3634. SEARED BACON-CRUSTED ALBACORE TENDERLOIN with POMEGRANATE REDUCTION

For the sauce:

2 cups red wine

1½ cups pomegranate juice

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the albacore:

1 2-inch-thick piece of albacore tuna loin per person. 

1 strip of apple wood-smoked bacon per piece of tuna. 

1 tablespoon (15 ml.) peanut oil. 

Watercress, radish sprouts, sunflower sprouts, or any other micro-green or spring salad mix that you like. 

White from one egg

For the sauce: Combine first three ingredients in a saucepan and reduce over a low flame to half its volume and set aside until ready to serve. When ready to serve, whisk in olive oil before drizzling over fish and greens.

For the albacore: In a cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and cook bacon strips until brown and crispy. Turn off the flame and keep the bacon fat in the pan; drain bacon in paper towels and set aside to cool. When bacon has cooled, break into pieces into a blender and blend at high speed until completely pulverized, then empty bacon onto a flat plate. In a bowl, beat the egg white then brush the sides of the albacore loin with egg white and gently roll in bacon, taking care to cover the sides of the loin with as many bacon bits as possible. Reserve remaining bacon bits. Turn your oven broiler to high and position the topmost rack about three to four inches from the top. Over a high flame, heat the cast-iron skillet that you cooked the bacon in, along with the reserved bacon fat, and gently place each albacore loin medallion into the skillet, then place the skillet into the oven. Broil for 3 minutes, remove the skillet and gently turn over albacore medallions, taking care not to knock off bacon bits. Place skillet back under broiler for 3 more minutes to sear the other side. Prepare individual serving plates with a small mound of micro-greens or salad mix and gently set one albacore medallion on each mound of greens. Whisk the olive oil into the pomegranate reduction and drizzle a little onto each medallion and mound of greens. Top off each medallion with the remaining reserved bacon bits and serve.

bacon recipe source: Victor Panichkul, The Taste of Oregon (@TasteofOregon), August 11, 2010

3337. BACON FRIED RICE with BROCCOLI and WILTED GREENS

yields 2 large servings, 4 modest servings


1 cup short grain brown rice (uncooked)
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces bacon, cut into ½ inch lardons
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1 cup Brussels sprouts, shaved or very thinly sliced
3 cups leafy greens, coarsely chopped
4 large eggs
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)

Pour the rice into a small pot with 1¾ cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 40 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside until ready to use.

While the rice is cooking, slice the bacon and chop the broccoli, Brussels sprouts and greens. Briefly set aside.

Moving on to the eggs. Bring a medium pot with 6½ cups of water and 4 tablespoons of salt to a boil. When boiling, carefully add the eggs. Bring the water back to a boil and cook for 5½ minutes. Drain the eggs immediately and let them cool for about 5 minutes before gently removing their shells. Place the peeled eggs in a pot filled with hot water if you want to keep them warm.

Now it’s time to finish up the rice. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or wok. When hot, add the bacon, red pepper flakes and garlic. Sauté for about 4 minutes until the bacon is golden brown.

Add the greens to the pan and sauté for 1 minute until they are just wilted.

Add the rice and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Drain the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise. Divide the rice among 4 plates (or 2…) and top with an egg and Parmesan (if using). Serve warm.


bacon recipe source: Serena Wolf, Domesticate Me, March 25, 2014

3071. GREENS with BACON, MUSHROOMS and BLUE CHEESE

makes eight servings 


4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1" pieces 
1 small red onion, sliced 1/4" thick 
1/2 pound chanterelles or crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, cut into pieces 
1 garlic clove, finely grated 
1/4 cup red wine vinegar 
2 teaspoons sugar 
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 
8 ounces hearty greens (such as mustard greens, spinach, or baby kale), torn 
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Cook onion in same skillet, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 6–8 minutes, using a slotted spoon, transfer to plate with bacon. Repeat with mushrooms. Remove skillet from heat. Add garlic, vinegar, sugar, and mustard, scraping up browned bits. Whisk in oil; season dressing with salt and pepper. Toss greens, warm dressing, bacon, onion, and mushrooms in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper and top with cheese.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Duane Sorenson, Bon Appétit, October 2013

