3620. SWEET and SPICY SHRIMP, PINEAPPLE and BACON SKEWERS

serves approximately 24 pieces 


Large tooth picks
1 pound bacon; thin cut if possible
2 pounds 21-25 per pound raw peel-on shrimp
1 fresh pineapple peeled, cored and cut into one-inch pieces, or one can of chunk pineapple
2 cups ketchup
Dash of Sriracha
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 6-ounce can pineapple juice
Sesame seeds

Soak the tooth picks for one hour submerged in water. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay bacon out on parchment lined sheet tray and bake for 10-20 minutes until cooked but still pliable. Cut each strip in half and shut oven off. While bacon is cooking, peel shrimp and set aside. Cut the top and bottom from pineapple. Cut off outer layer down to the flesh. Cut into four quarters vertically. Lay pieces on their sides and cut out and discard core. Cut strips into pieces that will fit in the curve of the shrimp. You will have pineapple leftover if you use fresh. In a small bowl, mix ketchup, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil and pineapple juice. Set aside. To assemble, place shrimp on a cutting board, open curve towards you. Place a piece of pineapple in the curve. Lay a half bacon strip over the top. Take a soaked tooth pick and skewer through bacon end closest to you, then through pineapple, shrimp and ending out the opposite end of the bacon. Continue for all of the shrimp. Dip each piece (both sides) in sauce and place on parchment lined sheet tray. Brush remaining sauce over the pieces. If you have a ribbed grill pan, place over medium high heat and when hot, grill shrimp for about 1 ½ minutes per side. (Although we recommend grilling these skewers, you can also broil them – just place a sheet pan of shrimp under the broiler for the same length of time per side.) Whichever method you use, do not overcook the shrimp. When both sides are pink, they are done. Once off the grill pan or out of the oven, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.


bacon recipe source: Martha, A Family Feast (@AFamilyFeast), October 17, 2013

3474. TOBAGO PEPPER and BACON JAM

1.5 lbs. Tobago peppers
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
2 yellow onions, diced small
2 cups white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 oz. peeled ginger
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 lb. sliced bacon

Wash and clean the Tobago peppers. Keep the seeds. Chop peppers in a food processor or by hand if time permits. Combine white balsamic vinegar and the peppers. Add the whole grain mustard, diced onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, honey, cider vinegar, orange and pineapple juice, and let marinate for 24 hours.

The next day, slice the bacon in 1/2-inch sections, and sautee until almost crispy. Dump marinated pepper ingredients over the sauteed bacon. Simmer slowly until the liquid is reduced by half and the ingredients have a syrup-like consistency.

Remove from heat. Cool and refrigerate for future use. Use this jam as a marinade for meat or for adding a little something extra to an appetizer.


bacon recipe source: Chef Serge Falcoz-Vigne, 518 West, 518 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27603; Kaitlyn Goforth, Deep South Magazine, October 8, 2014

1963. BACON-WRAPPED SWEET and SOUR MEATBALLS

serves six


Meatballs
1 lb. ground pork
3 slices crustless white bread
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
10 slices bacon, cut in half
1 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying
Wooden toothpicks for securing bacon

Sweet & Sour Sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil for frying
1 – 8 1/4 oz. can pineapple chunks in heavy syrup, juice reserved
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
Pinch salt
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger
6 tablespoons ketchup
6 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice

For meatballs: Tear apart the bread into small pieces, soak in milk and mash well in small bowl. In medium bowl, mix the ground pork with salt, garlic powder and pepper, stirring with fork. Drain off the excess milk from the mashed bread and mix with the meat. Make meatballs 1″ in diameter. Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around each meatball. Use half a toothpick for each meatball to secure the bacon to the meatballs. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs 20-22 minutes until bacon is slightly crisp, turning frequently. Drain on paper towels. Remove toothpicks.

For sauce: Heat oil in medium saucepan. Add the pineapple and cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Add all the remaining sauce ingredients to the pan and bring slowly to a boil stirring continuously until thickened. Allow to simmer 1 minute or until completely clear.

Arrange meatballs on serving platter. Pour sauce over the meatballs. Serve while warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Farmer John, 1 Hormel Place, Austin, Minnesota 55912 | Cooking on the Side, February 2, 2010

126. HAWAIIAN TOAST with BACON SANDWICH

4-6 slices bread, 1/2-inch thick
2 eggs
1 cup pineapple juice
1 teaspoon salt
8 slices bacon
4 slices of pineapple, cut into halves

Beat eggs until light. Beat in pineapple juice and salt. Dip the bread in the egg mixture. Soak it well. Saute bacon in a skillet. Remove bacon to a hot platter. Fry the bread in the bacon drippings, browning one side, then the other. Remove the bread to the hot platter. Saute the pineapple halves in the bacon drippings. Garnish the platter with the bacon and the pineapple. Serve toast at once.


courtesy of: Wellshire Farms, Swedesboro, New Jersey