Saturday, March 31, 2012

2518. FRITTATA with ASPARAGUS, BACON, ASIAGO, POTATOES and CARAMELIZED ONIONS and MUSHROOMS

4 slices of lean bacon, cooked & crumbled
2 teaspoons of olive oil (more if needed)
1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped
several button mushrooms, quartered
7-8 baby fingerling potatoes
7 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
dash of cayenne pepper
grape tomatoes
asparagus, wooden ends removed & cut into thirds
2-3 tablespoons Asiago cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a tart pan with cooking spray.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Place onto a paper towel to drain then chop. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and mushrooms then cook stirring often until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add more olive oil while the onions & mushrooms are cooking if needed.

While the onion & mushrooms are cooking, boil the potatoes in a pot of water for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and let cool. Chop the potatoes into small bite sized chunks.

Place some of the bacon, onion mixture, potatoes, grape tomatoes, and asparagus into the bottom of the tart pan; next add a bit of the Asiago cheese. Combine the eggs with the milk then season with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and cayenne pepper, to taste. Whisk the eggs until they are mixed thoroughly.

Pour the egg mixture into the tart pan then add the remaining onion mixture, potatoes, bacon, grape tomatoes, asparagus, and Asiago to the top.

Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the frittata cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Pam, For the Love of Cooking, November 14, 2011

Friday, March 30, 2012

2517. ROASTED BARLEY SALAD with BACON and VEGETABLES

yields two cups


1 3/4 cups pearl barley (3/4 pound)
5 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
5 cups water
l bay leaf
salt
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 tablespoon minced thyme leaves
1 zucchini, cut 1/2-inch rounds
4 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 pound button mushroom, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 bunch Italian parsley, minced (about 3/4 cup)

Put barley in a saute pan over medium heat and toast until medium brown. In a pot, bring the stock and water to a boil with the bay leaf and salt. Add toasted barley and cook until tender about20 minutes. Drain and spread out on cookie sheet to cool.

Cook bacon in nonstick skillet until crisp. Remove and add the garlic to the same skillet. When it begins to turn light brown, add the carrots and thyme. Saute for 1 minute, then add the zucchini and continue to saute for another 30 seconds. Take off the heat and add vinegar and olive oil, and season. Set aside and let cool.

Toss the barley with the sliced mushrooms, bacon, carrot mixture and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michael Chiarello, "Brown Baggin' It," Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, Food Network

Thursday, March 29, 2012

2516. BACON-SIMMERED PINTO BEANS with JALAPENO PEPPERS and COTIJA CHEESE

makes eight servings


1 1/2 lb. dried pinto beans (4 cups), rinsed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 slices thick-cut bacon, coarsely chopped
1 onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded, minced, divided
Kosher salt
1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (4 oz.; for garnish)
chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)
pickled onions

Place beans in a large pot. Add enough water to cover by 4". Let soak overnight. Drain beans. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in same large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon to pot and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. drippings from pot. Add onion, garlic, and 1 minced jalapeño and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add drained beans to pot. Pour in enough water to cover beans by 2" (about 8 cups). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding more water by 1/2-cupfuls if dry, until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Stir in remaining jalapeño and reserved bacon. Season to taste with salt.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bon Appétit Test Kitchen, Bon Appétit, May 2011

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

2515. HATCH GREEN CHILE BACON PIE

4 thick-cut slices bacon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup masa (corn flour)
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp salt, divided
2 pinches of dried ground chipotle powder
3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup heavy cream, divided
6 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup milk
6 Hatch green chiles, roasted, peeled and diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
6 ounces panela cheese (or mozzarella)
2 ounces cotija cheese (or feta)

Dice the bacon and cook it over medium heat in a skillet until it starts to brown - do not cook it fully. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Make the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, masa flour, cornmeal, 1/2 tsp salt, and a pinch of dried chipotle. In a measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil and 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Pour the liquid into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the dough has just come together. Press the dough over the bottom and up the sides of a large pie plate. The top edge will look a little raggedy; that's fine.

Line the pie plate with a piece of foil, covering all the dough, and add some dried peans or pie weights. Bake the crust 15 minutes, then take it out of the oven. Remove the foil and weights.

While the crust is in the oven, stir together the remaining 3/4 cup cream, the other pinch of chipotle powder, eggs and yolk, milk, diced roasted Hatch green chiles, green onions, cheeses, and cooked bacon. Pour the mixture into the pre-baked pie crust and place the pie plate on a foil-lined baking sheet - this will keep your oven from getting dirty if the pie happens to bubble over.

