3521. MUSHROOM CAPPUCCINO with SAVORY BACON CREAM and PIMENTON MUSHROOM CRISPS

yields eight servings


4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup leeks, white parts only, sliced

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 each garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 cup oyster mushrooms, sliced

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, no stems, sliced

3/4 cup sherry, dry

1/4 each thyme bunch, leaves only

1/2 each tarragon bunch, leaves only

1/8 cup cornstarch, dissolved in ¼ cup of water

4 1/2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

1/2 cup cream

1 teaspoon cocoa powder, ground cinnamon or mushroom powder

Savory bacon cream

3/4 cup cream, 38%

2 each apple smoked bacon slices, cut in 1” strips

Pimentón mushroom crisps
1 pound portabella mushrooms

Olive oil, for brushing

Pimentón, to taste

Kosher or sea salt, to taste


Mushroom cappuccino: Caramelize shitake mushrooms in butter. Deglaze pan with ¼ cup of sherry. Add leeks, onion, and garlic and cook about 8 minutes, until the onion is transparent. Add more sherry if needed to maintain texture and moisture. Meanwhile, heat cream and chicken stock separately. In a separate pan, sauté remaining mushrooms in batches until they are golden and wilted. Lightly salt them to increase release of their liquids. Deglaze sauté pan with sherry or some of the chicken stock to dissolve brown particles stuck on bottom. Add sautéed mushrooms to shitake and onion mixture with fresh herbs. Mix in hot stock and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until mushrooms are tender, about 20 minutes. Add hot cream and season with salt and pepper. While stirring, add cornstarch mixture to thicken, if needed. Working in batches, purée soup in a blender or processor until it is smooth. Return soup to pot. This soup can be prepared ahead of time by covering it and refrigerating it. It can be reheated over low heat before serving.

Savory bacon cream: Combine cream and bacon, place in double boiler for 30 minutes. Strain and chill below 36°F. Remove any firm bacon fat from surface.Using hand held wire whisk, beat cream to a soft peak. Keep it cold until serving.
 
Pimentón mushroom crisps: Preheat oven to 400°F.Hold mushrooms by stems and, using a sharp slicing knife or mandoline, slice each mushroom cap crosswise or horizontally into thin, almost translucent, slices. Reserve stems for another dish. Lay out mushrooms in a single layer on sheet pan (you may require more than one). Brush each mushroom with olive oil and sprinkle with pimentón. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Season with salt, place on a paper towel to drain and serve.

For each serving, to order: Ladle soup into coffee cups or small glasses. Place dollop of bacon cream over soup. Top with cocoa powder or mushroom powder and garnish with a few mushroom crisps.




bacon recipe source: Chef Lars Kronmark, Culinary Institute of America, St. Helena, CA; Mushroom Council, 2880 Zanker Road, Suite 203, San Jose, CA 95134

2880 Zanker Road, Suite 203 San Jose, CA 95134

2880 Zanker Road, Suite 203 San Jose, CA 95134

2666. CHILEAN SEA BASS with BACON, YELLOW RICE and MUSHROOMS

decent sized piece of Chilean sea bass fillets
2 slices of fairly lean bacon
4 thin slices of mozzarella cheese
snow peas (mange tout)
1 cup basmati rice
1/2 an onion
a handful of baby portabella mushrooms
1 soft tomato
1/2 large green pepper
1 large dessert spoonfull of tomato paste
crushed garlic
ground cumin
black pepper
chili powder
turmeric

Before anything else, wash the rice until the water runs off clear, and drain it, then turn on the grill. Finely chop the onion, slice the mushrooms, and chop the pepper into half inch squares. Add a cup and a half of water, and half a teaspoon of ground turmeric to the rice, and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick to the pot. When it boils, turn the heat right down, and jam a piece of kitchen roll under the lid to give a good seal. Then start a timer for ten minutes, and put the sea bass under the grill, seasoned with salt and pepper, skin side up.

Fry the onions and mushrooms in a little olive oil until soft. When they're close to cooked add a dessert spoon of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of ground black pepper, and a quarter teaspoon of ground chili. Mix the spices in and fry a little longer. Now chop up the tomato, and add that and the tomato paste. Stir in boiling water to adjust the consistency to a thickish sauce. Add the green pepper and garlic, and salt to taste. Turn the heat down and leave the sauce to simmer, stirring occasionally.

