3408. WHITE BEANS with BACON, POACHED EGGS and HARISSA BUTTER

makes two servings


2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
2 eggs
1 thick-cut bacon strip, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 cup roughly chopped broccoli rabe
Kosher salt
One 14-ounce can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
8 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon harissa
Maldon or other flaked sea salt, for finishing


Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. Fill a saucepan two-thirds full with water and add the vinegar. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl, then slide them into the simmering water. Poach until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to the paper-towel-lined plate and set aside.

In a medium skillet set over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to the paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the drippings in the skillet. Add the broccoli rabe and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the color brightens and the rabe softens a little, about 2 minutes. Transfer the rabe to a small bowl and set aside.

Add the reserved bacon, beans and tomatoes to the skillet, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 2 minutes. (Don’t over-stir the mixture or you’ll crush the beans.)

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet set over medium-high heat, melt the butter and cook, swirling the skillet occasionally, until the butter solids are brown and have a toasty aroma, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the harissa until combined.

Divide the bean mixture between two bowls and top with the rabe and the eggs. Drizzle the harissa butter over the eggs. Sprinkle each serving with a bit of flaked sea salt and serve immediately.


bacon recipe source: kvagner (member), epicurious.com, October 28, 2013; adapted from Put an Egg on It: 70 Delicious Dishes That Deserve a Sunny Topping, by Lara Ferroni (Sasquatch Books, 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

2482. GEMELLI with BROCCOLI RABE, BACON and CHICKPEAS

yields four servings


1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and coarsely chopped
8 ounces uncooked gemelli pasta
6 slices center-cut bacon
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add broccoli rabe to pan; cook 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain well. Coarsely chop. Return water to a boil. Add pasta to pan; cook according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl; reserve 3/4 cup pasta water. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add garlic and chickpeas to drippings in pan; sauté 2 minutes or until garlic is golden. Stir in broccoli rabe, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; cook 3 minutes or until broccoli rabe is heated. Stir in pasta, 3/4 cup pasta water, and bacon; toss well.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Marge Perry, Cooking Light, September 2010

2291. ORECCHIETTE with BROCCOLI RABE, BACON and BREAD CRUMBS

yields four servings


1 pound broccoli rabe, tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
1 pound orecchiette
3/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium pot of boiling, salted water, cook the broccoli rabe until almost done, about 3 minutes. Drain thoroughly. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 1/4 cup of the oil over moderate heat. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove. Wipe out the pan. In the same pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Pour off all the fat. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in the frying pan over moderately low heat. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broccoli rabe and cook, stirring occasionally, until just done, about 3 minutes longer. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orecchiette until done, about 15 minutes. Drain and toss with the bread crumbs, bacon, broccoli rabe, and salt.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Quick From Scratch Italian, for Food & Wine, Recipe of the Day, June 2009

1461. ALASKAN HALIBUT TAGINE with ELEPHANT GARLIC CONFIT, WHITE BEANS, STEAMED MUSSELS, RAPINI and SMOKED BACON

serves four


For the elephant garlic confit
3 heads elephant garlic, cloves peeled and separated
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the cloves in a small pot and cover with the olive oil (you may need more oil depending on the size of your pot). Cook slowly on the lowest setting of your stove until the garlic is soft. Set aside to cool.


For the broth
1 cup dried white beans (such as navy or cannelini)
1 each carrot, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
1 each onion, peeled and quartered
1 each garlic clove, peeled
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 each bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 lb slab bacon (preferably skin-on)
6 cups chicken stock

Soak the beans overnight in two quarts of cold water. Discard the water and place the beans in a 4qt sauce pot and cover with the chicken stock. Wrap all of the remaining ingredients in cheesecloth, tie securely with kitchen twine, and throw the bundle in the pot with the beans. Simmer over very low heat until the beans are tender (one to two hours).

Discard the cheesecloth and its contents. Drain the beans and allow to cool. Set aside. Place the bean liquid into a clean saucepan and reduce slowly until you have about two cups. Reserve.


