1903. BRUSSEL SPROUTS with BACON, MACHE and MUSTARD SAUCE

serves four


1 pound Brussel sprouts
1 garlic clove cut into slivers
2 tablespoons chives finely chopped
1/4 pound slab bacon
1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons creme fraiche or heavy cream
bunch of mache or tatsoi


Blanch Brussel sprouts for 4-5 minutes in boiling salted water. Refresh in cold water to keep the color. Cut the bacon slab into 1/4 slice then slice again into 1/4 pieces. Saute bacon in 1 tablespoon olive oil till light browned. Reserve half the bacon for garnish...

Cut the Brussel sprouts in half, then add the cut Brussel sprouts flat side down to the bacon fat. Cook till light browned, then add the garlic slivers and cook another 30 seconds.

For the sauce: Add 1/2 the bacon, shallots, and saute in 1 tablespoon butter. Add the chicken stock and mustard. Whisk in cream and reduce till desired consistency is reached. Add mache (leaving some for garnish) and cook till just barely wilted.

Reheat the Brussel sprouts with mache and 1/2 bacon. Pour over sauce and garnish with additional bacon, mache and chives.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Greenmarket Recipes

1214. GUINEA FOWL, LEMON THYME, BACON and ASIAN GALANGAL

1 guinea fowl
500 ml chicken stock
2 rashers smoked bacon
10 grams lemon thyme, picked over and washed
1 whole lemon, washed and thinly sliced
1 stem galangal, washed and cut into thick batons
4 lime leaves
2 stems lemongrass, cut and slightly crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For Salad
amaranth
tatsoi
mizuna
pea asparagus
purple ruffled basil
burnett
baby spinach
red sorrel
chickweed

Flowers
broad bean flowers
Chinese leek flowers
red mustard
nasturtium flowers
chives

For Dressing
virgin olive oil
1 lemon, squeezed

Take the fowl and separate the legs from the main carcass. Cut the legs through the knee bone joint and reserve aside. Take the wishbone out at the front of the bird and continue to cut the remaining breasts of the guinea fowl off the carcass. Cut through the wing joint, thus retaining it on the breast. Lift the exposed breast fillet and place a quarter of the prepared lemon thyme underneath it. Take the rashers of bacon and stretch them out with the aid of a rolling pin so they attain twice their original length. Wrap the individual breasts with a bacon rasher securing with a wooden cocktail stick. Place the entire guinea fowl meat into a roasting dish with sides high enough to hold the chicken stock. Place the other ingredients alongside the meat, lightly season. Bring the bouillon to a gentle boil, place in a preheated oven 200C and cook for about 15 minutes.


courtesy of: bigoven: share your cooking