (plus more) dark brown sugar
8 oz bourbon
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon ground mustard
2 tablespoons (plus more) maple syrup
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons (plus more) sriracha
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon coffee extract (or 2 tablespoons brewed coffee)
olive oil (as needed)

Place uncooked bacon in a medium sized pot or small dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with paprika, chile powder and dried thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to crisp. (Add a little olive oil if the bacon begins to stick to bottom of pot before it is crisp.) Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels, keeping all bacon fat in pot. Add the butter to the pot with the bacon fat and let it melt, swirling it around. Add the sliced onions, shallots, smashed garlic cloves and the dark brown sugar. Stir to combine. Over medium heat, let the mixture begin to caramelize. This should take about 10 minutes. Pour in the bourbon, stir and cook for about 5 minutes—until the alcohol smell goes away. Stir in the remaining ingredients to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about an hour or until most of the liquid is evaporated and it is thick and syrupy. Throughout the simmering, be sure to stir occasionally and taste. Add in more bourbon, maple syrup, brown sugar, sriracha to taste while it simmers away. Once the mixture is thick, transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until it is finely chopped, if you have a lot in the pot, you can use an immersion blender. (If the mixture is hot, puree in small batches. Use a kitchen towel instead of the lid if you’re using a blender.) Let the mixture cool. You can spread the jam into a quarter-inch layer on a sheet pan and cover with parchment paper.

Brioche
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Add the salt, sugar, honey, maple syrup and egg to one side of the bowl. On the other side, add the yeast.

Turn the mixer on low and add the milk in a steady stream. Once all the milk has been added, turn the mixer up to medium and knead until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl (about 10 minutes). If the dough looks dry, add a little more milk. If it looks wet, add a little more bread flour.

Add the butter to the dough (while the mixer is still going) in small increments, waiting for the butter to be incorporated before adding any more. Once all the butter has been incorporated, knead for about 5 minutes until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and it makes a slapping sound in the mixer. Remove the dough and place in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic and place in the fridge to ferment overnight (at least 8 hours).

Remove dough from fridge and punch down. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cut the dough in half and cover the unused half so that it doesn’t dry out. With the remaining half, roll it out into a square using a rolling pin slightly larger than the longest side of your loaf pan. (Try rolling it out first WITHOUT adding flour to the surface first. If you find that it sticks, then use a small amount of flour.)

Spread the bacon jam in an even layer all over the dough; go right up to the edges. Then tightly roll up the dough working from one end to the other, slighly pinching so that the dough seals as you go. Once it is all rolled up, pinch the seam and apply a little pressure to make sure that it stays together. With a VERY sharp knife, cut the roll in half (lengthwise) so you end up with two long half circles.

Lie the two halves next to each other with the cut sides facing up. Starting in the middle, have one halve cross over the other. Alternate the twists twice above the middle and twice below the middle. You will have twisted the two haves together, alternating over each other. Place into a greased loaf pan, cutside up. Repeat with remaining dough half. Cover and proof for about an hour, or until doubled inside.

Bake in oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Be sure to rotate pans halfway through. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing and letting cool completely on a rack.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Chris Falman, Baker By Design

Thursday, September 19, 2013

3055. SEARED BOK CHOY with BACON VINAIGRETTE

makes four servings

1 1/2 to 2 pounds Shanghai or (baby) bok choy, parboiled and shocked
6 ounces bacon, finely chopped
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn

Cut the bok choy in half lengthwise and put the cut side down on paper towels to drain. Meanwhile, put the bacon in a small pan over medium-high heat. When it starts to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium and cook until crisp and the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the vinegar, sprinkle with salt and a good amount of pepper, and then whisk in 3 tablespoons of the oil (it won’t fully emulsify). Set aside.

Put a large, wide skillet over high heat. When it’s very hot, add the remaining neutral oil and put a few pieces of bok choy, cut side down, in the pan (it will spatter, so be careful). Do not overcrowd the pan; you want at least an inch on all sides between the pieces. Cook the bok choy without moving it until the cut side is dark brown and slightly charred. Continue cooking the bok choy in batches.

Pile the seared bok choy on a platter in a serving bowl; give the bacon vinaigrette a stir and drizzle it over the bok choy. Serve warm or at room temperature.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food; Mark Bittman.com, March 25, 2011

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

3054. CLAMS with SMOKY BACON and TOMATOES

yields four main-course servings

6 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

1/2 cup chopped drained roasted red bell peppers from jar

6 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Heat large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and onion; sauté until bacon is crisp around edges and onion starts to brown, stirring, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and peppers; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add clams, cover, and boil until clams open, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes (discard any clams that do not open). Stir in 1/4 cup parsley. Divide among shallow bowls. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons parsley.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Bon Appétit

