2741. CHOCOLATE and BACON LASAGNA with APPLE JUICE and CANDY

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
4 slices bacon, pan fried and fat drained
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk
1 cup flour 
salt, pinch
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 pound butter
1/2 cup mascarpone

In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips. In a small bowl, combine milk and flour. Add a pinch of salt. Add sugar. If mixture is too thick, add milk. It should have the consistency of a batter. In a non-stick pan, add a pat of butter and swirl around to ensure bottom of pan is coated. When butter is foamy, add enough batter to coat pan. When crepe begins to cook, flip to cook other side. Cook all batter. On a flat surface, place 1 crepe. Coat with mascarpone and top with another crepe. Layer a thin chocolate spread. Rotate ingredients until you have used all crepes. Spread chocolate and sprinkled chopped bacon on top. Gently cut with square mold squares out of the stack. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Casey Thompson, Top Chef, Season 8, Episode 2, Quickfire Challenge, Bravo TV

2740. CHOCOLATE-COVERED BACON ON A STICK with MARCONA ALMONDS and DRIED CHERRIES

serves twelve


12 slices of thick-sliced apple or hickory wood smoked bacon, skewered lengthwise
2 cups high quality semi sweet chocolate chips

6 tablespoons butter 

1/8 teaspoon sea salt 

1/2 cup finely chopped marcona almonds

1/2 cup finely chopped dried cherries

demerara or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Cook bacon: Preheat the oven to 400. Place skewered bacon on a broiling pan. When oven is ready, bake the bacon until crisp, about 20 - 25 minutes in the top third of your oven. When done, set the pan aside and let the bacon cool. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside. 

Prep assembly line: Place bowl of finely chopped almonds and bowl of finely chopped cherries next to the bacon. Place Demerara sugar next to that. When your chocolate is done, you will have an assembly line of bacon, melted chocolate, cherries, almonds, and Demerara sugar.

Prep chocolate: Place semi sweet chocolate and butter in a shallow microwaveable bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Continue to microwave in 15 second increments, stirring after each one, until the chocolate and butter have melted. When melted, add a the sea salt and stir to combine.

Cover bacon in chocolate: Using a pastry brush, coat both sides of each piece of bacon with melted chocolate and place on baking sheet. If your bowl of chocolate sauce cools and hardens before you are finished brushing it onto the bacon, just stick it back into the microwave for 20 seconds or so. 

Sprinkle with almonds, cherries, and sugar: When all of the bacon is covered in chocolate, work with one piece at a time and cover with toppings. While the chocolate is still warm, place some of the chopped cherries over the chocolate on one side of a piece of bacon. The cherries are sticky so it is a bit of work. Sprinkle that side with the almonds and a pinch of Demerara sugar. Flip that piece over and do it again so that both sides are sprinkled with cherries, almonds, and Demerara. Do this for each piece of chocolate covered bacon. Refrigerate until hardened. Serve.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Waverly (member), Food52, New York City

2739. CHOPPED SALAD with BACON and FRIED GARBANZO BEANS

serves six


3/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
4 slices (1/4 pound) bacon
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, preferably English, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 large head romaine lettuce, trimmed and sliced
1 can (15 ounces) butter beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup small feta cheese cubes
6 tablespoons ranch dressing

Heat 6 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add garbanzo beans and fry, stirring often, until crisp and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and chili powder; set aside.

