2558. WINTER MACHE SALAD with BACON, CRISPY EGG and HOMEMADE GARLIC RANCH DRESSING

makes one serving


1 thick slice applewood bacon; chopped roughly
1 whole egg
mache lettuce leaves or any other baby leaf blend
red onion; sliced thinly
salt and pepper
garlic ranch dressing (recipe below)

Garlic Ranch Dressing
makes 4-6 servings
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup buttermilk
½ garlic clove; gratedr
red onion, grated, with the juice
salt and pepper

Combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, grated garlic, grated onion with its juices, and salt and pepper into a small bowl. Use a whisk to blend the ingredients together, smoothing out the mixture. Adjust seasonings to suit your taste.

For Salad: In a small fry pan set over medium-high heat, brown the bacon bits. While this happens, begin construction of your salad. Place desired amount of mache lettuce leaves onto a big plate or bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Disperse thinly sliced red onion throughout. When the bacon is done cooking, set aside, leaving behind the grease. Fry the egg, seasoning with salt and pepper, and then cook almost all the way through. Finish by flipping it over to cook over easy. Set aside. Dress the salad lightly with the homemade garlic ranch dressing. Adorn the salad with the fried egg and scatter the bacon bits all around.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Stephanie Russell, Okie Dokie Artichokie, January 11, 2011

2557. BACON-ENCRUSTED MARLIN

1 lb. marlin
several strips of bacon, cooked crisp
coconut oil or pork fat
freshly ground black pepper

Bring the oil to medium heat in a skillet. Chop the bacon into small pieces. Cover both sides of the marlin with the bacon pieces and pepper. Grill the marlin for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, flipping halfway through the cook time.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Scott Hagnas, Catalyst Athletics, 1257 Tasman Dr, Suite A, Sunnyvale, California 94089, April 29, 2011

2556. ALASKA OCTOPUS GUMBO with BACON

1/2 cup bacon, diced
2 cups water
1 pint fresh octopus, steamed until tender
2 cups steamed rice, slightly undercooked
1 lb. tomatoes
1 can okra
1/2 cup onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup celery, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Boil bacon in water for 15 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer together for 10 minutes. Serve with warm cornbread.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Starvin Marvin's Seafood's, Wholesale Seafood Supplier, P.O. Box 5022, Charleston Oregon 97420

2555. SPLIT PEA SOUP with BACON, HAM HOCK and SPARE RIBS

yields twelve servings


4 oz. (1/2 cup) slab bacon, finely diced
1 slab of pork spare ribs, cut into individual pieces
1 small carrot, finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 tablespoon Kosher salt, or more to taste
1 lb. split peas (1 1/3 cups)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 smoked ham hock
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
crusty bread for serving

Sauté bacon in a 6-quart Dutch oven over med-low heat until the fat has rendered and it's cooked, 5-10 mins. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon, increase the heat under the pot to medium, and add the ribs. Brown on both sides, 3 minutes per side. Remove the ribs to a plate and set aside. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and salt and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Add the split peas, garlic, bay leaf, thyme (sprigs tied together to be removed later), ham hock, cayenne pepper, black pepper, the ribs, and 2 1/2 quarts water. Simmer, skimming the foam that will rise to the surface as the water comes up to heat, until the peas and spare ribs are tender, 2-3 hours. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Remove the hock from the soup. When it's cool enough to handle, pick the meat off it and add it back to the soup (discard the bone). To serve, divide the ribs among bowls and ladle the soup over them.  Eat with abundant, crusty bread.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michael Symons, The Chew, ABC-TV

2554. PASTRAMI BACON MELT

serves two


1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon horseradish
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons jalapeno peppers, diced
2 tablespoons (8 olives) Spanish manzanilla olives with minced pimento
4 tablespoons sweet pickle, diced
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
6 slices bacon, cooked
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 slices (approx. 1/2 lb.) pastrami
1 tablespoon butter
3 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
3 oz. Temptin cheese, shredded
4 slices extra sour rye bread

In a small bowl, mix all spicy spread ingredients together and set aside. (This can be made ahead of time and kept refrigerated.) Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until slightly crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside to keep warm. In a medium-size sauté pan over medium heat, add extra-virgin olive oil and pastrami. Heat the pastrami thoroughly, approximately 4 minutes. Keep warm. Heat a large, flat grill pan over medium heat and melt butter. Lay the slices of bread on top of the butter then distribute the Temptin cheese on two halves and the cheddar cheese on the other two halves. Cook open faced until the cheese melts and the bread is golden, about 6 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Mezzetta.com,  G.L. Mezzetta, Inc., 105 Mezzetta Court, American Canyon, California 94503