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

3053. PUFFBALL, LOBSTER MUSHROOM and BACON FRITTATA

serves 6-8

1 1/2 cups puffballs, halved or quartered if large
1 heaping cup lobster mushrooms, sliced (discard any brown-fleshed pieces)
1 tablespoons bacon fat
1 tablespoons butter
salt
several pinches Herbes de Provence
7 medium eggs (5-6 jumbo)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
6 strips maple bacon, cooked until firm and roughly chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a frying pan on low medium heat, sauté puffballs and lobster mushrooms with bacon fat, butter, salt, and several pinches Herbes de Provence. Cook until mushrooms are soft throughout, and begin to turn a caramel golden brown, at least ten minutes. Set aside. Heat an oiled cast iron skillet (9-10″) over low medium heat. Add additional butter, bacon fat, or olive oil to coat the pan if needed. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk, two minutes. And the reserved mushrooms. Add cheese, bacon, onion, salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence, and mix well. Pour mixture into cast iron skillet when it is heated, and cook for 5-7 minutes. Occasionally run a spatula across the bottom of the pan in a figure-8 motion, to prevent the egg mixture from sticking, and to more quickly distribute heat. When mixture starts to bubble through to the top (about the same time that a turn of the spatula reveals a large chunk of cooked egg), transfer pan to the oven. Bake for 12-16 minutes more, until frittata is cooked through. Remove from oven, and allow to cool slightly before serving.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Emma, of agates and madeleines, September 24, 2012

Monday, September 16, 2013

3052. SUMMER CORN and OYSTER CHOWDER with BACON and FENNEL

yields two appetizer servings

4 oz. smoked slab bacon, diced
1/2 small onion, small dice
1/4 cup small dice fennel bulb (reserve tops for garnish)
1/4 cup small dice celery

2 cobs yellow corn, grated

up to 1 cup whole milk

10 oysters shucked, liquor retained

salt to taste

Put the diced bacon in a saute pan over medium heat and cook until the fat has been rendered and the bacon is crispy. Pour off the fat, leaving about 2 teaspoons in the pan with the crispy bacon. Add the onion, celery, and fennel and cook until softened. Remove the pan from the heat for about 30 seconds to allow it to cool slightly, then add the grated corn (it should be very juicy). Return to the heat and stir constantly as it thickens. Once it is bubbling, add half the milk and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the oysters with their liquor. Stir well and judge consistency; if you prefer it to be a little thinner add a bit more milk to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and heat quickly to desired temperature. Serve at once; if the soup is allowed to stand too long the oysters will overcook and become tough. Serve in warm bowls and garnish with fennel fronds.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Eric Joppie, Bar Avignon, 2138 SE Division Street, Portland, OR 97202; Eric Joppie will be participating in Feast Portland (Sunday, September 22, 10 a.m.). Watch Eric Joppie on KATU.com.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

3051. YUCATAN BURGERS with ASADERO CHEESE, BACON, and AVOCADO SOUR CREAM

1 Haas avocado, pitted and diced

1 cup Mexican sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
12 slices bacon, diced
2 ounces achiote paste
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 pounds ground chuck
1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
1/2 pound asadero cheese (or other Mexican cheese)
6 hamburger buns, split

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
To make Avocado Sour Cream, place the avocado in a small mixing bowl and mash with the back of a fork until relatively smooth. Add sour cream, lime juice, garlic, and oregano; mix until well combined. Refrigerate until serving. Place a large fireproof non-stick skillet on the grill. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. To make the patties, in a large bowl add achiote paste and orange juice; stir until well combined. Add beef, chili powder, allspice, salt, and pepper. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the buns. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, just until done, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. During the last few minutes of cooking, top the burgers with equal amounts of Asadero cheese and place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.To assemble the burgers, place a generous amount of avocado sour cream on the cut sides of buns. On each bun bottom, place a patty topped with cheese and equal amounts of bacon. Add the bun tops and serve.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Sutter Home Winery, Inc., St. Helena, CA 94574

Saturday, September 14, 2013

3050. GRAVLAX CLUB SANDWICH

yields 8 sandwiches

16 thin slices grain bread

16 slices bacon, halved crosswise
2 red onions, cut into small dice
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice
8 sprigs cilantro, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 mint leaves
2 jalapeno peppers, cut into small dice
4 avocados, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 limes, juiced
8 thin slices gravlax, plus 2 more slices cut into 16 strips crosswise and rolled into rosettes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast the bread slices and let cool.

Roast the bacon in oven until crisp.

Chop red onion, tomato, cilantro, garlic, mint leaves, and jalapeno finely. Put in a bowl. Add the avocado and pour in lime juice. Toss the avocado mixture and season well with salt and pepper.

Place 1 tablespoon avocado mixture on each slice of gravlax. Fold the gravlax into a square, so that the avocado is wrapped in the center. Place the bacon and gravlax between 2 slices of bread. Cut the sandwich diagonally. Place a rosette on top each half and place 2 pieces of bacon on top of the rosette.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Marcus Samuelsson, "Midsummer Swedish Buffet," Sara's Secrets, Food Network