Carefully discard oil in skillet and wipe clean. Return skillet to medium heat, add bacon, and cook, turning occasionally, until crisp, 7 to 8 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle, crumble into small pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, basil, oregano, garlic, shallot, and remaining 6 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to make a dressing. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, butter beans, and cheese, tossing gently to combine. Transfer to bowls, drizzle ranch dressing over the top, garnish with bacon and garbanzo beans, and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Traci Des Jardins, O, The Oprah Magazine, February 2011

2738. BACON and BOURSIN SANDWICH

makes one sandwich


1 (4-inch) ciabatta roll, split
2 teaspoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons herbed Boursin cheese
1 leaf lettuce
1 slice tomato
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced into rings
2 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked and drained

Brush cut sides of ciabatta roll with butter; grill until toasted. Spread cheese on bottom and top halves of roll. Layer bottom half with lettuce, tomato, apple and bacon. Cover with top half of roll.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Hormel Foods, Hormel Foods Corporation, Consumer Response, 1 Hormel Place, Austin, Minnesota 55912

2737. ENDIVE and WATERCRESS SALAD with BACON-CIDER DRESSING

serves six


4 slices center-cut bacon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black papper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups (1/2-inch) diagonally cut Belgian endive
3 cups chopped radicchio
1 cup trimmed watercress

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon to pan; cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; coarsely chop bacon. Combine 2 teaspoons drippings, oil, and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add remaining ingredients; toss well. Sprinkle with chopped bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: "The Enlightened Cook: Radically Simple Cooking," Cooking Light, November 2012, p. 246

2736. MIGAS with BACON

serves two


1/2 lb. dense country bread, crusts left on
1/2 cup warm water
salt
1/2 teaspoon pimenton dulce (sweet paprika)
a pinch of pimenton picante (hot paprika); optional
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
5 garlic cloves
8 slices bacon

Cut the bread into very thin slices, less than 1/4-inch, and then into strips, and then into dice as small as a chickpea. Put them in a bowl. Mix the water with some salt and the pimenton (the hot one too, if you wish). Sprinkle this on the diced bread, turning it with your hands so that the pieces are evenly moistened. Leave for a few hours, or overnight, covered with a cloth.

When you are ready to eat, heat the oil in a large skillet (nonstick if you like). Fry the garlic and bacon over medium heat, turning them occasionally. Take out the garlic when it is golden brown and discard it; transfer the bacon to a plate when it is crisp and has released most of its fat. Throw the damp bread into the pan and fry over high heat for about 15 minutes, turning it over continually and breaking it up with a spatula into ever-smaller pieces, until the biggish crumbs are crisp, golden, and crunchy but still soft and slightly damp inside. The fat will be soaked up very quickly, but you can continue to cook, turning the crumbs in the dry pan.

Cut the bacon into small pieces and add them to the pan to heat through at the end.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Food of Spain by Claudia Roden, 2010, p. 477

2735. BACON SWEET POTATO POUTINE

serves two


1 sweet potato, cut lengthwise into preference sized french fries
6-8 strips of bacon, cut into 1 inches pieces
1 head of cauliflower, stem removed, cut into small florets
½ cup canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of black pepper
pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon fat of choice
coconut oil spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut your sweet potato in half lengthwise, then slice the sweet potato into ½ inch strips then cut those in half. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and line sweet potatoes on it so they are not overlapping. Lightly spray sweet potatoes with coconut oil then top with a pinch of salt. Remove your stem from your cauliflower and roughly chop cauliflower into small florets. Cheese curd size will do. Place in a glass baking dish and drizzle a tablespoon or so of your fat of choice. Place cauliflower as well as sweet potatoes in the oven to cook for 20-25 minutes. (Your cauliflower may take longer). While the goodies are in the oven, add your diced bacon into a skillet over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to break up the bacon and help cook on all sides. Once bacon is done cooking, remove from heat and remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Pour excess bacon fat into a jar or can leaving 2 tablespoons behind in your skillet for the gravy. Place skillet back over low heat, add your coconut milk and almond butter then some thyme and black pepper. Let the coconut milk come to a slight boil then use your spoon to mix together and begin to cook down. Once the mixture begins to thicken, add your bacon back to the gravy and remove from heat. Once your sweet potatoes and cauliflower are done cooking, place in a bowl or on a plate, top with gravy, and devour!!


