1939. BLACK BEAN BISQUE with BACON and ROCK SHRIMP ESCABECHE

makes 8 servings


1/2 pound smoked bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tomatoes, quartered
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 cup heavy cream
Rock Shrimp Escabèche (recipe below)

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in pan; drain bacon on paper towels, and reserve for another use. Add onion, celery, and carrot, and cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add 2 1/2 quarts water, black beans, and next 4 ingredients, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium, and cook at a brisk simmer, skimming any foam, 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Add salt and vinegar during last 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in cream. Puree using an immersion blender. Top each serving with a spoonful of Rock Shrimp Escabèche:

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound rock shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 poblano chile peppers, cut into strips
2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
4 garlic cloves, pressed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup sherry vinegar

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add shrimp, and sauté 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Place in a bowl, and cover with a paper towel.

Add remaining oil, onion, and next 3 ingredients to skillet, and sauté 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in bay leaves and next 5 ingredients. Slowly bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Pour mixture over shrimp. Cover and chill 2 hours or overnight. Discard bay leaves before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rolando Cruz-Taura, Coastal Living, March 2009

480. CROAKER ESCABECHE with BACON

Servings 4

4 whole croaker, 2 lbs each, cleaned/scaled
1 cup flour salt and pepper
½ cup corn starch
8 strips bacon, diced
1 T garlic, minced
2 T shallot, minced
1 tsp. mustard seed
½ cup onion, sliced
¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup apple cider
1 pound collard greens, fresh

Remove stems from collards; wash greens well and cut into a chiffonade. Wash the fish well, and make two cuts on each side. Season fish with salt and pepper. Combine flour and cornstarch, and dredge fish in the mixture, getting mixture into center of each. Cook half the bacon until crisp; remove bacon and set aside. Brown each fish in the bacon fat for about 5 minutes on each side. If fish are thick, finish cooking in oven. Wipe the skillet clean, and cook remaining bacon; set bacon aside. Add garlic and shallots to bacon fat, and cook until just done. Add mustard seeds and onion. Deglaze mixture with vinegar and cider. Add collards, and quickly stir until they wilt. Remove from heat and pour the cooking liquid over the fish. Arrange collards on plates, topping with croaker. Crumble reserved bacon and sprinkle over each serving.


courtesy of: Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, 12580 West Creek Pkwy, Richmond, Virginia 23238-1110