2553. TOFU, KIMCHI and BACON TACOS

makes 8 tacos, to serve 3 or 4


8 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu
8 ounces napa cabbage kimchi, drained and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips (about 1 packed cup)
About 1/2 teaspoon sugar
About 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika o ground chipotle chile, and/or 1 1/2 teaspoons Korean red pepper powder (gochu garu)
4 to 5 ounces bacon, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips
1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (crush a smidgen for the kimchi sour cream below)
1 extra large jalapeño chile, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/8-inch-thick rings
1 to 2 tablespoons kimchi pickling liquid (save from draining kimchi)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, optional
8 corn tortillas
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
1 small ripe avocado, seeded and cut into wedges
1 batch of kimchi sour cream (recipe below)
1 or 2 limes, cut into wedges

Kimchi Sour Cream
1 1/2 teaspoons mature (stinky) kimchi juice
2 pinches sea salt
2 pinches sugar
Smidgen of crushed garlic
1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
 
To make the kimchi sour cream, stir together the kimchi juice, salt, sugar, garlic, fish sauce, vinegar, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Let sit for 5 minutes then taste and adjust the flavor. Cover until you are ready to serve. Makes about 1/4 cup. 

Tofu, Kimchi and Bacon Tacos
Cut the tofu into thin little matchbooks, each one about 1/3 inch thick, 3/4 inch wide and the length of the first two joints of your index finger. Set on several layers of paper towel or a non-terry dishcloth to drain for about 15 minutes.

Season the kimchi with the sugar and paprika or chile  powder. Aim to balance and brighten the flavor, as well as inject a bit of heat. You can combine them all, if they’re available. Set aside.

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon. Scatter it in, spreading the pieces out flat. After 1 minute, when some of the fat has rendered, start stir-frying. When the bacon is gently sizzling all over and has browned a bit (but not crisp), transfer to a plate, leaving the fat behind.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat (reserve any extra or add some oil if you need to). Reheat the skillet over medium-high heat. Blot the tofu one last time, then add the pieces to the skillet. Pan-fry them for 3 to 4 minutes, turning midway, until golden. They won’t be totally crisp but have some character. Add to the plate with the bacon.

Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat (or oil) to the skillet, then cook the onion until soft and a little brown, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno chile, and cook until no longer raw smelling.

Add the kimchi and cook to warm through. Return the tofu and bacon to the pan and combine and heat through. Splash in the kimchi pickling liquid to flavor and moisten. Cook for a final minute, stirring, until the tofu has turned orange-red. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings with extra sugar or salt. Drizzle with sesame oil, if using. Set aside or cover with an inverted bowl, if you want to keep warm. The mixture can easily be reheated until hot or eaten warm.

Reheat the tortillas in a skillet, microwave oven, or atop a gas burner. To serve, distribute the tofu mixture among the tortillas. Add the avocado, drizzle on some of the kimchi sour cream and top with a sprinkle of cilantro. Squeeze on some lime juice for a tart note. (Or, serve the tofu mixture, tortillas and garnishes in separate containers and have guests help themselves.)


bacon recipe courtesy of: Andrea Nguyen, Viet World Kitchen, May 3, 2012

2552. BACON and PEPPER JACK SKILLET STRATA

yields 6 servings or 8 small servings


6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)
4 ounces bacon, about 4 to 5 slices, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 slices high-quality, crust-on white sandwich bread, cut into 1-inch squares
Garnish: 2 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced including dark green stalks

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk eggs, milk and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese and set aside. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet on medium-high heat, cook bacon until it starts to render fat, about 2 minutes (if bacon is super lean, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil or canola oil to the skillet). Add onion and salt; cook until onion softens and browns lightly, about 6 minutes. Add bread, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold bread into onion mixture until evenly coated. Cook bread, folding occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, fold in the egg mixture until slightly thickened and well combined with the bread. Gently press on the top of the strata to help it soak up the egg mixture. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until the edges and center are puffed and the edges have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pan, about 12 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with green onion slices and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Best Skillet Recipes: A Best Recipe Classic from the Editors of Cook's Illustrated. America's Test Kitchen, 2009 | Cathy Thomas, The Orange County Register,  625 N. Grand Avenue, Santa Ana, California 92701, April 4, 2012

