3200. RACLETTE, ASPARAGUS and BACON TART

serves four


1 sheet frozen puff pastry
4 slices raclette
4 asparagus spears, cooked or grilled
½ cup chopped sweet onion
½ cup diced, cooked bacon 
egg wash

Thaw and roll out puff pastry to ¼? thick. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut out 4 squares. Using the scraps, cut out small strips to line the top of the squares. Use egg wash to stick them to the square. Place a piece of raclette in the middle of your tart. Sprinkle the asparagus, onions, and ham over the tarts. Brush edges of the tart with egg wash. Bake until pastry has risen and is golden brown.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michelle Rose, Honest Cooking

2908. BACON MUSHROOM CALZONES

yields two servings


1/3 of pizza dough
6 slices of fried bacon
1/4 cup sliced olives
4 large sliced sauteed mushrooms
2 anchovies (optional)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg for egg wash
marinara sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Divide the pizza dough in half, to make two calzones. Roll out the dough into a circle so that it’s about 1 foot in diameter. Place the mozzarella cheese on half of the dough, top with bacon and olives. Usually I saute my mushrooms first, but you can omit this step and place the olives on top of the cheese and bacon and if you are using the anchovies add it now. Fold the half of the dough with no ingredients over the half with the ingredients and roll up the ends, or press them with a fork. Add a little bit of water if you need them to stick together. Brush the calzones with egg wash. Bake for about 20 to 25 minute, or until nice and golden brown. Serve with marinara sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jo Cooks, August 21, 2011

947. PORCINI, APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON and CHEVRE TART

8 ounces fresh porcini (or other wild mushrooms)
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
4 slices of applewood smoked bacon (cooked, drained, and chopped)
4 ounces chevre
Sea salt and fresh pepper to taste
2 sheets puff pastry
Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1/4 cup milk)

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme and cook until slightly golden, then add mushrooms. Continue to cook until mushrooms have released their liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Cool and refrigerate.

Roll out 2 sheets of puff pastry into two 12-inch circles. Spread the mushroom mixture in center of 1 pastry circle, leaving a 1-inch edge. Crumble chevre evenly over the mushroom mixture, and sprinkle the chopped bacon over the chevre. Baste the 1-inch edge with egg wash and place the remaining pastry sheet on top.

Pinch and roll the 2 edges together in a circular motion, making sure to get a good seal. Decorate the top sheet by gently scoring the surface with a sharp knife in any design you like, making sure to poke a hole in the middle for ventilation. Baste the whole tart with egg wash and bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Cut into wedges to serve, garnished with fresh thyme sprigs.


courtesy of: Chef Jeffrey Neumeier, Brewery Gulch Inn Bed and Breakfast, 9401 Coast Highway One North, Mendocino, California 95460

108. CRISPY "CANNELLONI" of SHRIMP, BACON, and SPINACH

yields 6 servings


6 sheets of Feuille de Briq pastry (see note below)
½ cup egg wash
2 shallots, sliced
12 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, and diced
¼ cup applewood bacon, diced
2 cups baby spinach
1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil
¼ cup ricotta cheese
2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium sauté pan, heat olive oil to medium temperature. Add bacon, shrimp, shallots, spinach and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste. Remove from heat, drain mixture and allow to cool. Once cool, roughly chop spinach mixture. In a mixing bowl, combine spinach mixture with ricotta and parmesan cheeses.

Lay pastry sheets on flat work surface and brush with egg wash. Place a small spoonful of filling in center of sheet. Roll pastry around filling to form a cigar shape. Place prepared “cannelloni” on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven until golden brown, approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove, cool slightly and cut on the bias. Serve as a canapé or use to garnish a salad.

NOTE: Feuille de Briq pastry is a very, very thin dough which Moroccans use to make their traditional Bstilla pie. This pastry may be found in North African food stores. Phyllo dough may be substituted. You will need 3 sheets of phyllo dough, cut in half to form six squares.


courtesy of: Chef Todd Gray, Equinox, Washington, D.C.