3881. ROASTED RED PEPPER RISOTTO with BACON GREMOLATA

Serves 4


3 red bell peppers
1 medium white onion, chopped
400 grams arborio rice
1 cup white wine
1½ liter chicken stock
200 grams creme fraiche
½ cup frozen peas
40 grams grated parmesan
Olive oil to taste
Salt to taste

For the gremolata:
1 cup flat leave parsley (no stems)
6 crispy bacon strips
1 zest of 1 lemon
1 clove of garlic

Place the peppers over a gas burner and cook until charred all over. Discard of the stems and cores. Peel and blend with some stock until smooth.

In a large pan, add some olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent.

Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Then add the white wine. Let it reduce to half.

Add the red pepper sauce and stir until combined. Start adding the stock one ladle at a time and stir. Do this for 20 min until the rice is cooked.

Add the creme fraiche, frozen peas and Parmesan. Stir until it is all combined and the peas are cooked. Add salt to taste.

To make the gremolata, just chop all of the ingredients very fine. Mix them and set aside.

Serve the risotto on each plate and top with some of the gremolata.


bacon recipe source: cravingsinamsterdam (member), Kitchenbowl

3567. ZUCCHINI BOATS with BACON GREMOLATA

makes 8 servings; serving size: 1/2 zucchini


4 medium-large zucchini (6 to 7 ounces each)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Bacon gremolata
16 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and finely crumbled
1 cup finely shredded Parmesan and/or Romano cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup snipped fresh basil
1/4 cup finely chopped pepperoncini salad pepper or fresh jalapeno chile pepper
4 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Bacon gremolata: In a small bowl stir together bacon, cheese, basil, pepperoncini, lemon peel, garlic, and black pepper.

Zucchini boats: Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out centers to form 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick shells; set aside. In a small bowl stir together lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Brush insides of zucchini shells with lemon mixture. Place shells, cut sides down, on a lightly greased grilling tray. For a charcoal grill, grill zucchini on grilling tray on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 5 to 7 minutes or until cut sides start to brown. Turn zucchini; grill for 1 minute more. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place zucchini on grilling tray on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as directed.) Using hot pads, remove tray from grill. Spoon bacon gremolata into zucchini shells, mounding slightly and pressing down lightly. Return to grill. Cover and grill for 2 to 4 minutes more or until zucchini is crisp-tender and cheese starts to melt.


bacon recipe source: Better Homes and Gardens

2296. SWORDFISH-BACON KEBABS with CILANTRO GREMOLATA

serves four


1 cup chopped cilantro
3 lemons, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 slices of bacon
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds center-cut swordfish, cut into 1x1-inch cubes
4-8 long satay skewers, soaked in water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cooking spray

Prepare a hot grill, sprayed slick. In a bowl, combine the cilantro, lemon zest and juice, garlic, lemongrass and extra virgin olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Assemble the kebabs by first skewering one end of the bacon and following with swordfish cube. Weave the bacon in between the swordfish and tomato as you thread each onto the skewer. Lay the kebabs in a dish and take 1/3 of the gremolata and rub all over kebabs. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes. Season the kebabs with salt and pepper and grill until bacon is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Plate using a satay plate and serve with remaining gremolata in dipping bowl.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ming Tsai, Ming Tsai, Episode 501: Cilantro/Bacon

2210. SHRIMP RISOTTO with BACON GREMOLATA

serves four


Shrimp Stock:
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined - set aside. Reserve shells
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 shallot, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
6 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
small bunch (a couple of sprigs) fresh parsley

Place the shrimp shells, water, broth, shallot, peppercorns, bay leaf and parsley in a large stock pot. Bring to a small boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the stock through a sieve and discard vegetables and shells.

Place stock in a large heavy saucepan. Keep warm over low heat.


Risotto:
2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup shallots, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup steamed, diced asparagus spears
nutmeg - a few good grinds
salt to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Bacon Gremolata:
4 strips bacon, cooked until crisp and drained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

Break bacon into small pieces, toss with the parsley, lemon zest and garlic. Set Aside

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add shallots and saute over medium heat until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add rice and continue to saute another 2 minutes. Rice will turn from white to almost opaque. Add wine and cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Add shrimp stock by 1/2 cup full, cooking after each addition until almost all the liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. This should take about 20-25 minutes.

Stir in shrimp and asparagus and cook until the shrimp are pink and firm. Stir in a few good grinds of fresh nutmeg. Take off heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the Parmesan cheese.

Spoon into shallow bowls and top with the bacon gremolata.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Good Cook, Petitchef, May 18, 2010

1982. POTATO CUBES with CRISPY BACON and HERB GREMOLATA

serves four


650 grams small baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
4 tablespoons mixed herbs, such as tarragon, parsley and chives
1/2 finely lemon, grated zest only
100 grams fresh white breadcrumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
125 grams smoked bacon, finely chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Place the potatoes in a pan and cover with cold water, then add a little salt and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are almost but not quite cooked. Drain in a colander and cool slightly. Mix together the herbs, lemon zest and breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper. Season the potatoes, with salt and pepper, then dip them in the beaten egg whites and coat in the herb crumbs. Heat a dry frying pan, add the bacon and fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Heat the oil in the pan, add the potatoes, and fry until golden all over. Return the bacon to the pan, toss with the potatoes and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Paul Gayler, Market Kitchen, UKTV-Food

1972. CRISPY SMOKED BACON GREMOLATA

2 applewood smoked bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

In a medium saute pan add olive oil. When hot add bacon slices. When bacon is lightly browned turn over and saute for 15 seconds. Remove bacon and place on paper towels. Allow to cool. Once cooled, bacon will be crispy. Crush with your hands into a bowl. Mix with lemon zest and parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Executive Chef Heidi Krahling, Insalata Restaurant, 120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo, California 94960

1192. ASPARAGUS, CELERY, PEA and SMOKED BACON RISOTTO with GREMOLATA

serves 4


1 liter chicken or vegetable stock
1 celery heart, about 200g, trimmed and finely diced
150 grams smoked streaky bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for sautéing and serving
400 grams risotto rice, such as carnaroli, arborio or vialone nano
75ml dry white wine
350 grams medium asparagus, blanched and refreshed
150 grams fresh or frozen peas, blanched and refreshed
1-2 tablespoons crème fraîche or mascarpone
100 grams freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the gremolata
100ml extra virgin olive oil
2 small garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the gremolata, mix the extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice and chopped parsley together in a bowl. Season to taste and set aside.

Put the chicken or vegetable stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil. In a large saucepan, gently sauté the celery and bacon in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 6-7 minutes or until the bacon fat has rendered down. Stir in the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes to toast the grains lightly. Reduce the stock to a gentle simmer.

Pour in the wine and let the stock bubble until it is reduced to a syrupy consistency. Begin adding it one ladleful at a time to the rice, stirring well and waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding any more. Cook until the rice is just tender – it should be quite moist and relaxed, with a very slight bite.

Heat a griddle pan until almost smoking. Cut the asparagus spears in half. Set the asparagus tips aside for later and slice the stems. Stir the sliced asparagus, peas, crème fraîche or mascarpone and Parmesan into the rice. Remove from the heat and check for seasoning. Cover with a lid and leave the risotto to relax briefly.

Meanwhile, toss the asparagus tips in the remaining olive oil and some seasoning. Place the spears on the hot griddle and grill on all sides for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden and charred. Divide the risotto between warmed plates. Scatter the grilled asparagus over the risotto and drizzle with the gremolata to serve.


courtesy of: Gordon Ramsay / Times Online