3818. BUCATINI with BACON, KALE and WINTER SQUASH

Servings: 4


For the fried sage (optional):
1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) olive oil
8 to 10 fresh sage leaves


1 butternut, kabocha or calabaza squash, peeled, seeded and sliced into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
12 oz. (375 g) bucatini
3 oz. (90 g) bacon, diced
1 large shallot, sliced into 1/8-inch (3-mm) rings
1 bunch Tuscan kale, stemmed and leaves cut crosswise into 1/4-inch (3-mm) ribbons
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) (2 oz./60 g) unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) white wine
2 fresh sage leaves
1 Tbs. heavy cream
2 Tbs. pine nuts, toasted
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

To fry the sage leaves, in a small fry pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Carefully drop the sage leaves, a few at a time, into the oil. They will sizzle and crisp very quickly, in 15 to 30 seconds. Using a fork or small skimmer, transfer the fried sage leaves to a paper towel–lined plate.



On a baking sheet, toss the squash with the olive oil, 2 tsp. salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Spread the squash in a single layer and roast until tender, about 25 minutes.



While the squash is roasting, bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta.



While the pasta is cooking, in a sauté pan large enough to accommodate the pasta and squash later, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the shallot to the pan and cook until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, add the kale, 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 Tbs. water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.



In the same pan, warm the butter until melted. Add the garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and fresh sage leaves to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the liquid is slightly thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the sage leaves from the pan and discard. Stir in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the squash, bacon, kale mixture and cooked pasta to the pan and toss until well combined, warming the mixture over medium heat if the vegetables are no longer warm.



Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and garnish with the fried sage and pine nuts. Serve immediately, passing the cheese at the table.


bacon recipe source: Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen, Williams-Sonoma (@WilliamsSonoma)

3565. KABOCHA BACON PARMESAN RISOTTO

serves 4 (or 2 gluttons)


1/2 kabocha, seeded
6-8 slices of bacon, depending on your love of bacon
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4-1 cup finely chopped white onion
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
1 cup of rice
3.5 cups chicken broth
1/2-3/4 cup white wine
1/2-3/4 cup of grated parmesan regianno cheese (depending on how cheesy you like it)

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF. Cut up the kabocha into 1-inch chunks. Put it in some aluminum foil, and drizzle a little olive oil over the top. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake in the oven for about 50 minutes. At the same time, fry up the bacon. To make it extra crispy, throw it into the oven for a couple of minutes next to the pumpkin, but make sure not to burn it. Cut up the bacon into bits, according to your bacon bit size preferences. Once finished, take the kabocha out and carefully (it’s hot!) remove the green skins. Mash up the kabocha with a potato masher, cover, and set aside. Do this earlier in the day to shave an hour off your dinnertime cook time. In a frying pan, cook the onions in the olive oil on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes (until translucent). Add in the garlic and cook for about a minute on low heat. Add the rice and stir constantly until it becomes translucent as well (4-5 minutes). Slowly, add in about a cup of broth and some of the wine. Stir constantly so the rice doesn’t burn on the bottom. When it starts to look like most of the water has been absorbed, add in another cup of broth and more wine. Repeat. And then do it again. Once the broth has been all used up, taste the rice to see if it’s cooked. If it isn’t, add in more water until the rice is ready. Stir in the mashed pumpkin, bacon bits, and cheese until good and gooey. Suddenly, it’s risotto!


bacon recipe source: Recipes from Honshu, September 23, 2013

3135. ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH with BACON, ONIONS and GARLIC

serves 2-4 as a side dish


1 (3-5 lb.) kabocha squash
olive oil
dried herbs of your choice (Italian herb blend or herbes de Provence)
salt & pepper to taste
3-5 slices bacon (based on size of squash)
1 onion (based on size of squash)
2-4 cloves garlic

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut out the stem of the squash as described above, reserving the "lid" and removing any seeds attached to it. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds from inside the squash (reserve for roasting if you wish). Use your fingers or a kitchen brush to lightly coat the interior of the squash and lid with olive oil. Sprinkle the inside of the squash with herbs, salt and pepper to taste, then replace the squash "lid." Lightly grease the bottom of a baking pan or casserole dish with olive oil (I used a square glass baking dish just large enough to hold the squash). Place the squash in the dish and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes or until the interior of the squash is fork-tender (the outside will yield slightly to pressure).

While the squash is roasting, fry the bacon in a skillet until done. While the bacon is cooking, peel and slice the onion. When the bacon is done, place the cooked bacon on a plate with paper towels to absorb excess grease. Reserve 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet, add onions and cook until soft and translucent. While the onions are cooking, mince the garlic cloves and add to the skillet. Continue cooking the onions and garlic, stirring regularly, until the onions are lightly golden. Coarsely chop or crumble the cooked bacon, then stir into the onions and garlic. If at this point the squash is not yet fully cooked, reduce heat for the skillet to keep warm.