bacon recipe courtesy of: Juli, PaleOMG, March 5, 2012

2734. GRILLED CHICKEN, BACON and SMOKED GOUDA PANINI with PESTO MAYONNAISE

makes four panini sandwiches


2 grilled (or otherwise cooked) chicken breasts, sliced
4 slices bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons homemade or high-quality store-bought pesto
4 ciabatta rolls
2 ounces smoked gouda
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
16 large fresh spinach leaves

Preheat a panini press or a grill pan set over medium-high heat. If using a grill pan, wash and cover a brick in aluminum foil. This can be placed on top of the sandwich to mimic a panini press.
In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Drain on a piece of paper towel. In a medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise and pesto. Cut ciabatta rolls in half horizontally. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the pesto mayo on the cut sides of each roll. Lay about 4 slices of chicken on each ciabatta roll and top with a strip of that crispy bacon.

Top each sandwich with 2 to 3 slices of smoked gouda, 2 slices of tomato and 4 large leaves of fresh spinach. Close the sandwich and place in a preheated panini maker or grill pan. Cook until the bread is toasted and the cheese is starting to melt. Cut in half and serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dara Michalski, Cookin' Canuck, April 23, 2010

2733. CHEESE, MARROW and BACON PUDDING

serves 2-4


6 slices well-buttered white bread
2 medium onions, diced
6 slices bacon, diced
1 large marrow, diced
4-5 oz. grated cheese
2 oz. butter
1 pint milk
2-3 eggs
salt, pepper and mustard, to taste

Heat the frying pan with a little oil, fry the diced bacon, onions and marrow until golden brown. Well grease pie dish. Place a layer of bread and butter fingers in the bottom and sprinkle liberally with the bacon, onions, marrow and cheese. Repeat until the bread, bacon, onions, marrow and cheese are all used up. Beat the eggs well, add the milk and mustard and pour over the bread, bacon, onions, marrow and cheese. Leave to soak for a hour, then stand in a pan of cold water and bake in the oven at 180 C until the egg is set and the top of the pudding golden brown.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Julian Oxborough, River Cottage

2732. CHOCOLATE BEER BATTER CUPCAKES with MAPLE BACON FROSTING

makes approximately 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes

1 cup Guinness

1 stick butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup chocolate chips

2 cups flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Maple-Glazed Bacon 
3 strips bacon

1/3 cup maple syrup 

Frosting 

8 oz. block cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon candied bacon drippings

Preheat oven to 350. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside. In a pot or large sauce pan, simmer the beer and butter on medium until butter is completely melted. Add cocoa powder and chocolate chips and stir until your mixture smooth. Take off heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, stir eggs and yogurt together until smooth. Slowly add chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Turn oven up to 375, and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay your bacon strips across a baking rack and place the rack on the foil-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush each strip of bacon with a layer of maple syrup. Bake for 10 minutes, basting strips again about half way into that time. Flip your strips over, baste, and bake for another 10 minutes. Baste your bacon one last time, and stick them back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. While your cupcakes and bacon strips are cooling, start making your frosting. In a large bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth and well-incorporated. Add powdered sugar, maple syrup and bacon grease. Mix until smooth. Spoon frosting  into a piping bag, and frost each cupcake. Slice one piece of bacon into 1-inch strips and press one piece into each frosted cupcake. Crumble the rest of the candied bacon and sprinkle them on top of the cupcakes. Enjoy immediately, with a big glass of milk.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tina, Just Putzing Around the Kitchen, June 11, 2012

2731. ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP wtih BACON

serves six


1 head cauliflower, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
8 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 cups torn French or Italian bread, crusts removed
1 teaspoon paprika
a pinch of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

On baking sheet, combine cauliflower and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; toss to coat evenly and spread in a single layer. Roast in preheated oven until soft and brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the fat in the pot. Add onion and garlic; saute for 2 minutes. Add cauliflower, stock, bread, paprika and cayenne; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar.