2551. BLOOD ORANGE and BACON HANGOVER SALAD

1/2 cup shelled pistachios 
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
3 tablespoons olive oil 
1 head Boston lettuce (or another leafy green lettuce, such as green leaf or red leaf) 
1 large or 2 small blood oranges, peel removed and slices cut out without the pith (membrane that separates the slices) 
3 strips bacon, cooked to crispy 
2-3 small radishes, quartered to wedges

In a small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, mustard, and a couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking rapidly until mixture is emulsified. Gently tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Toss with the dressing and remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of:  The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove by Cathy Erway. Gotham, 2010 | posted by Caroline Russock on Serious Eats, February 25, 2010

2550. SCRAMBLED EGG, POTATO and BACON TOSTADAS

serves six




vegetable oil for frying tortillas
twelve 8-inch corn tortillas
12 slices bacon (about 1 pound)
4 russet (baking) potatoes
1/4 cup water
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
12 large eggs
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin

Optional Accompaniments:
red and green tomato salsa
corn and avocado relish
sour cream
chopped fresh coriander sprigs

In a 10-inch heavy skillet heat 1/2 inch oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and fry tortillas, 1 at a time, turning with tongs, until pale golden and crisp, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer tortillas as fried with tongs to paper towels to drain and cool completely. Tortillas may be fried 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a shallow baking pan arrange bacon in one layer and cook in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and crumble. Bacon may be made 1 1/4 hours ahead and kept warm on baking sheet in turned-off oven.

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. In a 12-inch non-stick skillet heat water and 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until butter is melted. Add potatoes and cook, covered, over moderately low heat 6 minutes. Remove lid and cook potatoes over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender. Potatoes may be made 1 hour ahead and kept warm on baking sheet in turned-off oven.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste. In skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until melted. Add eggs and cook, stirring and breaking up into bite-size pieces, until just cooked through. Eggs may be made 45 minutes ahead and kept covered.
Spoon potatoes, bacon, and eggs onto tortillas and serve with accompaniments.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet, September 1995

2549. PATE MOUSSE with BACON and WALNUTS

yields three cups

8 slices bacon, diced

1 pound chicken livers 

½ cup brandy 

¾ cup heavy or whipping cream 

1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped

¼ cup mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon dried thyme 

Large pinch ground nutmeg 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts 

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley 

crumbled crisp bacon and chopped fresh Italian parsley, or whole walnut meats and chopped parsley (garnish)

One day before serving, fry the diced bacon in a medium-size skillet until crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sauté the livers in the hot bacon fat over medium-high heat until brown on the outside but still pink inside, 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and reserve. Pour the brandy into the skillet over medium heat and stir, scraping loose browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the cream and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to about 1 cup. Process the livers, onion, and reduced cream in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, thyme, nutmeg, salt to taste, and lots of pepper. Process until smooth. Add the diced bacon, walnuts, and 3 tablespoons parsley and process just until blended. Transfer the liver mixture to a crock or decorative serving dish and refrigerate covered overnight to allow the flavors to blend. Garnish the pate with crumbled bacon and parsley or walnuts and parsley. Serve with crusty bread or assorted crackers.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso, for Cookstr

2548. GREEN TEA SPINACH SALAD with BACON and HARD-COOKED EGGS

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 slices bacon
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon green tea mix
1 to 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped or quartered
3 small red potatoes, unpeeled, cooked, sliced
8 cups lightly packed spinach leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine spinach, potatoes, and mushrooms in salad bowl. In small skillet cook bacon until crisp; drain well, crumble and reserve. Discard all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat in skillet; cook onion in fat until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix cornstarch, apple juice and vinegar; add to skillet and heat to boiling. Boil, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in green tea mix. Pour hot dressing over spinach mixture and toss; add hard-cooked egg and reserved bacon and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Island Teas 

2547. BELGIAN FRIES with BACON DUST and CHIPOTLE MAYO DIPPING SAUCE

3-4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
2 lb. potatoes, peeled, rinsed and dried
1 lb. bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 chipotle pepper, chopped
2 drops Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon cumin

For the french fries: Pour enough oil into a deep fryer or deep sauce pan to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan,but not more than three-quarters of the way up. Heat the oil to 325 degrees. 