2581. FLAGEOLETS with AUTUMN GREENS and FRESH BACON

serves six


1/4 pound fresh bacon
2 cups kosher salt mixed with 2 cups sugar
2 cups dried flageolet beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 carrot, halved
1 onion, quartered
1 whole head garlic, halved widthwise
1/4 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1 dried ancho chile
About 2 tablespoons fino sherry vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A few leaves Tuscan kale
A few leaves black kale
A few leaves mustard greens
Good olive oil for drizzling

Pack the fresh bacon in the salt and sugar mixture, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Rinse and pat dry, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Combine the bacon, beans, carrot, onion, garlic, apricots, bay leaves, and chile in a pressure cooker and add cold water to come an inch above the beans. Fit the pressure cooker with the lid and raise the temperature to high until it starts to whistle. Reduce to the lowest setting and cook until the beans are creamy and cooked through, roughly 25 minutes. Remove the lid and adjust the seasoning with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Alternately, bring the ingredients to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the beans are thoroughly cooked through and creamy, roughly 1 3/4 hours. 

Remove the large aromatic vegetables, garlic, chile, and bay leaves from the pot and discard. They've done their flavoring job. Coarsely chop the greens or tear with your hands, then fold them into the beans. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the greens are tender.

Serve with warm crusty bread and a healthy dose of olive oil.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Seamus Mullen's Hero Food: How Cooking with Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better by Seamus Mullen

2523. KABOCHA SQUASH SALAD with BACON, MANCHEGO and PECANS

1 Kabocha squash
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup pecan halves
4 slices extra-thick bacon, cut cross-wise into ½-inch-thick “lardons”
¼ cup sherry vinegar
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
4-5 handfuls of sturdy, bitter greens
Manchego cheese (to be shaved on top of each serving)

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Slice the squash lengthwise into ¾-inch wedges, then peel. Kabocha squash, like other winter squash, has a fairly thick, and very tough skin, so be careful.

Toss peeled squash wedges with olive oil, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste (about 2 teaspoons of salt and a few hard turns on a pepper mill). Place the squash wedges on their sides in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until soft, about 30 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water dropped into the dry pan sizzles away. Add the pecans and “toast” them, shaking the pan continuously, for about 5 minutes. Remove pecans from pan and set aside to cool. Turn down heat under the saute pan to medium.

Add the bacon lardons and cook until just barely turning crisp, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add sliced shallots and cook until shallots are soft. Remove the pan from the heat, add vinegar and swirl to combine and pick up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and set aside until squash is done.

Pour about ¾ of the bacon and vinaigrette from the pan over greens and pecan in a large bowl. Toss to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange salad on plates, place squash wedges on top, then drizzle remaining vinaigrette over squash. Shave Manchego cheese over top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sarah J. Gim, TasteSpotting, March 15, 2011, inspired by a recipe from Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin

2378. BACON LETTUCE TOMATO AVOCADO QUINOA SALAD

makes four servings


1 cup dry quinoa, prepare according to package directions
4 ounces bacon, diced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
a handful of chopped cilantro or Italian parsley
1/4 cup diced green onion
1 avocado, diced and toss with lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
garlic salt to taste
cracked black pepper to taste
a few handfuls micro greens, baby spinach leaves or your favorite lettuce
a few ounces of feta cheese

Prepare quinoa, let it cool. Mix lemon juice, vinegar and oil with quinoa in a medium bowl. Add the bacon, tomatoes, cilantro and green onion and combine well. Season to taste with garlic salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice and vinegar if desired. Gently mix in the avocado. Plate the quinoa salad and top with mixed greens and some feta cheese before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Marla Meridith, Family Fresh Cooking, July 18, 2011

2080. PAN-ROASTED OCEAN SCALLOPS with BACON, KALAMANSI and SAKE

serves one


4 large sea scallops
1 teaspoon canola oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon bacon lardons
1 tablespoon kalamansi (may substitute with lemon or lime)
1 tablespoon sake (may subtitute with white wine or omit)
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
seasonal greens, sauteed, for accompaniment