Once the squash is done, remove from oven, lift off the "lid" and scrape off the cooked flesh from the "lid" into the skillet, stirring it into the onions, garlic and bacon. Spoon this filling into the squash and replace the "lid." Let the stuffed squash sit for a couple of minutes to allow the flavors of the filling to infuse the flesh of the squash.

When ready to serve, remove and discard the squash "lid" and carefully cut the squash into halves or quarters to serve (spoon any spilled filling over the served squash). 


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gloria, Carolina Sauce Company, January 7, 2012

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

2029. KABOCHA SQUASH CHOWDER with BACON and CHOPPED ALMONDS

6 oz. bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, peeled/diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 bunch fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 bunch fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 kabocha squash peeled/seeded/diced
2 quarts chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 bunch scallions, sliced thin
1/4 bunch parsley, chopped
Chopped smoked almonds

Render the diced bacon until crispy; drain and reserve. Using a little of the bacon fat, slowly sweat the celery, onion and peppers with 1/4 Tsp. salt. When soft, add the garlic and chopped herbs and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in a third of the stock, bring to a boil stirring constantly, add the remaining stock and the diced squash and bay leaves. Let simmer slowly, until the squash is tender; it will thicken and color the soup as it softens. The squash should be soft but still hold its shape. Season with salt and pepper. Off the heat, add the scallions, the bacon and parsley, garnish with toasted or smoked chopped almonds or walnuts for a nice crunch.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef John Beardsley, Buckeye Roadhouse, 15 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley, California 94941 | San Francisco Examiner, October 25, 1996

1958. WARM KABOCHA SQUASH SALAD with DANDELION, BACON, RICOTTA SALATA and PUMPKIN SEEDS

yields four servings


2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
One 2 pound kabocha squash
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
8 slices thick-cut sliced applewood smoked bacon
1/4 cup sliced shallots
4 ounces young dandelion greens, cleaned
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
One 4 ounce piece ricotta salata cheese, cut into 1/8 inch thick slices

Preheat the oven to 375 ° F.

Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden, stirring once or twice, about 10 minutes.

While the pumpkin seeds are roasting, carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, on a cutting board, and using a sharp knife, carefully remove the peel. Slice the squash lengthwise into 3/4-inch-thick wedges.

When the pumpkin seeds are done, increase the oven temperature to 425 ° F.

Toss the squash wedges with 1/4 cup of the olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, some black pepper, and the thyme. Place the squash flat side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast in the oven for about 30minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife.

Meanwhile, cut the bacon crosswise in half or into 4-inch pieces. Heat a large frying pan, large enough to hold the bacon (and later, the squash slices) in a single layer, over high heat for 1 minute. Add the bacon and cook, adjusting the heat, so it cooks evenly. Render the fat until the bacon begins to brown, but is still tender and chewy. Remove the bacon from the pan and place on absorbent towels. Pour off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the squash in a single layer. Add the shallots and gently toss with the squash coating everything in the fat.

Place the dandelion greens in a large bowl. Add the squash to the bowl, and toss carefully with the greens. Add the vinegar to the pan, swirl for a couple of seconds. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Pour over the salad. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Carefully toss everything together.

Transfer to a serving platter or individual serving plates, layering the ingredients. Arrange the cheese and the bacon in and around the salad. Scatter the pumpkin seeds on top. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Suzanne Goin, Asian Food Channel.com

1643. CALABAZA PUMPKIN and BACON SOUP

10 whole fresh baby leaves of “Spanish thyme” (Cuban oregano) or 10 whole fresh sage leaves plus 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh leaves of whichever herb is used
4 slices bacon, chopped
3-4 lbs calabaza pumpkin or kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2 inch pieces
4 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced hot pepper or to taste (optional)
1 chopped seasoning pepper (optional)
1 sprig of fresh thyme or some tarragon
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
Salt and black pepper to taste

Fry Spanish thyme or sage leaves in 2 tablespoons of the oil- 10-15 seconds for the former, 3 to 5 seconds for sage. Transfer leaves with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Fry chopped bacon if using, remove to paper towels to drain.

Add remaining olive oil to pot, then cook onion, stirring, until softened. Stir in garlic and remaining herbs and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin/squash and sauté for 5 minutes, turning constantly. Add broth and water and simmer covered, 20-30 minutes until pieces are tender.