Cut the potatoes into sticks 1/2 inch wide and 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. Dry all the pieces thoroughly in a clean dish towel. This will keep th oil from splattering. Divide the potato sticks into batches of no more than 1 cup each. Do not fry more than one batch at a time. 

When the oil has reached the desired temperature, fry the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes per batch. They should be lightly colored, but not browned. If your fryer has a basket, simply lift it out the remove the fried potatoes. Otherwise, use a long-handled skimmer to lift out the potatoes. Be sure to bring the temperature of the oil back to 325°F in between batches. At this point the fries can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are almost ready to serve them. 

For the second frying: Heat the oil to 325°F. Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on fresh paper towels or brown paper bags and place in a warmed serving bowl lined with more paper towels. Sprinkle with bacon dust and serve with the chipotle mayo dipping sauce and/or ketchup. 

For the Bacon Dust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a tray with parchment paper, then line each slice of bacon on tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and dry. 

Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool. Crumble and put in the food processor and pulverize into a fine consistency. 

Put fries, in batches, in paper bag with portions of the bacon dust and shake to coat. 

For the Chipotle Mayo: Combine mayo, chipotle pepper, Tabasco, cumin & adobe sauce, or if you can the chipotle peppers already in a can in the Mexican food section of your grocery store, you can use that. 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Mary Beam, Westbrook, Maine, for Just a Pinch Recipe Club

2546. PAPPARDELLE with BACON CREAM SAUCE

8 oz pappardelle

5 oz bacon chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 oz aged gouda

Boil the Pappardelle pasta according to the instructions. Put the chopped bacon on medium high in a skillet and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon and pour off grease. Then add the heavy cream to deglaze the pan and reduce down until thick. Add the cheese and stir until melted and incorporate. Pour over the pasta and top with the bacon.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Rosy, The Nesting Project, September 10, 2010

2545. CREAMY BACON TOMATO and AVOCADO POTATO SALAD

serves four


6 slices bacon, chopped into one inch pieces
1/2 pound dried rotini pasta
1/2 cup mayonnaise
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 avocado pitted and sliced

Cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Cook pasta according to package directions. Strain. Run cold water over the top until the pasta is cooled. While your bacon and pasta are cooking, whisk mayonnaise, lemon, salt, garlic powder, pepper and dill together in a bowl. Stir cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado and reserved bacon into the dressing. Toss to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Des, Life's Ambrosia, June 2010

2544. BARBECUE CHICKEN and PEACH KABOBS with BACON

makes four servings


1/4 cup barbecue sauce, divided
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 16 pieces
2 peaches, peeled, each cut into 8 pieces
8 slices bacon, cut crosswise in half


Heat grill to medium-high heat. Reserve 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Stack 1 each chicken and peach piece; wrap with 1 bacon piece. Repeat with remaining chicken, peaches and bacon. Thread onto 4 skewers. Brush with remaining barbecue sauce. Grill 12 to 14 minutes or until chicken is done, brushing with reserved sauce the last 2 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sandy B for Kraft Foods, Kraft Foods Global, Inc., Three Lakes Drive, Northfield, Illinois 60093, June 30, 2011

2543. ALMOND-MAPLE-BACON FLORENTINE

yields 4 to 6 florentines


2 ounces all-purpose flour
2 ounces granulated sugar
2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
2 ounces maple syrup
2 ounces blanched sliced almonds
2 ounces crispy rendered bacon, finely crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together in an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Form into small balls and bake on a silpat-fitted baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool to warm. Remove from silpat and form into desired shape.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Andrea Curto-Randazzo, "Challenge: Italian Family Feast," Food Network Challenge, Food Network

2542. BACON and ESCAROLE CUSTARD

2 cups shredded escarole
3 slices of bacon chopped in bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon maple sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
zest of one lemon
1 cup of lowfat milk
½ cup of heavy cream
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
hot water from kettle (enough to fill your roasting pan)
parmesan cheese ¼ cup grated + thin shavings for top
chives
heavy pinch of salt
fresh cracked pepper

Cook bacon in a heavy skillet so that some fat renders out (about 5 minutes). Poor off excess fat and add in escarole. Saute for about five minutes or until greens are tender. Add in maple sugar, mustard. and lemon zest and cook for another minute. Turn off heat.

Heat water in a kettle.

Butter four six ounce ramekins and place them in a small hotel pan or roasting pan.