Heat and lightly oil pan. Saute bacon until brown. Season scallops to taste. Sear scallops evenly on both sides (approximately 4-5 minutes). Remove scallops from pan and deglaze pan with kalamansi and sake. Finish sauce with butter. Serve over sauteed greens.


bacon recipe courtesy of: New Asian Cuisine: Fabulous Recipes by Celebrity Chefs by Wendy Chan and Grace Niwa. International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, 2006

2033. SKILLET GREENS with BACON and FETA

serves 1 or 2


1 large bunch cooking greens (kale, beet greens, chard, collards, dandelion, mustard, etc.)
2 ounces of the best, thickest center-cut bacon you can find
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup chicken stock or water (for long-cooking greens only)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 ounces feta cheese
salt and pepper

Wash the greens in several changes of water and dry thoroughly. Strip the greens from their stems and tear into large bite-size pieces. If the stems are tender (yes for beets, chard, dandelion, mustard / no for kale and collards), chop them into 1-inch segments.

Start with a skillet that is wide enough to embarrass you at the thought of using it to cook lunch for one. Heat it on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Chop the bacon into 1-inch pieces and add to the heated skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is about 2/3 as crisp as you would like it and has given off plenty of fat.

If you will be cooking your stems, add them to the skillet now, along with the garlic. If not, just add the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for two minutes.

Add the greens to the skillet and stir (preferably with tongs) to coat all the greens with a bit of bacon fat. For relatively tender greens (all but collards and kale): Cook uncovered until the greens are just shy of desired tenderness. Add the cider vinegar and cook for one minute more. For collards and kale: Cook uncovered for a few minutes, then add the stock or water and cider vinegar. Cover, lower the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook to desired tenderness, probably about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the greens in a bowl, crumble the feta cheese overtop, and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Carolyn Cope, "In Defense of Food," Umami Girl, May 18, 2010

1892. DANDELION, GARLIC MUSTARD and CURLY DOCK SALAD with HOT BACON DRESSING

big bowl of freshly picked greens, washed and torn (SEE NOTE)
1 medium red onion, diced
5 slices bacon
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar

Add onions to greens in bowl, toss. In skillet, saute bacon until crisp. Drain off most of the bacon grease (leave about 2 tablespoons). In small bowl, blend eggs, vinegar and sugar with wire whisk. Pour egg mixture into pan with bacon and return to heat (medium-low) whisking constantly (you don’t want scrambled eggs) until mixture thickens considerably. Serve very warm over greens.

NOTE: Dandelion greens picked before the plant flowers are best. A nice mixture is 2/3 dandelion greens, 1/3 curly dock, and 1/3 garlic mustard. You can substitute or add spinach and endive.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Saimi Bergmann, Canton Rep.com, 500 Market Avenue South, Canton, Ohio 44702, April 19, 2010 | Chuck Hass, Canal Fulton, Ohio

1884. BACON and SQUASH-FILLED CREPES with SALSA VERDE and BABY GREENS SALAD

makes eight servings


Crepes
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 cup (or more) whole milk, divided
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
melted butter (for cooking crepes)

Filling
8 ounces bacon, diced
6 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash (from 4-pound squash)
2 cups chopped onions
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salsa verde
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped fresh tarragon
6 tablespoons chopped shallots
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
flaked sea salt (such as Maldon)
1 5-ounce container mixed baby greens


Crepes: Cook 1/4 cup butter in small skillet over medium heat until butter browns, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes; cool slightly. Blend eggs, 1 cup milk, 3/4 cup water, and salt in blender. With machine running, add flour 1/2 cup at a time, blending until smooth after each addition and stopping to scrape down sides of blender as needed. Blend in browned butter. Blend in more milk by tablespoonfuls to thin to consistency of thick cream if necessary. Let batter rest at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Reblend 5 seconds before using.