Using an immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender in batches, puree soup until smooth. Return to the pot, if necessary, and season with salt and black pepper.

Ladle into heated bowls and garnish with parsley and bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, 2008. p. 56

2730. JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES with BACON, GARLIC and LEMON

serves eight


1 lemon
2 kg Jerusalem artichokes
2½ tablespoons olive oil
40 grams butter
150 grams unsmoked, rindless streaky bacon
2 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Finely grate the zest from the lemon onto a plate, cover with cling film and set aside to use later. Halve the lemon, squeeze out the juice and put the juice and lemon halves into a bowl with plenty of cold water. Peel the artichokes, cut away the ends, then cut into two if very long. Trim a little from each end to give barrel-shaped pieces, then drop them into the lemony water as you go, to stop them discolouring.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil and half the butter in a large sauté pan or deep frying pan over a medium heat. Drain the artichokes, dry them well, add to the pan and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt. Partially cover the pan with a lid and leave to part-steam, part-fry for 15-20 minutes until just tender, turning regularly. Don’t cook them too fast or handle them too roughly – they may collapse.

Meanwhile, cut the bacon into lardons. Five minutes before the artichokes are cooked, heat the remaining oil in another large frying pan or shallow flameproof casserole. Add the bacon and fry gently until just turning golden. Add the garlic and leave to cook for a few seconds, then stir in the remaining butter, reserved lemon zest and parsley.

Carefully tip the cooked artichokes into the second pan and gently toss everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Debbie Major, delicious. Magazine, UK 

2729. JARLSBERG BACON PUFFS

3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Jarlsberg cheese
2 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
1/4 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 24-cup mini-muffin tin with cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a large bowl. In a mixing cup, blend the buttermilk and the egg, then add them to the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Add the grated Jarlsberg, green onions, bacon, and pepper to taste.  Rachel suggests letting the mixture rest 15 minutes, but I was way too impatient for that. Your call.

Divide the batter among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Erika Penzer Kerekes, In Erika's Kitchen, November 19, 2010

2728. STIR-FRIED BAGELS with CABBAGE and BACON

serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal


1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 dried red chili pepper, snipped on one end
2 slices ginger, smashed
1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
5 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch wide pieces (about 4 oz.)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
6 cups cubed green cabbage (about 1 lb.)
2 large plain bagels, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce and vinegar. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the oil, add the chili, ginger, and peppercorns, then, using a metal spatula, stir-fry 10 seconds or until the aromatics are fragrant. Add the bacon, reduce the heat to medium, and stir-fry 3 minutes or until the bacon is slightly crispy on the edges. Add the garlic and stir-fry 10 seconds or until the garlic is just fragrant. Add the cabbage, increase the heat to high, and stir-fry 1 minute or until the cabbage leaves just begin to wilt. Swirl the soy sauce mixture into the wok, add the bagels, and stir-fry 1 minute or until well combined. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook 1 minute or until the bagels have softened. Uncover, sprinkle on the salt, and stir-fry until well combined.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lejen Chen, for Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories, by Grace Young, 2010, p. 255

2727. MAPLE-BACON ROASTED APPLES and CELERIAC

makes four servings


1 large celery root (celeriac), about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 apples, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss celery root with oil, pepper and salt and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add apples, toss gently and continue roasting until the apples and celery root are tender, 6 to 10 minutes more. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just crispy. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon; discard all but 2 teaspoons of the bacon fat. Add maple syrup to the fat in the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits. Add the cooked bacon and thyme (or rosemary). When the celery root and apples are tender, gently toss them with the maple-bacon glaze and roast for about 5 minutes more.


bacon recipe courtesy of: EatingWell, 6221 Shelburne Road, Suite 100, Shelburne, VT 05482, September/October 2012