When the first ten minutes expires, turn off the heat under the rice, turn over the sea bass, and start the timer again for another ten minutes. Bring the snow peas to the boil in a pot with a lid in just a little water. Put the lid on and turn the heat down.

After another five minutes, put the bacon strips over the fish, and continue to grill. When the second timer expires, put the mozzarella slices over the bacon, and continue to grill. Heat the plates, and serve each with a portion of rice, snow peas, and sauce, arranged as gaudily as you like. Take the sea bass out from the grill, divide it in two pieces with a sharp knife so it doesn't disintegrate, and add to the plates.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Brits Eye View, Tanzania

2383. BACON-WRAPPED FILLET STEAK with SCOTCH WHISKY and GINGER ALE SAUCE with HERBED MUSHROOMS

serves two


2-5 oz. fillet steaks
2 slices of bacon
seasoned salt to taste
pepper to taste
cooking spray
½ tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 cups sliced mushrooms, sliced (white or baby portabella)
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup Scotch whiskey
½ cup ginger ale (Recommendation: Zevia Ginger Ale)
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
½ tablespoon soy sauce
pinch or two of dried rubbed sage


Preheat Oven to 375. For the Steak: Sprinkle sea salt and pepper on both sides of steaks. Wrap with bacon and secure with a tooth pick. Treat and heat a cast iron or heavy oven safe skillet. Add bacon-wrapped fillet. Sear on one side, approximately 2-3 minutes. Turn steak. Place in oven. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until internal temperature is 125. For the Sauce: Add oil to a medium skillet and heat. Add one tablespoon of butter. Pop the other tablespoon into the freezer. Once butter is melted, add mushrooms and thyme to pan. Sauté five minutes until browned. Remove mushrooms from pan to a bowl. Remove pan from heat. Right before you’re ready to serve your meal, return pan to high heat. Once pan is hot, add Scotch to deglaze, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add ginger ale, brown sugar, soy sauce and rubbed sage. Add the mushrooms back to the pan. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer; about three to five minutes until it reduces to half. Add cold butter. Turn heat to high, bring to boil and then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Stir until the butter is dissolved.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Taste of Home, RDA Food & Entertaining Affinity, 5400 South 60th Street, Greendale, Wisconsin 53129

1361. CHATEAUBRIAND with PORTOBELLO-BACON SAUCE

yields six servings


8 and 1/4 cups beef broth (low-salt if using canned)
1 bottle Merlot (or other red wine with mellow tannins)
1/2 cup canola oil
4 ounces sliced double-smoked bacon, cut in half lengthwise and julienned
5 shallots, finely diced
8 to 10 portobello-mushroom caps, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 to 4 and 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, trimmed (with the thin tail end folded to equalize the thickness) and tied at 1 and 1/2-inch intervals

Portobello-bacon sauce: Place 8 cups of the broth in a saucepan over medium heat and reduce to about 2 cups. Reduce the red wine to about 1 cup in a separate saucepan.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pan, then add the bacon and cook until it's crisp but not burned; remove and set aside. Add the shallots to the pan, cook till translucent, and stir in the diced mushrooms. When the mushrooms have released all their liquid, return the bacon to the pan, add the reduced wine, and bring to a simmer. Add the reduced beef broth and thyme and simmer for 30 minutes. Mix the cornstarch or arrowroot with the remaining 1/4 cup beef broth and add to the sauce after the first 15 minutes of cooking. When ready to serve, whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin it out with a little water.

Chateaubriand: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan, and when the oil begins to smoke, add the tenderloin and sear on all sides. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, to desired doneness (115 to 118 degrees for rare, 120 degrees for medium rare). Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil, and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Cut into 2-inch-thick slices and serve 2 per person with the portobello-bacon sauce. Hearts of celery, organic carrots, leeks, and Bintje potatoes—all braised—make great accompaniments.


courtesy of: Chef Rick Laakkonen, Ilo, The Bryant Park Hotel, 40 West 40th Street, New York, New York 10018 | New York Magazine, 2002