Bake the pie about 50 minutes, until the center is set and the top is starting to brown. Cool at least one hour before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Erika Penzer Kerekes, In Erika's Kitchen, September 11, 2010

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

2514. JICAMA and BACON with PESTO

1 onion, finely diced
1 bacon rasher, finely chopped
1 jicama, peeled, finely diced
Pesto
Large handful basil leaves
¼ cup pinenuts, toasted
½ cup parmesan, grated
Olive oil
Parmesan, to serve

Heat an oiled frying pan over a medium heat, sauté the onion, bacon and jicama for 2-3 minutes. Place the basil and pine nuts in a mortar and using the pestle grind to a paste, add the parmesan, drizzle with olive oil and season. Spoon the pesto into the frying pan, combine. Spoon into a serving plate and grate over parmesan to serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Andy Ball, bel mondo, Gloucester Walk The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia, for Ready Steady Cook, October 11, 2011

Monday, March 26, 2012

2513. CATALAN SPINACH with RAISINS, PINE NUTS and BACON

serves about 4 people


2 strips of thick cut smoked bacon, cut into small pieces (or 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil)
1 pound fresh washed baby spinach (or frozen: thaw & ring out water)
2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed with side of knife, skin removed
½ cup pine nuts (Spanish)
½ cup raisins
pinch of salt (to taste)
pinch of hot pepper flakes (to taste, optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the cut up bacon and occasionally stir. Once the bacon starts browning, add the garlic, smashed without skin, and sauté until turns golden brown. Remove garlic and reserve. At this point, add in the pine nuts and the raisins. Frequently stir. The raisins will magically inflate and the pine nuts will turn golden brown. Add in the spinach in small batches, stirring, allowing any excess liquid to cook off. Repeat. Add salt and pepper flakes to taste. (Spaniards do not use black or white pepper in traditional dishes like this. They say it changes the flavor too much.) If you really like garlic, add the garlic in at this point. Cook with stirring until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Erin Swing (The Gluten-Free Organic Chemist & Chef), The Sensitive Epicure, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 12, 2011

Sunday, March 25, 2012

2512. PIQUANT CACTUS with BACON and CORNBREAD

yields six servings


4 to 6 large cactus pads (about 8 inches x 4 inches)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 bacon strips
2 tablespoons or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
cornbread, optional

Slice cactus pads into 1/2-in. wide strips; place in a saucepan. Add onion, water and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cover and cook over medium heat until cactus is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet until crisp; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. To drippings, add vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and remaining salt; bring to a boil. Add cactus and bacon; toss to coat. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm with corn bread if desired.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Birds & Blooms Magazine, December/January 1998, page 55 | Taste of Home, RDA Food & Entertaining Affinity, 5400 South 60th Street, Greendale, Wisconsin 53129

Saturday, March 24, 2012

2511. SMOKED BACON, GREEN CHILE and OAXACA CHEESE FRITTATA

for Joshua Edwards and Lynn Xu


2 eggs
handful of chopped bacon
olive oil
handful of chopped green bell pepper
green jalapeno pepper, sliced thin
green onion, sliced
handful of chopped poblano pepper
a few cilantro leaves, chopped
unsalted butter
bread crumbs, fine
queso Oaxaca, grated
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
sour cream

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add a small handful of chopped smoked bacon. Stir and sizzle the smoked bacon till it turns brown and crispy. If there is not enough bacon grease in the pan to cook the vegetables, then add a small splash of olive oil. Add a small handful of chopped green bell pepper to the bacon in the pan. Add a thin sliced green jalapeno pepper. Add a sliced green onion. When the peppers are cooked al dente, add a small handful of chopped roasted poblano pepper. Add a few chopped cilantro leaves. Stir the ingredients together. Set the smoked bacon and pepper mixture aside. Heat a couple pats of unsalted butter in a non stick saute pan over medium heat. Whisk 2 eggs in a mixing bowl. Pour the eggs into the hot pan. Use a spatula to even the edges of the frittata. When the bottom of the frittata is cooked firm and the eggs on top are uncooked, remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the smoked bacon and green pepper mixture on the top of the frittata. Try to arrange the thin slices of jalapeno around the border of the frittata. Sprinkle a very small amount of fine bread crumbs over the frittata. Sprinkle some grated queso Oaxaca over the frittata. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt and black pepper over the frittata. Place the frittata in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Try to only melt the cheese and not brown it! Remove the frittata from the oven. Carefully slide the thin frittata onto a serving plate. Place a dollop of sour cream and a couple of cilantro sprigs on the center of the frittata.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Shawna's Food and Recipe Blog, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 20, 2011

Friday, March 23, 2012

2510. BLINI with CORN RELISH and BACON

3/4 cup self raising flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
4 bacon rashers, finely chopped
20 grams butter, melted, to grease
1 tub store-bought corn relish

Sift flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Whisk buttermilk and egg and add to flour, whisking constantly until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to rest.

Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over moderate heat. Cook and stir bacon for 3-4 minutes or until crisp. Drain on paper towel.

Wipe pan clean and place over moderate heat. Brush pan with melted butter to grease. Drop teaspoons of blini mixture into pan, spread to 5cm rounds. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface and bottom is golden brown. Turn and cook other side for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Arrange the blini on a serving platter. Top with corn relish and bacon pieces.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rachel Lehmann, for TasteBook

Thursday, March 22, 2012

2509. BACON and CHILI OIL CHOCOLATE TORTE

Bacon and Orange Zest Crust
1 cup chocolate wafers crumbs
¼ cup walnuts
4 strips (1/3 cup) bacon, diced
2 teaspoons orange zest (about 1 orange)
1 tablespoon grated dark chocolate
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup salted melted butter
Pinch salt
Pinch red pepper flakes

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the bacon and 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar. Keep the bacon moving around until it is cooked and crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Then, in the same pan, brown the walnuts (about 5 minutes of stirring continually). In a food processor, add walnuts, cookies, and bacon. Process until all are in very fine crumbs. Place the walnuts, cookie and bacon crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Add orange zest, grated chocolate, the other tablespoon of brown sugar, butter, salt, and pepper flakes. Stir until it forms a loose mixture. Scoop mixture into a 9-in pie pan and mold into a pie crust. With a fork, make pricks in the crust to allow air to escape. Place in a 350°F oven and cook for 10 minutes. Set aside and let cool.


Chocolate and Chili Oil Filling
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon chili oil
Pinch of Himalayan pink salt

In a pot over medium-low heat, bring milk and cream to a gentle simmer. Then, remove from burner and stir in the chocolate, chili oil, and salt. When the chocolate is melted, add a little bit of the mixture to a bowl in which you have beaten the eggs. Keep whisking to keep the eggs from cooking. Now that the temperature of the eggs is warm, add the egg mixture into the pan with the milk and chocolate. Keep whisking until the mixture is completely incorporated. Add filling to the chocolate and bacon crumb shell. Place in a 325°F oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, until chocolate is set. When the pie is finished cooking, remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, add some Himalayan pink salt on the top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Down Home Foodie, February 15, 2012

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

2508. BLACK PEPPER ASPARAGUS with MILLET and BACON

serves 4 as a side or 2 as a meal


1 lb. fresh asparagus spears, chopped into 1-inch sections
3 cups prepared millet pilaf
4 slices of bacon, sliced into lardons
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat up a skillet, cast iron is best for this, and add the lardons. Cook until crispy. Remove the crispy lardons to a serving bowl and pour off almost all of the bacon fat. Make sure the pan is hot and add the asparagus. Salt the asparagus lightly and grind on a generous amount of black pepper. Cook the asparagus over high heat tossing occasionally until it starts to brown and is hot and cooked through but still slightly crunchy. If you are using pre-frozen millet heat it up. Toss the heated millet, crispy bacon lardons and asparagus with the lemon juice and more black pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon juice/salt/pepper to your own taste.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Maggie, Dog Hill Kitchen, June 5, 2010

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

2507. BEEMSTER CHEESE SOUP with CUBED BACON and BEER

serves four


9 oz. Beemster cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
3½ oz. lean smoked bacon, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon flour
14 oz. potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 quart chicken broth
1 bottle of beer or 1 oz. white wine

Grate the cheese. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the bacon cubes until crispy. Remove from the pan. Fry the onion and carrot in the bacon drippings, sprinkle the flour into the mixture and add the chopped potatoes. Add the broth and the beer (or wine) and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked. Puree the soup. Heat the soup, taking care not to let it boil, and slowly add half of the grated cheese, stirring until it melts. Stir in the bacon cubes. Pour the soup into 4 bowls, and top with the rest of the grated cheese.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Beemster Cheese: Premium Gourmet Dutch Cheese, Beemster The Netherlands, Rijperweg 20, 1464 MB Westbeemster, The Netherlands / Beemster Cheese, PO Box 3531, Jersey City, NJ 07303

Monday, March 19, 2012

2506. CRUMPETS with BACON

yields four servings


8 slices lean bacon
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 crumpets
1 red chile, minced
warm pure maple syrup, for serving