2726. PAN-SEARED DUCK BREAST with GNOCCHI, SALSIFY, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, HOUSE-CURED BACON and RED WINE REDUCTION

yields 2-4 servings


2 duck breasts
4-6 salsify (if unavailable, use parsnips)
1 lemon
8 Brussels sprouts
2 slices thick-cut bacon (house cured preferably)
1 cup duck or chicken stock (home-made if possible)
1/2 cup red wine (merlot works well)
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
5 ounces butter (divided into: 2 ounces, 2 ounces, 1 ounce)
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup semolina flour
1/2 cup water (plus 1 gallon for boiling)
2 eggs
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley

Bring 1 gallon of water to boil in a pot, preheat an oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chop 1 tablespoon of parsley and 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme. Boil 1/2 cup of water in a sauce pot with fresh herbs, add a pinch of salt, 2 ounces of butter and wait for it to melt. Add flours and cook for 2 minutes, transfer to a kitchen aid mixer with paddle attachment. Mix for 1 minute, add eggs, mix 1 more minute until smooth. Transfer batter to a pastry bag and pipe long lines onto a sheet pan dusted with flour. Cut gnocchi into 1 inch pieces. Cook in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until doubled in size. Drain, cool under cold water and reserve.

Score diagonally across the breasts (hatch marks) making sure not to penetrate into the meat, only the skin and season breasts with salt and pepper and place skin side down in a oven safe skillet. Render fat and crisp skin over med-low heat, about 10-15 minutes. Remove fat from the pan twice during this process. Reserve. Throw in 5 sprigs of fresh thyme and place in the oven to finish cooking (about 4 minutes for medium temp, and 10 minutes for well done). Remove from the oven and flip breasts over to briefly cook the other side, about 1 minute. Remove and let duck rest for 10 minutes.

Cut bacon in to cubes and render in a skillet until browned. Remove and save for garnish.

Peel salsify and place in water with the squeezed lemon until ready to cut. Thinly slice the salsify on a mandolin and sauté pan with reserved duck fat until cooked, but still crisp, remove and reserve.

Blanch Brussels sprouts in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove and shock in ice water. Peel outer leaves and reserve, discard the centers.

Reduce red wine and sherry vinegar in a sauce pot until glossy, add duck stock reduce again until slightly thickened, add butter last minute, season with salt, reserve.

Heat a sauté pan over med-high heat and add 1 ounce of butter. Sauté gnocchi until browned on all sides. Add salsify and Brussels in the sauté pan with a splash of chicken stock, season and reduce until no liquid remains. Slice duck breast into 1/4 inch pieces and plate with vegetables and gnocchi. Pour sauce around.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Joel Gargano, Rocco's Dinner Party, Season 1, Episode 2 (Signature Dish, Winner), Bravo TV

2725. GRILLED MAHI MAHI with MELTED LEEKS, BACON and MAPLE VINAIGRETTE

serves four


4 portions fresh mahi mahi
4 shallots
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 tablespoons maple syrup
8 bacon slices
4 tablespoon olive oil
½ bunch thyme, picked
8 tablespoon vegetable stock
¼ bunch parsley, chopped
3 leeks
¾ stick butter
salt
pepper

Preheat your grill. Dice shallots and the bacon. Render out the fat from the bacon and then remove the bacon from the pan reserving the fat. Add the shallots and the olive oil to the bacon fat, sweat shallots until translucent. Add the cider vinegar. Simmer for approximately five minutes. Now add the maple syrup, vegetable stock, rendered bacon, and picked thyme. Adjust the seasonings as needed with salt, pepper, and maple syrup. Cut the leeks in to an even square dice, wash well and drain. Add butter to a large pan and melt until boiling before adding the diced leeks and salt. Cook quickly on a moderate heat until tender. Brush grill with olive oil, season mahi mahi with salt and pepper. Grill the mahi hami to the desired temperature. Place the leeks in the middle of the plate with the mahi mahi on top. Add the chopped parsley to the sauce just before spooning it around and a little on top of the fish to finish.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Clint Davies, Fish Story Restaurant, 790 Main Street at Third, Napa, California 94559

