3706. BACON KNOT CHALLAH

yields 48 knots

5⅔ cups bread flour

2 tablespoons instant yeast

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

2 cups whole milk, at room temperature

14 large egg yolks, plus 1 large yolk for brushing

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon rendered bacon fat, at room temperature (from about 1 pound bacon)

5½ ounces raw bacon, diced

Smoked salt

6 slices bacon, cooked then finely chopped

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, yeast, sugar and fine sea salt. Mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Switch to the dough hook. On low speed, slowly pour in the milk. As the flour begins to absorb the milk, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and knead for 20 minutes.

Add 14 egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition until fully incorporated. Add the bacon fat and continue to mix until fully absorbed. Add the diced raw bacon and mix until evenly distributed. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 90 minutes.

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Gently punch down the dough and divide in half. Knead each half briefly until soft and supple.

Portion the dough into 1-ounce pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 6 inches long, then tie into a knot. Place the knots on the parchment-lined pan and brush each lightly with water. Cover the knots loosely with plastic wrap and let them rest at room temperature until they resemble puffy marshmallows, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water. Generously brush each knot with egg wash, then sprinkle with smoked salt. Bake the knots, rotating the pans 180 degrees at the halfway point, until golden-brown, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped, cooked bacon and let the knots cool on the pans for 10 minutes. Serve warm.


bacon recipe source: Tasting Table; adapted from VOLT ink.: Recipes, Stories, Brothers, by Bryan and Michael Voltaggio (Olive Press, 2011)

3705. MAITAKE, LEEK and BACON DRESSING

serves ten


1 loaf challah
8 ounces bacon
2 leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise and sliced into half moons
2 stalks celery, diced
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
pinch dried thyme
pinch dried rosemary
Salt
Olive oil
8 ounces maitake mushrooms (also known as hen of the woods)
2 to 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
3 tablespoons butter

Several hours ahead of time, or even the night before, slice the challah. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and let dry at room temperature, turning occasionally. You want it to get stale.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Take out two big frying pans. Set one over medium high heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp, turning once, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Lower the heat to medium, then add the leeks and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 15 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until reduced, then throw in the parsley, rosemary, thyme, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, set the second pan over high heat. When hot, film with oil and add half of the maitakes, breaking them up as you go. Don’t stir until the bottoms get crisp, 3 to 4 minutes, then continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have shrunk considerably, are quite browned, and smell amazing. Salt well. Transfer to a large bowl, then add a little moil oil to the pan and cook the second half of the maitakes the same way. Salt again, then add to the bowl.

When it’s done, put the leek and celery mixture in the big bowl too. Cut the stale challah into cubes, and add that too. Break the bacon up into small pieces, and put them in the bowl. Toss to evenly distribute bread, bacon, mushrooms, and leeks, and try to get a bite that has some of each thing, so you can taste for salt, adding more if needed. Scrape into a 9-by-13 casserole pan, and pour 2 cups of stock over the top, then scatter small pieces of butter across the surface. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover the dressing. If it seems dry, add some more of the remaining stock. Return to the oven and bake another 30 minutes, until the top is crispy and brown.


bacon recipe source: Cara, Big Girls Small Kitchen (@BGSK), November 20, 2014

3657. NUTELLA and BACON STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

yields four servings


8 slices thick cut bacon
1 medium-sized loaf challah, sliced into 8 pieces about ¾-inch thick
4 heaping tablespoons Nutella
3 large eggs
½ cup half and half
½ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter

Maple syrup for serving

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray and arrange the bacon in an even layer. Transfer the bacon to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Carefully remove bacon from the oven and transfer the strips to a paper towel lined plate to drain. When cool, crumble into small pieces and briefly set aside.

Slice the challah into 8 pieces about ¾-inches thick.

Now it’s time to “stuff” your French toast, which essentially means making Nutella and bacon sandwiches. For each sandwich: Spread one side of two pieces of bread with a heaping teaspoon of Nutella. Sprinkle 2 pieces of crumbled bacon on one of the slices of bread. Sandwich the two pieces of bread together, making sure that they are well sealed.