In a large, nonstick skillet, cook the bacon slices over moderate heat until they are crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the bacon to a plate.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the egg yolks and season with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the skillet and melt it in the bacon fat. Dip the crumpets in the beaten eggs and let soak for a few seconds. Add 4 of the crumpets to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Dip and cook the remaining crumpets. Transfer the crumpets and bacon to plates. Sprinkle with the minced chile and pass the maple syrup at the table.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jamie Oliver, "World's Best Fast Recipes," Food & Wine, May 2005

Sunday, March 18, 2012

2505. CRAB CAKE BENEDICT with BACON HOLLANDAISE

serves four


12 oz. crabmeat, picked over to remove any stray shell pieces
1/4 cup mayonnaise
30 Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 onion, small, finely diced
1/2 stalk celery, finely diced
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
salt
pepper

3 slices bacon, thick cut, diced
8 tablespoons butter, clarified
2 each egg yolks
2 tablespoons white wine
pinch cayenne pepper
lemon juice, freshly squeezed

8 each eggs
vegetable oil

In a medium bowl, combine the crabmeat with the mayonnaise, crackers, onion, celery and seasonings. Mix well and allow to chill for 1/2 hour.

To make start making the Hollandaise sauce render the bacon until brown and crispy. Remove from heat and drain off the bacon fat, combining it with the clarified butter. In a medium sized pot bring about 1″ of water to a simmer. Place the yolks in medium sized mixing bowl along with the wine. Place the bowl over the simmering water and cook the eggs, whisking constantly, until the eggs are thick enough to hold a line drawn through them. This is known as the ribbon stage. Remove from the heat and very slowly, a bit at a time, drizzle in the butter-bacon grease mixture, whisking constantly so that the fat is emulsified into the egg yolks. Add the cayenne and squeeze of lemon juice and taste for salt, adding a bit, if necessary. Place in a warm, but not too hot spot as you finish the dish.

Divided the crab mixture into 8 equal patties. Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet, over medium high heat and cook the crabcakes, in 2-3 batches depending on the size of your skillet, about 3 minutes per side. Meanwhile poach your eggs, again in batches if necessary.

As everything finishes up stir the crispy bacon into the Hollandaise sauce. Place two crabcakes on each of 4 plates. Top each with a poached egg and spoon some of the Bacon Hollandaise over top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Peter Martin, Once a Chef Always a Chef: From Humble Eats to Haute Cuisine; A Life Spent Cooking, February 11, 2012

Saturday, March 17, 2012

2504. CHICKEN BACON RANCH PITA PIZZA

yields four


4 6-inch whole wheat pita bread rounds
4 tablespoons low fat ranch dressing
1 6oz pkg refrigerated grilled chicken breast strips cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 tablespoons bacon, chopped into bacon bits
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pita rounds on a baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes. Top each pita with 1 tablespoon ranch and spread evenly. Evenly add remaining ingredients. Bake for 8 minutes or until cheese has melted.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jenny, The Healthified Mom, February 13, 2011

Friday, March 16, 2012

2503. PAN-FRIED FILLET OF TURBOT on a bed of BRAISED PEAS, LETTUCE and BACON and BUTTER MASH

serves four


For the braised peas, lettuce and bacon:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
50 grams rindless streaky bacon, to be finely diced or chopped
1/2 onion, to be peeled and very finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, to be peeled and crushed
2 little gem lettuce hearts, finely shredded
6 tablespoons fish stock
350 grams shelled fresh peas or frozen petit pois
a pinch of caster sugar
50 grams unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh chives, to be chopped
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste

For the turbot:
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
50 grams unsalted butter
4x 175 grams skinless turbot fillets
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the butter mash:
1.25k grams floury potatoes
50-60 grams unsalted butter, cubed
150ml double cream, warmed
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper


For the mash, peel the potatoes and, if very large, cut into even-sized pieces. Don't make the pieces too small or they may absorb too much water and start to break up.

Place in a pan of cold salted water and bring to a very gentle simmer so that the water is barely trembling. Cook gently until you can push in a knife point without resistance, about 20 minutes (but don't allow them to start disintegrating).

Once cooked, drain well, return to the pan and place the pan back on a low heat for a minute to dry them out. When they're dry, you'll see white spots of starch appearing on the surface.

Pass the potatoes though a mouli or potato ricer into a clean bowl. Immediately, return the potato to the pan, add the cream and butter, season to taste with salt and pepper and heat gently, beating well.

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the bacon and fry until crisp and lightly golden. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 5 - 6 minutes until the onion has softened and is very lightly browned.

Add the shredded lettuce, fish stock or water and some seasoning and bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 2 minutes.