2724. MAPLE BACON KETTLE CORN

4 slices bacon, cooked, fat reserved

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 cup corn kernels

1/4 cup cooking fat (use the reserved bacon fat and extra olive or vegetable oil to make 1/4 cup of popcorn cooking fat)

3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt (depending on your taste)

Cook off bacon until brown and crisp. Set aside to cool. Once cool, chop into small bits and toss with maple syrup. Carefully measure out the hot bacon grease. If you don’t have 1/4 cup of fat, add some vegetable or canola oil to make 1/4 cup of oil for cooking the popcorn. In a large pan over medium high heat, heat the bacon fat and oil mixture. Add the corn kernels. Sprinkle over the sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and wait for the popping to begin. Once the popping begins, use two good pot holders the hold together the pan and the lid and shake the pot. Feel free to take the pot off the flame to give it a good shake. Just be careful and then return the pot to the flame. Shake often throughout the popping process. This will help ensure that the sugar doesn’t burn the pan and the popcorn. Once finished popping remove the lid and salt with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon more salt. Use a large spoon to stir the popcorn. You don’t want the hope sugar to burn you. Pour in the bacon and maple mixture. Toss together and serve. 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Joy Wilson, Joy the Baker, September 8, 2010

2723. BACON POLENTA with SAUTEED CRIMINI MUSHROOMS and THYME

1/2 cup chopped bacon (about 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and saute the bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towel. Pour out bacon drippings, leaving just 2 tablespoons dripping in the skillet.

Add shallots and saute until just starting to turn brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and slowly whisk in polenta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is soft and thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.

While the polenta is cooking, heat olive oil in another large skillet set over medium heat. Add crimini mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are tender and just starting to brown. Stir in fresh thyme. Remove from heat. Season with freshly ground black pepper and lightly with salt (remember, there will be salt in the polenta from the bacon and the chicken broth).

Just before serving, stir the reserved bacon and Parmesan cheese into the polenta. Divide the mixture across 6 plates (I typically serve this as a side) and top the polenta servings with even amounts of the mushroom mixture. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dara Michalski, Cookin' Canuck, September 1, 2010

2722. BRAISED MONTANA COFFEE-MARINATED BISON SHORT RIBS

serves 4-6


Coffee-Maple Marinade/Brine
4 cups water
3 cups chilled strong coffee
1/2 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/4 cup table salt
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups ice cubes

4 lb. bone-in English-cut bison short ribs

Montana Coffee Sauce
1/4 cup diced bacon
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 small jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 cup strong coffee
1 cup homemade beef stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chili sauce or ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, or more to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, or more to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Marinade/Brine: Combine the water, coffee, salt, and brown sugar in a large plastic tub or stainless steel bowl and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in the maple syrup, rosemary, and Worcestershire. Chill the brine by stirring in the ice until it melts; the brine should be very cold, about 45 degrees F, before the meat is added. Add the ribs, weigh them down with a plate, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

Remove the ribs from the brine and pat them dry. Discard the brine. (At this point, the ribs can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Sauce: Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned and beginning to crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high and, working in batches, add the ribs to the pot and lightly brown on all sides, about 7 minutes per batch. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the onions, shallots, garlic, and jalapeno to the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the coffee and stock and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil.

Add the bacon and short ribs, and when the pot returns to a boil, cover and pop into the oven. Cook for 2 hours, or until the ribs are fork-tender. If not done, cover and continue cooking, checking every 30 minutes.

When the ribs are done, remove from the oven an degrease any surface fat. If the sauce is too thin, remove the ribs and boil down to a syrupy consistency. You should have 2 to 3 cups sauce. Taste the sauce and add more vinegar and brown sugar, and season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. If necessary, return the ribs to the sauce and reheat before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Great Meat Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Cook Today's Meat by Bruce Aidells, with Anne-Marie Ramo. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012