In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the eggs, half and half, whole milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set it on the counter next to the stove. Place a large pan over medium-low heat.

Add two of the Bacon-Nutella sandwiches to the custard mixture and let soak for 1 minute. Use a spatula to flip the sandwiches over and soak for 1 more minute on the other side.

While the bread is soaking, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. When it’s melted and foaming slightly, remove each sandwich from the custard, holding it over the baking dish for a few seconds to let any excess custard drip off. Place the sandwiches gently in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. (Keep a close eye on your French toast while it cooks, friends! Burning it is a bummer.)

When the first batch of stuffed French toast is almost finished cooking, place the remaining two sandwiches in the custard to soak. Repeat the cooking process with the second batch.

Serve your Bacon and Nutella Stuffed French Toast warm. Top with powdered sugar or drizzle with maple syrup and brace yourself...

bacon recipe source: Serena Wolf (@serenagwolf), Domesticate Me, March 20, 2014

3527. CHALLAH KNODEL

yields eight servings


1 large loaf challah bread

2 large onions
1 cup cubed thick slab bacon
3 eggs
1 cup large pecans
½ cup brown sugar
1 large butternut squash
2 cups milk
1 bunch fresh sage
1 tablespoon salt
6 turns of pepper mill
Zest of 1 lemon
Grated nutmeg

Cut the Challah into one-inch cubes. Leave to dry out overnight, up to one week. Soak the pecans in water overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the squash in half and roast with a little salt until cooked. Meanwhile, dice the onion and sweat over medium heat with the bacon cubes until the onion is very tender. Scoop the flesh of the cooked squash into the bacon and onion mixture. Add the milk and heat to a simmer. In a large bowl, dump the milk onion mixture over the challah. Add chopped sage, the eggs, and seasonings, and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap for 30 minutes so the bread absorbs the mixture. Let cool so you can handle the mixture. Roll the stuffing into tubes, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and poach until the internal temperature is 160 degrees or higher. Cool in the refrigerator. While that's cooling, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Toast the pecans for about 30 minutes, or until crunchy. Turn off the oven and let them dry. To finish, cut the knodel into thick slices and pan fry in butter until golden. Add the brown sugar and the pecans and serve.


bacon recipe source: Tim Wiechmann's Challah Knodel, by Molly Elizalde, Condé Nast Traveller, November 25, 2014 

3167. SAVORY BREAD PUDDING with TUSCAN KALE, BACON, SCALLIONS and MAPLE

serves six


2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
1/2 lb. challah (about 1/2 loaf), cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Kosher salt
1 bunch (about 10 oz.) Tuscan kale, ribs removed and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
5 strips bacon, halved to fit in the pan (if necessary)
1 bunch scallions (white and green parts), cut crosswise into thin slices (about 1 cup)
8 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup coarsely grated parmigiano-reggiano

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Rub a 13x9-inch baking dish all over with a little butter.

Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. (They will be starting to turn golden around the edges). Let the bread cubes cool for a few minutes on the sheet and then transfer them to a large bowl.

In a small saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. After the butter has melted, continue to cook it, swirling the pan occasionally, until the milk solids turn nutty brown. (This can take anywhere from 3 to 6 minutes, depending on the pan you're using). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup. Drizzle the brown butter-maple mixture over the bread cubes, stirring the bread as you drizzle, and toss well. Sprinkle the bread crumbs with a little salt and toss again.

Fill a wide, large pot two-thirds full of water. Add 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil. Add the kale to the boiling water and start timing immediately. Taste a leaf after 4 minutes. It should not be tough or rubbery. If it is, cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Drain the kale very thoroughly in a fine-mesh colander in the sink. Rinse with cool water until cool enough to handle. Squeeze handfuls of the kale to remove as much excess liquid as possible and then use your fingers to loosen and separate the kale so that it isn't clumped together.