Heat milk and cream over medium low heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the pot. Turn off heat.

Beat eggs and egg yolks until light. Whisk in one half of milk and cream mixture. Then pour the egg mixture into the pan with the rest of the hot milk and cream- whisking all the time. Add in the grated parmesan.

Divide the escarole/bacon mixture between the four ramekins pour the custard equally on top.

Fill the roasting/hotel pan with the hot water abou an inch from the top of the ramekins.

Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes. They should be jiggly still when you pull them out to cool. You can eat them within 30 minutes if you don’t mind them a bit wet, but they’ll take 2-3 hours to set completely at room temp.

You can top with fresh herbs, pepper, and parmesan.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sabrina Modelle, The Tomato Tart, October 2, 2011

2541. GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE BACON CHEESEBURGER

serves four


2 lbs. ground beef
8 slices bacon, cut up
1 cup vegan cheddar cheese
(Recommendation: Daiya cheddar cheese)
4 gluten-free hamburger buns
(Recommendation: Udi's Classic Hamburger Buns)
lettuce
ketchup

Shape the meat into 8 thin patties. Evenly spread the vegan cheddar on top of 4 of the patties. Then, place 2 slices of bacon on top of the same 4 patties as well. Place the other 4 patties on top of the patties with the bacon and vegan cheddar on them. Press the edges of the patties together, and seal with a fork. Grill the patties over medium coals 8 to 9 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Place the patties on gluten-free hamburger bun with lettuce and ketchup.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Brian Klemm, This Gluten-Free Life

2540. BROWN OYSTER STEW with BENNE SEEDS and BACON

yields four servings


4 tablespoons benne seeds
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons finely diced bacon (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons very finely minced yellow onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
24 oysters, shucked, with liquor strained and reserved
1 1/4 cups fish stock or bottled clam juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil or Italian parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the benne seeds in a small, heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat and dry roast them by cooking them for about 9 minutes or until they become dark and fragrant. Remove from the stove. Roughly crush half the benne seeds with a spoon and reserve. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Sauté the bacon for about 5 minutes, or until crisp and lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Leave the oil and any fat from the bacon in the saucepan. Add the onion and crushed benne seeds to the saucepan and sauté them for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure that they brown but don't burn. When the onions are lightly browned, add the flour, stir well to combine, and cook for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the cream in a separate pan to just below a simmer. Add the reserved oyster liquor, fish stock, and thyme leaves and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk until the mixture simmers happily and without lumps. Add the warm cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the oysters, the remaining 2 tablespoons of benne seeds, the lemon juice, sesame oil, and chervil or parsley. Leave the oyster stew on the heat until the oysters just begin to curl. Quickly remove the saucepan from the heat and add a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper, or to taste. To serve, divide the stew into four warmed soup bowls. Garnish with the reserved chopped bacon and serve immediately. Accompany with oyster crackers or buttered toast fingers. At the table, the stew would be hot and steamy and the oysters plump and juicy.  


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Food, Folklore, and Art of Lowcountry Cooking: A Celebration of the Foods, History, and Romance Handed Down from England, Africa, the Caribbean, France, Germany, and Scotland by Joseph E. Dabney. Cumberland House, 2010 | Atlanta Magazine, August 1, 2010

2539. SPICY OSTRICH LIVER, SMOKY BACON and ONIONS

serves two


350 g (12 oz) ostrich liver, de-veined and thinly sliced
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
6 slices home smoked bacon, chopped roughly
1 teaspoon white cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds, ground
½ chili powder (or to taste)
½ teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
4 tablespoon plain flour
juice from half a lemon
zest from ¼ of a lemon, finely chopped
½ teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons of beer or lager
olive oil for frying

Mix the plain flour, ground spices, salt and add to a shallow dish and roll the liver in the mixture so it's really well covered. Leave the liver in the flour while you cook the onions, so it grabs as much flour as possible. Mix the beer, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and lemon zest together and put to one side. Heat a wok and add a few glugs of olive oil and gently fry the onions for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Just as the onions start to color, add the chopped bacon slices. When the onions are done, reserve and keep warm. Add a dash more oil if the wok is dry and over a low to medium heat, fry the liver for about 1 minute a side so it browns slightly and the blood runs a little. Turn the heat up high and add the liquid and the reserved onions and bacon and reduce to most of the liquid has gone. You should be left with a nice gooey sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cookipedia UK