3253. TOMATO PANNA COTTA with BACON FOAM

Tomato Panna Cotta
1 ¼ cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons homemade heirloom tomato paste (or store bought)
2 teaspoons orange blossom honey
½ teaspoon lavender
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco
1/8 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 silver sheet gelatin, bloomed in cold water and squeezed dry


Candied Tomatoes
Heirloom Toy box tomatoes
Extra fine sugar

Bacon foam
½ lb apple wood smoked bacon
1 smoked ham hock
1 small onion
2 carrots
3 ribs celery
3 cloves garlic
4 cups chicken stock

Bacon bits
4 slices bacon 
 
Tomato Panna Cotta: In a saucepan, heat heavy cream over low heat. In a bowl whisk tomato paste, honey, lavender, salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Slowly add warm cream into tomato paste mixture. Add in red wine vinegar and whisk until combined. Add in bloomed gelatin. Divide into 4-4 oz. ramekins and chill in refrigerator.
 
Candied tomatoes: Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray a sheet pan with oil. Cut tomatoes in half and toss in enough sugar to lightly coat. Put tomatoes cut side up on prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes. Cool in refrigerator.

Bacon foam: In a heavy bottomed stock pot brown off the bacon and ham hock. Add vegetables and brown 5 minutes more. Deglaze with chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 2 hours repalciong with water if it gets to dry. Strain and refrigerate. When cold remove fat and measure out 1 cup. Add ¼ cup heavy cream. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt. Put in a syphon dispenser and add 1 cartridge Co2. Shake well before dispensing.
 
Bacon bits: Cut bacon or grind through a meat grinder. In a small frying pan, render off the bacon until golden brown. Strain. Put on paper towels to absorb extra fat.

Put bacon foam on panna cotta. Top with candied tomato, bacon bits, and a sprig of basil.


bacon recipe source: Vintners Inn, Santa Rosa Hotel, 4350 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

2555. SPLIT PEA SOUP with BACON, HAM HOCK and SPARE RIBS

yields twelve servings


4 oz. (1/2 cup) slab bacon, finely diced
1 slab of pork spare ribs, cut into individual pieces
1 small carrot, finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 tablespoon Kosher salt, or more to taste
1 lb. split peas (1 1/3 cups)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 smoked ham hock
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
crusty bread for serving

Sauté bacon in a 6-quart Dutch oven over med-low heat until the fat has rendered and it's cooked, 5-10 mins. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon, increase the heat under the pot to medium, and add the ribs. Brown on both sides, 3 minutes per side. Remove the ribs to a plate and set aside. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and salt and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Add the split peas, garlic, bay leaf, thyme (sprigs tied together to be removed later), ham hock, cayenne pepper, black pepper, the ribs, and 2 1/2 quarts water. Simmer, skimming the foam that will rise to the surface as the water comes up to heat, until the peas and spare ribs are tender, 2-3 hours. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Remove the hock from the soup. When it's cool enough to handle, pick the meat off it and add it back to the soup (discard the bone). To serve, divide the ribs among bowls and ladle the soup over them.  Eat with abundant, crusty bread.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michael Symons, The Chew, ABC-TV