1022. SWORDFISH and SMOKED BACON CLUB SANDWICH

serves four


2 pounds swordfish, cut into four 1/2-inch-thick steaks
1/2 cup olive oil
Spanish smoked paprika to taste
4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
Handful of basil leaves, cut into julienne strips
Grated zest and juice of one lemon
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 pound smoked bacon, cooked
8 3/4-inch thick slices country bread, brushed with olive oil
8 large lettuce leaves
4 slices red tomato
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Toast or grill the bread slices until golden. Place two slices on each of four dinner plates and set aside. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and place them on the grill. Cook until they begin to brown, approximately two minutes, then turn over and cook on the other side for two minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Season the swordfish steaks on both sides with salt and pepper and grill, charring the outside well, but keeping the fish steaks medium-rare inside, approximately three to four minutes per side. Remove from the grill. Place a lettuce leaf on each piece of bread and top with tomato, grilled mushrooms, bacon and swordfish. Drizzle the basil-lemon mayonnaise over the top and serve.

courtesy of: Chef Michael Lomonaco, Porter House New York / Wine Spectator

748. TURKEY and BACON ASIAGO WRAP

makes 12 servings


24 ounces sliced smoked turkey
24 slices bacon, cooked crisp
6 cups Asiago cheese, grated finely
12 each tortilla wraps, 12"
6 cups rotini pasta, cooked
1/2 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups portabello mushrooms, grilled and diced 1/2"

for White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
2 ounces white balsamic vinegar
4 ounces extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the white balsamic vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette, except the oil, in a blender. Mix well. Add the oil in a slow steady stream with the motor running. Cook bacon until crisp and reserve. Spread the (12) tortillas out over a clean work surface. Place 2 oz. of the smoked turkey over each tortilla. Place (2) slices of bacon over each. Drizzle a teaspoon of vinaigrette over each sandwich. Combine remaining vinaigrette, mayonnaise, red onions, basil, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Add the pasta, Asiago cheese and mushrooms, and fold together until well mixed. Divide the pasta among the (12) sandwiches. Roll the sandwiches into cylinders and serve.


courtesy of: Hormel Food Service, 1-800-723-8000

672. BAKED STRIPED BASS with BACON

4 pieces of striped bass (approx 6-8 ounces)
1 cup of red onion sliced into 1" thick slices
8 pieces of thick-cut sliced bacon
8 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of sliced, fresh, baby-portabello mushrooms caps
1/4 tsp. of dried tarragon
Hungarian paprika
1 quart of golden ginger ale

Soak the striped bass overnight in golden ginger ale, before you prepare the dish rinse the bass and prepare as listed below. In a pan, cook bacon; save drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside. Cook mushrooms and onion in drippings till tender. Place striped bass in a baking dish. Combine mushrooms, onion, butter and tarragon. Spread on top of the bass; sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Garnish the bass with bacon.

Note you can use any type of bass with this recipe (rock bass, small mouth, large mouth sea bass etc.)


courtesy of: Active Angler, Red Raven Press, LLC, 318 Elm Street, Windsor, Colorado 80550

510. ROASTED PORTABELLO MUSHROOMS STUFFED with RICE, GRUYERE, PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO, THYME, OREGANO, and BACON

Yield: 8 portions


8 portabello mushrooms, large
3 oz. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
¼ lb. bacon, chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
½ cup white wine
3 cups medium-grain white or brown rice, cooked
½ cup scallions, chopped
½ cup gruyère cheese, grated
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated + 2 Tbsp. for garnish

Break off mushroom stems and reserve, then wash the caps if needed. Scrape the gills off the mushrooms and discard. Finely chop the stems and set aside for later use.

Dry the caps and toss them in the olive oil with salt and pepper.

Place all the mushroom caps in an ovenproof dish, cap-side down, and bake for 5 minutes at 350°F.

Render the bacon in a sauté pan until crisp; remove from pan and set aside.

Add the chopped mushroom stems to the hot bacon fat and sauté for 1 minute to cook out water. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add the garlic, thyme, and oregano, and sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Reduce until a glaze is formed.

Add the rice, reserved bacon, scallions, Gruyère, ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, and reserved bacon. Mix well and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Stuff the mushroom cavity with the filling. Top with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano, if desired.

Bake the mushrooms again at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Excellent with grilled New York strip steak and steamed asparagus.


courtesy of: The Culinary Institute of America's Pro Chef