3669. BABY LEAF SALAD with BACON

yields four servings


8 ounces good bacon

1 extra large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 pound chunk very good Parmesan
Mesclun greens for 4, washed and spun dry

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Lay the bacon on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crisp. Dry on paper towels and large dice.

For the dressing, place the egg yolk, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Process until smooth. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube (as though you were making mayonnaise) and process until thick. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and pulse 3 times.

Toss the lettuce with enough dressing to moisten well. Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. With a very sharp knife or a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan into large shards and arrange them on the lettuce. Sprinkle the diced bacon over the salad and serve.

bacon recipe source: Ina Garten, "Chicken Story," Barefoot Contessa, Food Network, 2004

3617. PEAR, BACON and MESCLUN SALAD

serves four 


4 slices streaky bacon 
2 crisp ripe pears 
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard 
salt and freshly ground black pepper 
4 large handfuls mesclun salad leaves

Grill of pan fry the bacon until crisp, cool a little and then chop into small pieces. Slice the pears thinly, discarding the core, mix the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard, sea salt and pepper in a bowl and then toss the pear slices in the dressing. Arrange the salad leaves on plates and then top with pears and bacon. Drizzle over extra dressing.


bacon recipe source: Helen Jackson, Food Lovers, PO Box 128-215, Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand

1846. BREADED, PAN-FRIED GOAT CHEESE with a SALAD of MESCLUN with RED ONIONS, CRISP BACON and BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

serves 6 as a main course


For the pan-fried cheese:
1 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup dried breadcrumbs, preferably homemade
scant 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) mild-flavored goat cheese logs, well chilled
olive oil or clarified butter, as needed

For the dressing:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (regular or whole grain)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil (mix pure and extra-virgin)

For the salad:
1 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/3-inch cubes, fried until crisp and drained
1 pound (14 to 16 cups) mesclun, rinsed and spun dry
1 small red onion, sliced into thin wedges (optional)
Suggested dressing: Balsamic Vinaigrette, close to room temperature

To bread the cheese: Mix the egg and water in a shallow bowl. Whisk the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese together, on a plate, and place it next to the egg. Season the crumbs with salt and black pepper. Place a sheet of wax paper on a shallow tray and place it next to the crumbs. Take the logs of goat cheese out of the refrigerator and unwrap them. Using unflavored dental floss, cut the goat cheese into generous 1-inch thick slices. Dip each slice in the beaten egg, coating on both sides, and then coat each slice evenly in the crumb mixture. As each slice is coated, place it on the prepared tray. When finished, cover the plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour and as much as 24 hours, before continuing.

To make the dressing: Combine all the dressing ingredients, using a whisk, in a nonreactive bowl. If not serving right away, cover the bowl and refrigerate. Take the dressing out of the refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

To cook the bacon: Cook the bacon, over medium-heat, until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Set aside until ready to rewarm the bacon and serve.

To pan-fry the cheese: Just before you’re ready to serve, pan-fry the cheese. First place a wire cooling rack on a shallow baking sheet and place the sheet close to the stove. Heat a 12-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over high heat and, when hot, add a thin layer of olive oil, or melt a few tablespoons of clarified butter. When the fat is hot, add the breaded goat cheese, in a single layer, without crowding. Fry on both sides until golden and hot throughout, turning once. When golden, transfer each slice to the wire rack. (Don’t use paper towels, as any oozing cheese will stick to it.)

To assemble the salad: Rewarm the bacon, either wrapped loosely in foil, in a preheated 350F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or in a microwavable plate or bowl, lined with a doubled sheet of paper towel, on high, for 1 to 2 minutes. Blot any fat off bacon and set aside. Combine the greens and the onions, in a large mixing bowl and add enough dressing to coat the greens lightly. Sprinkle the greens lightly with salt and gently mix the dressing throughout. Divide generous portions of salad between six dinner plates and scatter each serving with an equal amount of bacon. Place 2 slices of fried cheese to one side of the salad and serve immediately. Pass a pepper mill with a bowl of extra dressing, at the table.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lauren Groveman, Lauren Groveman's Kitchen, Larchmont, New York

1742. MESCLUN SALAD with GOAT-CHEESE STUFFED FIGS wrapped in BACON

makes four first-course servings


8 bacon slices
8 firm-ripe fresh figs, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/4 lb aged goat cheese such as Bucheron or Pouligny-St.-Pierre
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 oz mesclun (4 cups)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat broiler.

Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until most of fat is rendered but bacon is still pliable, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Remove 1 scoop of flesh from each fig half with small end of a melon-ball cutter and discard. Scoop cheese with same end of melon-ball cutter and just fill each fig half. Press fig halves together to form whole figs.

Stir together brown sugar, cumin, and salt, then rub onto 1 side of each bacon slice. Wrap 1 bacon slice, sugared side out, around each fig and secure with a toothpick.

Broil figs, bacon sides up, on rack of a broiler pan about 3 inches from heat, turning them frequently, until bacon is browned, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly, then discard toothpicks.

Toss mesclun with lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, then gently toss with oil. Serve figs with salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet, August 2001