Heat 10-inch-diameter nonstick skillet with 8-inch-diameter bottom over medium-high heat. Brush with melted butter. Add scant 1/4 cup batter, shaking and rotating skillet so batter covers bottom. Cook until crepe is brown on bottom, 30 to 40 seconds. Run heatproof rubber spatula around edge and turn crepe over. Cook until brown in spots on bottom, 30 to 40 seconds. Turn crepe out onto paper towel. Repeat with remaining batter to make 16 crepes, brushing pan with butter each time and stacking crepes between paper towels. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap crepe stack in foil and refrigerate.

Filling: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in large deep ovenproof skillet (or pot) over medium-high heat until light brown. Add squash, onions, and herbs to skillet; toss to coat evenly. Place in oven and bake until squash is tender and onions are beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Mix crème fraîche and lemon juice into filling. Season with salt and pepper.

Brush 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish with butter. Arrange 1 crepe, brown spots up, on work surface. Spoon 1/4 cup filling in strip down center. Fold sides over; place filled crepe, seam side down, in prepared dish. Repeat with remaining crepes and filling. Cover dish with foil. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead; chill.

Salsa verde: Combine chopped herbs and shallots in processor. With machine running, pour oil through feed tube and blend until coarse sauce forms. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature. Whisk to blend before using.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Bake crepes covered until heated through, about 20 minutes.

Salad: Whisk olive oil and lemon juice in large bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt flakes and pepper. Add greens and toss to coat.

Place 2 crepes on each plate. Drizzle crepes with salsa verde. Serve salad alongside crepes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bon Appetit, January 2009 | Simpatica Dining Hall, 828 Southeast Ash Street, Portland, Oregon, (503) 235-1600

1828. BACON SMOOTHIE with ACAI, RASPBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES and CHOCOLATE

1/2 cup yogurt
1 cup soy milk
1/4 cup acai
1/2 cup frozen raspberries and blueberries
1 teaspoon greens (dietary supplement)
2 strips of slow cooked, savory maple bacon
1-2 tablespoons dark chocolate powder
1 tablespoon agave

Pretty simple: Just throw it all in a blender and blend it.

NOTE: The reason the recipe works is the chocolate. Chocolate and bacon go together, but there still needs to be fruit. Raspberries, blueberries and acai not only go with chocolate, but they’re also good for you and you need something good to offset the bacon, which is not a health food.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rick Bakas, Back to Bakas, March 10, 2009

1759. FIELD GREENS with SMOKED EEL and BACON-MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE

serves four


Bacon-Dijon Dressing:
1/2 cup coarsely chopped bacon
2 tablespoons genuine German mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

The Salad:
1 pound field greens or mâche
8 ounces smoked eel
¼ cup crème fraîche
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
Dill leaves, for garnish

For the Bacon-Dijon Dressing: Fry the bacon until crispy and drain on a paper towel. Whisk the mustard, sugar, vinegar, and water together in a mixing bowl. Continue whisking, adding the oil in a slow, steady stream; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more sugar, if necessary. Add the bacon and mix to combine.

For the salad: In a mixing bowl, place the mâche and pour in the Bacon-Dijon Dressing. Toss to completely coat each leaf. Slice the eel on an angle into 32 equal pieces. Place mounds of the coated mâche in the center of each serving plate (Chef Marcel Biró prefers square plates for this presentation). Place two slices of eel at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 plate positions. In each corner of the plate, shape a small quenelle of crème fraîche. Garnish with the cherry tomatoes and dill leaves.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Marcel Biró and Shannon Kring Biró | GermanFoods.org, German Foods North America, LLC, c/o The Representative of German Industries and Trade, 1776 I Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington DC 2008, info@germanfoods.org

1467. SPRING GREENS SAUTE with BACON and WALNUTS

makes 4 servings


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 thick-cut bacon slice, chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 bunch dandelion greens, Swiss chard, or mustard greens (about 12 ounces), tough bottom stems removed, leaves cut into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
2 tablespoons finely grated Gruyère cheese (optional)

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add bacon; sauté until almost crisp, about 6 minutes. Add walnuts; sauté 1 minute. Add greens and toss until wilted but still bright green, 5 to 7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired, and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Clifford A. Wright, Bon Appétit, May 2009