Next, in go the peas and a pinch of sugar, simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the butter and chives to the peas and season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. You may have to add a bit more liquid or stock if it looks a bit dry. Keep warm.

Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan then add the turbot fillets (presentation side first). Add the butter and cook over a medium/high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of the fillets), basting with the butter to keep them moist until just cooked through. Lift them out of the pan and onto a tray/plate to prevent them from cooking any further, season with salt, pepper and a little lemon juice and keep them warm.

Spoon a quenelle of potato onto the warmed plate, top with a turbot fillet and spoon the pea and lettuce garnish around the outside.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nick Nairn, for The Hour, STV Programmes, STV, Pacific Quay, Glasgow G51 1PQ Scotland, April 3, 2009

Thursday, March 15, 2012

2502. CORNBREAD TAMALE BITES with JALAPENO, CHEESE and BACON

12 dried corn husks
1 package cream cheese
4 jalapenos, roast then remove seeds
3 scallion chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/3 cup cooked crumbled bacon

Cornbread mixture:
1 package jiffy corn bread mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk

Prepare corn husks by soaking them in warm water so they are pliable. Cut corn husks into 4 inch squares, then place them into a cupcake pan. Mix cornbread mix with egg and milk, add 2 tablespoons into each compartment. Mix cream cheese with diced jalapenos, scallions and cheese. Place 2 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture on top of cornbread mixture, then top with bacon. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Diane Schmidt, Created by Diane, October 24, 2011

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

2501. MIXED VERMICELLI and BACON with OYSTER SAUCE

serves 1-2


150 grams rice vermicelli, cooked
50 grams bean vermicelli/bean threads, chopped into segments
50 grams bacon, cooked and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
250 ml water
1 teaspoon corn starch

Soak bean vermicelli in water until soft. Drain. Stir-fry bacon in 1 tablespoon oil until crispy. Set aside. Use remaining oil to stir-fry bell peppers for 1 minute. Add rice vermicelli, bean vermicelli and sauce mix. Cook until sauce thickens. Stir in fried bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lee Kum Kee, Lee's Kitchen Australia/New Zealand, Oriental Merchant Pty Ltd., 10 Westgate Drive, Laverton North, Victoria, 3026 Australia

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

2500. SAUERKRAUT and BACON STRUDEL

makes 8 servings


2 large baking potatoes, peeled and diced
6 thick cut slices of bacon, diced into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, large dice
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon whole caraway seeds
2 cups sauerkraut, drained
4 sheets phyllo dough
3 teaspoons butter, melted
sour cream for serving

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and mash lightly with a fork, leaving some large pieces.

In a large pan, saute the bacon, onion and bay leaf until just browned, about 6 minutes (drain the pan of fat half way through if it is pooling deeply)

Remove the bay leaf from the bacon mixture. Add the bacon mixture to the potatoes, along with the pepper caraway and sauerkraut. Stir to combine. You can keep this in the fridge for up to 24 hours if you want to stop at this point.

Lay out one sheet of your phyllo and brush with the melted butter. Continue to do that with all four sheets. Do not butter the top sheet.

Pile the bacon-sauerkraut mixture onto the phyllo and roll it up like a log and seal, making sure the seam is on the bottom. If you need to, use a bit of extra phyllo to cover the ends so the insides are not exposed.

Bake on a baking sheet for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving. It will be a bit soggy, but never fear, its supposed to be. I am not sure how it would be with real strudel dough, but my guess is, less soggy.

Serve with sour cream.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rachael, Fresh Approach Cooking, Los Angeles, California, September 2, 2006

Monday, March 12, 2012

2499. APPLE-ONION SOUP with CHEDDAR-BACON CROUTONS

serves six


2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium onions, sliced thin
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
Kosher salt
6 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 3/4 cups canned low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 French baguette, cut on the bias into twelve 3/4-inch-thick slices

Heat the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, apples, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir thoroughly to coat the onions and apples in the butter. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and apples are deeply caramelized, and the bottom of the pot is coated with a dark brown crust, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the chicken broth, beef broth, wine, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown crust. Simmer for 20 minutes to blend flavors. Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. (Soup may be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat to a simmer before proceeding with recipe.)

Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler. Combine the cheese and bacon in a bowl and stir to distribute evenly. Place oven-proof soup crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Stir the chopped sage into the simmering broth. Fill each crock almost to the top with soup. Top each crock with 2 baguette slices and sprinkle with some of the cheese-bacon mixture. Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbling and well browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Watch the soup carefully, because once the cheese is well browned it will quickly burn. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Everyday Dining with Wine by Andrea Immer. Broadway Books, 2004 | Leite's Culinaria, April 14, 2004