Assembly

4 each Alaskan halibut filet, skin-off 5 oz portions
¼ lb slab bacon, cut into lardons (1/4” x ¼” x 1”)
1 bunch rapini, bottom 2” of stems discarded, washed thoroughly
4 each baby carrots, peeled and cut into ¼” rounds
1 lb mussels, well-scrubbed and beards removed
1 each lemon
1 pinch chile flakes (if desired)

Preheat the oven to 400º. Render bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from fat and drain on a paper towel. Place two cups of the cooked beans in the center of the tagine. Arrange rapini around the beans. Place carrots, mussels, and cooked elephant garlic over the rapini. Season the halibut with salt and pepper, and brush with a little of the reserved bacon fat. Place the halibut in the center of the tagine over the beans. Finally, add the reduced bean cooking liquid. Cover and bake in a 400?oven until the halibut is beginning to flake and the mussels have all opened, about 35 minutes. Just before serving, scatter the bacon over the dish, grate lemon zest over all, sprinkle the chili flakes around and drizzle about three tablespoons of the garlic cooking oil into the broth. Bring to the table covered, and remove the cover tableside so your guests can enjoy the aroma. Serve in large, wide bowls with crusty bread.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michael Mina, Mina Group, Inc., 335 Powell Street, 13th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102

868. ARCTIC CHAR with BACON, CHINESE BROCCOLI and SWEET POTATO PUREE

makes 4 servings


3 red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon (or more) hot prepared Chinese mustard
1 cup balsamic vinegar
11/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 pound Chinese broccoli or broccoli rabe (rapini),* large outer leaves removed, cut crosswise on diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
4 5- to 6-ounce arctic char fillets
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap sweet potatoes individually in foil. Roast until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool and peel. Puree in processor until smooth. Measure 3 cups puree and transfer to microwave-safe bowl. Stir in mustard. Season with salt. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Boil vinegar in small saucepan until reduced to ` cup, about 8 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Remove from heat.

Cook broccoli in pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain; set aside. Cook bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until edges are crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. DO AHEAD: Reduction and broccoli can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Process mustard seeds in spice grinder until coarsely ground. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Sprinkle ground seeds over top of fish. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish, mustard side down, and cook until brown and just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, rewarm puree in microwave until heated through. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in another large skillet. Add broccoli and bacon; sauté until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide broccoli, fish, and puree among plates. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and serve.

NOTE: Chinese broccoli is also called gai lan or Chinese kale; it's available at Asian markets. Broccoli rabe is an Italian leafy green vegetable with scattered clusters of broccoli-like florets; you'll find it at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.


courtesy of: Bon Appetit, September 2007

836. FIVE-SPICE DUCK with BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAVIOLI with BACON and BROCCOLI RABE

makes 4 servings

Duck
2 cups plum wine*
2 5-pound ducks, thawed if frozen
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder**
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon (scant) ground ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil

Ravioli
9 ounces butternut squash or mushroom ravioli
8 ounces smoked bacon, chopped
1 large sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Maui), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 large bunch broccoli rabe (rapini), thick stems trimmed, tops coarsely chopped

For duck:
Boil plum wine in heavy medium saucepan until syrupy and reduced to generous 1/3 cup, about 16 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over low heat before using.)

Using heavy large knife, cut each duck lengthwise in half. Cut away backbone. Cut off leg-thigh pieces, then cut off breast pieces; trim excess fat. Remove bones from breast pieces. Transfer leg-thigh pieces and breast pieces to platter (reserve remaining duck trimmings for another use).

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix Chinese five-spice powder, salt, ground black pepper, and ground ginger in small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over duck pieces. Heat olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add leg-thigh pieces and cook until deep brown, about 4 minutes per side. Cover skillet and roast duck in oven until cooked through, about 45 minutes. Transfer duck to plate; cover with foil to keep warm.

Heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Add duck breasts to skillet; cook to desired doneness, about 10 minutes per side for medium.

Meanwhile, prepare ravioli:
Cook ravioli in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels. Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Add onion to skillet; sauté until tender and golden, about 12 minutes. Add butter, then broccoli rabe and sauté just until broccoli rabe begins to wilt. Add ravioli; stir until heated through. Stir in bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Divide ravioli mixture among 4 plates. Arrange duck leg-thigh pieces atop ravioli. Thinly slice duck breasts and fan out alongside. Drizzle with reduced plum wine syrup and serve.

*Plum wine is available at Asian markets, liquor stores, and in the liquor section of some supermarkets.

**Chinese five-spice powder is a spice blend that usually contains ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and ginger; available in the spice section of most supermarkets.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, September 2004

785. LINGUINE with BROCCOLI RABE, BACON and CORN

yields 4 servings


1 pound linguine
4 slices bacon, diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
1 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed and stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
1 14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup corn kernels, fresh (from 2 ears) or frozen
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan

Cook the linguine according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel. Spoon off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings from the pan, reserving the rest.

Return pan to medium heat, add the garlic and broccoli rabe, and toss. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the broccoli rabe is tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the corn, either the reserved bacon drippings or the butter, the salt, and pepper. Add the drained linguine and toss. Heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and reserved bacon and toss.


courtesy of: Sara Quessenberry, Real Simple, October 2006