2855. CHICKWEED PIE with BACON

makes 6-8 servings


1 10-inch pie crust
3 cups chopped chickweed
1 cup diced slab bacon
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream 
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 10-inch pie dish with crust and make a raised border around the rim to prevent filling from overflowing during baking. To prepare chickweed, remove all leaves, twigs and root ends, reserving only the greenest, leafiest parts. Rinse thoroughly in a colander and gently dry with paper towels. Bunch the chickweed together into a ball and chop it with a sharp knife until reduced to a confetti texture. Measure, then put chickweed in a large bowl. Fry diced bacon in a skillet until it begins to brown, then add onion. Cook about 3 minutes, or until onion wilts. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon and onions to bowl with chickweed. Discard drippings from pan. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until lemon colored, then add sour cream, flour and nutmeg. Add egg mixture to chickweed, onions and bacon. Spread filling evenly in the pie shell and pat down firmly with a spoon. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until pie has set in center and top looks golden.


bacon recipe courtesy of: William Woys Weaver, Mother Earth Living, February/March 2008; Pennsylvania Dutch Country Cooking by William Woys Weaver, Abbeville Press, 1993

1791. CREAM of POTATO and CHICKWEED SOUP with BACON

3 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 small to medium potatoes
1 large leek
3 cups chicken or veggie stock
1 cup of water
1/2 cup heavy cream
3-4 cups chickweed
3-4 slices of bacon
salt and pepper

In a large pot of water over high heat, blanch about half of the chickweed in boiling water for about 5-10 seconds, then shock it in ice water. Set the chickweed aside.

Dice the bacon, and cook until crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Dice the leek and quarter the potatoes.

Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the leek and potatoes and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the stock and water and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender (about 20 minutes). Add the blanched chickweed to the pot and stir.

With an immersion blender, puree the soup until mostly smooth. A few chunks are acceptable, but it’s really your choice. Stir in the cream and

Season with salt and pepper and top with some of the raw chickweed and the bacon bits.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Patricia & John, Cook Local, Seattle, Washington, April 13, 2009 | Nash's Organic Produce, 4681 Sequim-Dungeness Way, Sequim, Washington 98382, (360) 681-6274

1214. GUINEA FOWL, LEMON THYME, BACON and ASIAN GALANGAL

1 guinea fowl
500 ml chicken stock
2 rashers smoked bacon
10 grams lemon thyme, picked over and washed
1 whole lemon, washed and thinly sliced
1 stem galangal, washed and cut into thick batons
4 lime leaves
2 stems lemongrass, cut and slightly crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For Salad
amaranth
tatsoi
mizuna
pea asparagus
purple ruffled basil
burnett
baby spinach
red sorrel
chickweed

Flowers
broad bean flowers
Chinese leek flowers
red mustard
nasturtium flowers
chives

For Dressing
virgin olive oil
1 lemon, squeezed

Take the fowl and separate the legs from the main carcass. Cut the legs through the knee bone joint and reserve aside. Take the wishbone out at the front of the bird and continue to cut the remaining breasts of the guinea fowl off the carcass. Cut through the wing joint, thus retaining it on the breast. Lift the exposed breast fillet and place a quarter of the prepared lemon thyme underneath it. Take the rashers of bacon and stretch them out with the aid of a rolling pin so they attain twice their original length. Wrap the individual breasts with a bacon rasher securing with a wooden cocktail stick. Place the entire guinea fowl meat into a roasting dish with sides high enough to hold the chicken stock. Place the other ingredients alongside the meat, lightly season. Bring the bouillon to a gentle boil, place in a preheated oven 200C and cook for about 15 minutes.


courtesy of: bigoven: share your cooking