Let soup cool a bit and then purée soup in batches in a blender, transferring to a bowl. Return soup to pot and reheat. If necessary, thin to desired consistency with a little water. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve sprinkled with bacon and fried leaves.


bacon recipe courtesy of: A Caribbean Garden | TheGrowSpot.com

1567. KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP with CRISPY BACON

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups peeled and diced kabocha squash
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 slices bacon

Heat the butter in a 6-quart saucepot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until tender. Add the broth and squash. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 30 minutes or until the squash is very tender.

Pour half of the squash mixture into an electric blender container or food processor work bowl. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with the remaining squash mixture. Return to the pot and stir in the cream. Season to taste. Keep warm.

Cook the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon with a fork and drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon into bite-size pieces.

Divide the soup among 6 serving bowls. Top each bowl of soup with some of the bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Campbell's Kitchen, Campbell Soup Company, 1 Campbell Place, Camden, New Jersey 08103-1701

1566. BACON CREAMED PEARL ONIONS, APPLES and SQUASH

1 package(10 oz.) pearl onions (red or white), peeled
2 slices smoked bacon, thick sliced, diced ¼” cubes
½ cup peeled, diced firm cooking apple (1/2” cubes)
½ cup peeled, diced squash (Kabocha, Butternut…) (1/2” cubes)
¼ cup chicken stock or bouillon
½ cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon vegetable (cooking) oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs (chives, parsley)
salt and white pepper

Over medium flame, heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot just large enough to contain the onions in a single layer. Add in the diced bacon and carefully brown it, stirring often (about 5 minutes). When brown, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving it on a paper towel; add in the peeled onions and stir to coat them in the rendered bacon fat. Add in the chicken stock, ¼ teaspoon of salt and some white pepper, and gently bring the mixture to a boil. Turn down heat and gently simmer for 3 minutes, until the liquid nearly disappears. Add in the cream and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 8 minutes, or until cream thickens considerably. Add in the diced squash and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in the diced apples and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add in the dijon mustard and stir to blend in. Taste for seasoning and finish by adding the chopped herbs. Turn out to a bowl and top with the reserved bacon before serving hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bruce Sherman, North Pond | Green City Market, 2732 North Clark Street, Suite 302, Chicago, Illinois 60614, (773) 880-1266

1261. KABOCHA SQUASH and BACON

serves two


10 crescent-cut kabocha squash pieces
4 slices of bacon cut into bite size
3-4 shimeji mushrooms
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of sake

Cook the slices of bacon on low to medium heat to your preference. My wife likes it crispy and I like it not crispy, so we compromise and cook until they are slightly crispy. When the bacon is done, your pan should be filled with bacon grease so dump those out to a bowl or container. Don't use the paper towl to completely soak all of the grease. You need a bit of oil in there.

Keep the bacon in the pan, and turn the heat back to medium and stirfry the kabocha slices and mushrooms for 3 to 5 minutes until the kabocha starts to turn slightly brown.

Splash about 2 table spoon of sake in the pan (be careful!) and let the alcohol burn off. I said to use the real sake instead of cooking sake because cooking sake usually has some salt in it, and that could make this dish taste slightly salty.

When most of the liquid has evaporated, lower the heat to low, and add butter. Stir the pan gently so the melting butter can spread around evenly. When most of the butter has melted, seal the pan with a lid, and let it simmer for about 3 minutes until kabocha gets soft.


courtesy of: JW's Easy Japanese Recipes, Seattle, Washington

1217. KABOCHA SALAD with GREENS, BACON, CHEESE and PECAS

yields 6 servings


½ cup pecan halves
6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2 pounds kabocha squash
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 2/3 pound slab good quality bacon
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
8 ounces young dandelion greens, cleaned
¼ cup sliced shallots
¼ pound Roncal, Manchego or pecorino cheese.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread pecans on baking sheet and toast about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until fragrant. Toss with 1 teaspoon oil and a pinch of salt. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place squash, cut side down, on cutting board, and peel with knife. Slice lengthwise into ¾ inch wedges. Turn up oven to 425 degrees. Toss squash with ¼ cup oil, 2 teaspoons salt, some pepper and thyme. Roast, flat on baking sheet, about 30 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, cut bacon crosswise into 3/8 inch slices and then into even-sided rectangles. Whisk together vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Place greens, torn up if too large, in large salad bowl. Heat large pan over high heat for 1 minute. Add bacon, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, until just beginning to brown. Lower heat to medium, add shallots and toss to combine. Remove from heat, swirl in vinaigrette and add to greens with squash. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and pinch of pepper, and toss gently. Taste for seasoning. Arrange half the salad on platter. Shave some cheese over salad, sprinkle on half the nuts, top with remaining salad, more cheese shavings and rest of the nuts.


courtesy of: Sunday Suppers at Lucques: Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table by Suzanne Goin and Teri Gelber. Knopf, 2005 | The New York Times,, November 9, 2005