In a medium heavy nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until crisp and browned, 10 to 14 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool. When the bacon is cool enough to handle, break it up into smaller pieces. Pour off half of the bacon fat. Add the scallions to the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the kale, stir well to coat the kale with the scallions and pan dripping, and remove the pan from the heat.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup, sherry vinegar, several grinds of pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt until well combined.

Arrange half of the bread cubes in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the bacon (including any crumbs), half of the kale and scallion mixture, and one-third of the Parmigiano. Repeat with the remaining bread, bacon, and veggies, and another third of the cheese. Pour the egg mixture evenly over everything. (Start at one end and pour slowly back and forth). Using your hands, gently press down on the bread and veggies to force the custard to evenly surround everything. Top with the remaining Parmigiano. Let sit for about 20 minutes and gently press down again.

Bake in the preheated oven until the bread pudding has risen and is set and dry in the middle (it will be golden all over), 40 to 45 minutes. Let settle for a few minutes and serve hot or very warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Fresh & Green Table: Delicious Ideas for Bringing Vegetables Into Every Meal, by Susie Middleton; San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2012; pp. 92-93

3139. STUFFING with QUINCE and BACON

yields 12 servings, with leftovers

1 1/2 pounds (about 16 cups) challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes 

12 ounces sliced thick-cut smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces 

3 cups diced onions, 1/2-inch dice 

2 cups diced celery, 1/2-inch dice 

1 tablespoon chopped garlic 

4 (2 pounds total) quince, peeled, cored, and cut into 3/4-inch dice

1 cup dried cranberries 

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 

1 cup chopped Italian parsley 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 

1 1/2 cups chicken broth 

2 large eggs, beaten 

1 cup heavy cream 

 

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place challah in a large roasting pan. Bake 20 minutes, tossing several times, until lightly toasted. Transfer to a large bowl. 

 

Fry bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate; drain. Pour off all but 1/4 cup bacon drippings from pan. Add onions, celery, and garlic; sauté 8 minutes, until almost softened. Add quince, cranberries, sage, rosemary, and thyme; sauté 10 minutes until quince are tender but still hold their shape. 

 

Add onion mixture to bread along with bacon, parsley, salt, and pepper. Toss; drizzle 1 cup of the broth over stuffing and toss again. (Can be prepared in advance up to this point; cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.) 

 

Generously butter a 3-quart casserole dish. In a medium bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 cup broth, eggs, and cream; pour over bread mixture and toss with a large spoon until evenly moistened. Spoon stuffing into prepared dish; cover tightly with foil. Bake in a 350 degree F oven 30 minutes (while turkey is resting); remove foil and bake 15 more minutes, until stuffing is hot and slightly crisp on top.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Redbook

2967. PEANUT BUTTER BACON CHALLAH

1 package bacon

1 1/2 packages active dry yeast (1 1/2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup bacon grease

5 large eggs

1 tablespoon table salt

3/4 cups peanut butter

7 1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour

 

Cook the bacon in a flat pan, placing the bacon so that they are not overlapping, over medium heat. This may mean you cook the bacon in batches. Reserve the bacon grease. Cool and crumble the bacon. Set aside. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water. Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Add peanut butter. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour. Knead crumbled bacon into the challah, before forming the loaves. Take half the dough and form it into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Braid the challah loaf. (Watch video). Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Let bread rise one hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Sherlonya, Proper Noun: Sherlonya, April 19, 2013; adapted from Deb Perelman, Smitten Kitchen, September 26, 2008

2336. BACON and KALE STRATA

makes ten servings


8 slices smoked bacon, diced
2 leeks (white part only), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound kale, chard, greens or spinach, cut into thin strips
1 cup chopped dates
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 cups half-and-half
12 large eggs
8 cups challah bread or brioche cubes
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese

Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet, sauté bacon and leeks until bacon is crisp and leeks are tender, about 15 minutes. Add garlic, kale, dates, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook until kale is wilted. (You may need to add the kale in batches.) Combine half-and-half and eggs in a large bowl. Beat until blended. Stir in bread cubes, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, rosemary and 1 cup Gruyère. Add vegetable mixture and stir well. Pour egg mixture into baking dish. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 375F. Remove strata from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Top with remaining ½ cup Gruyère. Bake 40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle of the strata comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chefs Kathleen and Charlie Schaffer, Relish.com

2179. LEEK and BACON CHALLAH BREAD PUDDING

2 cups leeks, 1/2 inch slices rinsed and cleaned white and light green bits only
6-8 strips of bacon, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
fresh ground black pepper
Kosher salt
1 large loaf of Challah bread (about 10 cups), cut into 1" cubes
1-2 teaspoons fresh chives chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
3 large eggs
3 cups heavy cream
a pinch of fresh nutmeg (1/8 teaspoon of less)
1 cup shredded emmenthaler or comte cheese

Place a large saute pan over medium high heat and add the bacon bits and leeks. Cook them gently for 2-3 minutes, until the leeks have softened. Reduce the heat to low, add the butter, some salt and pepper, and cover the pan. Allow the leeks and bacon to caramelize together over the heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The leeks will be very wilted and the bacon will be soft, but cooked through.

Meanwhile, if your bread is not a day-old, slightly stale loaf, now is a good time to toast the bread and dry it out - put it in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes and it'll be crispy, as though stale. Leave the oven on. When the leeks are cooked through and the bread is dried out nicely put them aside. Find the biggest bowl you have, add the bread cubes to that bowl, add the leeks/bacon saute mix, thyme, and chives to the bread cubes. Toss well.

In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, nutmeg, and some salt and pepper. Line a 13"x9" baking pan with some parchment paper, or at least grease it lightly. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese into the bottom of the pan evenly. Spread 1/2 the bread mixture over the cheese, spread another 1/4 cup of cheese on this, then the other 1/2 of bread and another 1/4 cup of cheese.

Add enough of the milk/egg mixture to cover or nearly cover the bread. Press on this gently with your hands and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Pour the rest of the milk/egg mix over the bread, sprinkle it with some salt and the rest of the cheese. Cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 1/2 hours, until the top is a deep golden brown and bubbly.

Let the pudding sit for 10 minutes before eating. Eat it while it's still warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kathy Day, Kathy Can Cook | The Clean Plate Club, April 4, 2011

1042. POACHED EGG with LOBSTER, SPINACH, BACON and HOLLANDAISE SAUCE on TOASTED CHALLAH BREAD

serves: 4-5


1 egg yolk
2 oz Pinot Grigio vinegar, reduced by 1/4 and cooled
Sea salt
3/4 lbs salted butter, clarified
1 large lobster tail (New Zealand or Florida)
1 thick slice challah bread, cut with large ring mold
Butter for toasting
Oil for toasting
1 cup picked baby spinach
1 cup picked mache
10 slices of bacon
1 whole poached egg
4 white peppercorns
1/4 cup chopped chives
Black pepper

Hollandaise: In food processor, add egg yolk and reduction. Add salt to taste then slowly drizzle clarified butter until thick. Loosen with warm water if needed. Set aside at room temperature.

Lobster and Greens: Season lobster tails and grill on both sides. Remove from shell and slice lengthwise into half-inch thick slices. In pan, toast challah with butter and oil until golden. Lightly sauté spinach and mache. Season and set aside.

Bacon: Lay bacon flat on baking mat. Overlapping, place sheet pan on top; weigh down with ovenproof item. Bake at 375 degrees until crispy. Allow to cool. To fit challah, punch out bacon with ring mold. Cut one long strip or triangle for garnish.

To plate: Using mold, fill bacon over toast adding one layer of lobster then greens. Make small hole in center of greens to place warm poached egg. Top with hollandaise, peppercorns, chives and pepper. Lay bacon strip (or triangle) on top.


courtesy of: Lisa Fernandes, Top Chef, Season 4