1322. DUCK CONFIT with FINGERLING POTATOES and BACON in BROTH

yields six servings


Duck Confit:
6 duck legs, cleaned, skin-on
5 cups rendered duck fat
6 garlic cloves, whole
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, sliced
3 tablespoons Kosher salt

To Garnish:
8 fingerling potatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 slices bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 cups greens, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
¼ cup dry cherries
salt, to taste

For the Duck Confit: In a deep aluminum pot, combine the duck legs, duck fat, whole garlic, celery, carrots, onion, salt. Cover the pot with foil and place in a 350°F oven for 2 ½ hours or until the meat begins to fall off the bone. Take the duck legs out of the fat, place them on a baking sheet and set aside.

To Garnish: Place the sliced potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with canola oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Place them in the oven for twenty minutes or until soft, and set aside. In a large sauté pan, place the chopped bacon and render until the bacon is crisp. Add the sliced garlic, roasted potatoes, greens, and chicken broth and let the broth come to a boil. Place the sheet of duck legs back into the oven until the skin is crisp. Season the brothy mixture with salt and place it into a serving bowl. Place the crisp duck legs on top and sprinkle with the dried cherries.


courtesy of: Chef Brooke Williamson, Amuse Café, 796 Main Street, Venice, California 90291, (310) 450-1956

1174. WARM MISO, MAPLE and BACON DRESSING with ASIAN SALAD GREENS

serves 1 as a lunch or dinner, 2 as a side


1 tablespoon shiro (white) miso
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar (or any other rice vinegar)
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon maple syrup
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 slice of thick cut smoked bacon
flavorful salad greens (2-3 cups)

Wash and dry the salad greens. In a small bowl, mix together the miso, vinegar, mirin, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Set aside. Chop the bacon into 1/2 inch lardons (I like to use kitchen shears). Cook the lardons in a small frying pan until crispy. Remove the lardons leaving the bacon grease behind. Add the miso mixture to the bacon grease and cook until thickened slightly (less than a minute). Drizzle the dressing over the greens and toss to coat. Top with the lardons and eat.


courtesy of: Dog Hill Kitchen

1054. BROWN-BUTTER CREAMED WINTER GREENS with BACON

makes 6 (side dish) servings


3/4 stick unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
3 1/2 pounds mixed winter greens such as collards, mustard greens, and kale
6 ounces slab bacon, any rind discarded and bacon cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch sticks (lardons)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cider vinegar, or to taste

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, then add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add milk in a stream, whisking, then add shallot, bay leaf, and peppercorns and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Strain béchamel sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and cover surface with parchment paper.

Discard stems and center ribs from greens, then coarsely chop leaves.

Cook lardons in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown but not crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then pour off fat from pot and wipe clean.

Heat remaining 1/2 stick butter in pot over medium-low heat until browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes, then cook onion, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high, then stir in greens, 1 handful at a time, letting each handful wilt before adding next. Add béchamel, cream, garlic, red-pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, uncovered, stirring, until sauce coats greens and greens are tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in lardons, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.


courtesy of: John T. Edge, Gourmet, January 2008

879. GRILLED PEAR SALAD with BACON, ROQUEFORT and PORT VINAIGRETTE

makes 6 servings


1 cup walnut halves, toasted
8 ounces sliced bacon
3 Bosc pears, sliced
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups ruby Port
1 shallot, sliced
1 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

12 cups mixed baby greens
3/4 cup crumbled Roquefort cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread walnuts on baking sheet. Bake until toasted, about 5 minutes. Cook bacon in heavy medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Coarsely chop bacon. Prepare barbecue (medium heat) or preheat broiler. Cut pears into 1/4-inch slices and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Grill or broil pear slices until brown in spots, about 2 minutes per side.

Bring Port and shallot to boil in heavy medium saucepan; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Strain into large bowl; cool. Whisk oil and vinegar into Port. Season with salt and pepper.

Add greens, cheese, walnuts, bacon and pears to dressing in bowl and toss to coat. Divide among plates and serve.


courtesy of: Al Biernat's, 4217 Oaklawn Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75219, (214) 219-2201 / Bon Appétit August 2000

807. LAYERED SUMMERTIME SALAD with BACON and GEMELLI PASTA

makes 10 to 12 servings


2 cups uncooked gemelli (twist) pasta (8 ounces)
8 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (2 ounces)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups bite-size pieces salad greens
1 cup snow (Chinese) pea pods, cut in half
1 cup sliced cauliflower florets
1 cup broccoli florets
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

Cook pasta as directed on package; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain. In medium bowl, mix pasta, onions and half of the bacon. In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, cheese, lemon juice, sugar and garlic powder. In 3 1/2-quart salad bowl, layer salad greens, pasta mixture, pea pods, cauliflower, broccoli and bell pepper. Pour mayonnaise mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Sprinkle with remaining bacon just before serving.


courtesy of: Betty Crocker, General Mills, Inc., P.O. Box 9452, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440

787. CORNISH BRIE and BACON QUESADILLAS

4 large soft flour tortillas
3 oz. Cornish Brie, sliced
3 tomatoes, sliced
4 oz. smoked bacon
2 tablespoons sliced jalapeno peppers, drained
3/4 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (150g) tub of ready made salsa sauce
Salad leaves to serve

Place the flour tortillas on a clean work surface. Cover half of each layer with a layer of Brie, some sliced tomato, bacon and pickled chilies. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Fold in half to cover the filling. Seal the edges together with a little water. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry the tortillas two at a time for 3-4 minutes, turning once until golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately with tomato salsa and salad


courtesy of: Coombe Castle International, Corsham, Wiltshire, SN13 9XN, England, Tel: +44 (0)1225 812712 Fax: +44 (0)1225 812512

765. SALAD of DUCK LIVERS and HEARTS, SNAILS and BACON with a DANDELION and APPLE SALAD

serves 4


For the duck jus (optional)
organic rapeseed oil, for frying
1 duck carcass, chopped
mirepoix (2 onions, 2 carrots, ½ head celery and 1 leek, finely chopped)
splash red wine
sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
cold water, to cover
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad
4oz piece streaky bacon, skin removed
cold water, to cover
2¾oz solid duck fat
12 duck hearts, trimmed
16 duck livers, cleaned
24 fresh snails, poached in court bouillon and drained, or ready-prepared snails, thawed if frozen or rinsed and drained if canned
best-quality sherry vinegar, for deglazing
4 tbsp duck jus (see above), or 4 tbsp rich chicken jus or gravy
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5½oz mixed fresh salad leaves, such as dandelion, onion cress, land cress, watercress, purslane, red amaranth and flatleaf parsley
3 crisp, tart eating apples, peeled and cut into 1cm/½in cubes

For the dressing
2 tbsp organic rapeseed oil
1 tsp cider vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
hazelnut oil, to serve

If making the duck jus, heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat and cook the duck carcass and mirepoix of vegetables until lightly browned. Add a good splash of red wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the thyme and bay leaf and cover the carcass with cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1½ hours.

Strain the stock into a clean pan and boil to reduce to a gravy-like consistency. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, taking care not to over-salt as the jus will be reduced further when it is used for deglazing later. Set aside.

For the salad, place the piece of bacon into a pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Take off the heat and leave to stand for about five minutes, or until you see the bacon puff up a little, then drain. Cut into strips about 1-in long and ½in wide and thick.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan until hot. Add the duck fat, duck hearts and bacon pieces and sauté over a high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the livers and sauté for about 30 seconds on each side, until well caramelized. Add the snails and a splash of vinegar and the four tablespoons of duck jus (or chicken jus or gravy; any that you don't use can be frozen) and stir to deglaze the pan. Cook for a further minute until reduced to a light sauce. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the vinaigrette dressing, place the rapeseed oil and cider vinegar into a bowl, season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Place the salad leaves and apple cubes into a bowl and dress with the vinaigrette.

To serve, pile the salad in a small heap in the center of each of four serving plates, then arrange the livers, hearts, bacon and snails on top. Spoon over any sauce left in the pan and drizzle with hazelnut oil.


courtesy of: Mark Broadbent, Great British Menu