3339. APPLE-BACON BREAKFAST CUSTARD

serves 4


4 slices thick-sliced bacon, crisp, 1/2” dice
2 red apples, peeled, cored, 1/2” dice
4 large eggs
8 ounces heavy cream
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
few grinds of pepper
soft butter
crème fraîche for garnish (optional)
pinches of smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange bacon slices on a baking sheet. Bake until browned and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Don’t turn the oven off.

While the bacon is cooking, peel, core, and dice the apples. Whisk together the eggs, cream, rosemary, and pepper.

When bacon is done, dice it and fold into the custard mixture.

Run a pastry brush over some soft butter and brush the insides of 4 4-ounce ramekins.

Use a large spoon or a ladle to divide custard among the ramekins. Set ramekins on a baking sheet with a lip all the way around. Fill a large measuring cup or pitcher with very hot tap water. Set the baking sheet in the oven with the front edge hanging off the edge of the rack by an inch or so. Pour hot water into the baking sheet until it almost reaches the lip. You are creating a water bath that will ensure that the center of your custards will be done at the same time as the perimeter. Gently nudge the baking sheet the rest of the way into the oven.

Bake custards for 30-40 minutes. Custards are done when slightly puffed and golden on top, and slightly tender when you tap the surface.

Remove the custards to a cooling surface. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top each with a spoonful of crème fraîche and pinches of smoked paprika just before you serve. Serve with some good grilled bread and a fruit salad. 

A note about the water bath: the safest way to remove the baking sheet from the oven is to turn off the heat, and leave the door ajar so that the water can cool. When it reaches a temperature that you feel comfortable handling it, go ahead and carefully carry it to a sink.


bacon recipe source: solitarycook (member), Whole Foods Market Cooking

3338. CURLY KALE with CRISPY BACON

serves six 


1 kilogram curly kale or 1.4 kg Savoy cabbage, quartered, cored and coarsely shredded 

salt and ground black pepper

1 3/4 tablespoons butter 

6 rashers dry cure, rindless streaky bacon, cut into strips 

 

Remove and discard any tough or discolored outer leaves from the curly kale. Blanch the curly kale for 20 seconds in boiling, salted water; blanch the cabbage for 1-2 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into cold water to stop further cooking. Drain again and tip out on to kitchen paper to dry. Set aside. Melt the butter in a wok or large frying pan. Add the bacon and fry gently for 3-4 minutes or until turning golden brown. Toss in the curly kale or cabbage and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until coated with butter and heated through. Season well and serve.

 

 

bacon recipe source: allaboutyou.com

3337. BACON FRIED RICE with BROCCOLI and WILTED GREENS

yields 2 large servings, 4 modest servings


1 cup short grain brown rice (uncooked)
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces bacon, cut into ½ inch lardons
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1 cup Brussels sprouts, shaved or very thinly sliced
3 cups leafy greens, coarsely chopped
4 large eggs
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)

Pour the rice into a small pot with 1¾ cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 40 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside until ready to use.

While the rice is cooking, slice the bacon and chop the broccoli, Brussels sprouts and greens. Briefly set aside.

Moving on to the eggs. Bring a medium pot with 6½ cups of water and 4 tablespoons of salt to a boil. When boiling, carefully add the eggs. Bring the water back to a boil and cook for 5½ minutes. Drain the eggs immediately and let them cool for about 5 minutes before gently removing their shells. Place the peeled eggs in a pot filled with hot water if you want to keep them warm.

Now it’s time to finish up the rice. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or wok. When hot, add the bacon, red pepper flakes and garlic. Sauté for about 4 minutes until the bacon is golden brown.

Add the greens to the pan and sauté for 1 minute until they are just wilted.

Add the rice and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Drain the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise. Divide the rice among 4 plates (or 2…) and top with an egg and Parmesan (if using). Serve warm.


bacon recipe source: Serena Wolf, Domesticate Me, March 25, 2014

3336. FENNEL-SHALLOT-BACON and EDAM QUICHE

makes 1 round 10″ by 2″ deep quiche


Toppings:
1 medium size fennel bulb and some of the tops and stems
1 large shallot
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
3 thick slices of smoked bacon

Egg mixture:
1 cup Edam cheese shredded
5 large eggs room temperature
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup milk
salt pepper

For the Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour (plus a little more for rolling) 1 cup whole wheat flour
1-2 pinches of sea salt
2 sticks of butter (1 cup), cold and cut into small squares
1/4-2/3 cup iced cold water.
1- 10″ ceramic-oven safe dish or a pay pan

Measure all your ingredients. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Place the bowl in the freezer. Meantime cut your cold butter, and iced water ready to measure. Remove the bowl of dry ingredients from freezer and add the butter. With a pastry blender incorporate the butter and flour until the mixture resembles to a coarse meal, and the butter pieces are small like the size of a pea. Slowly add the cold water and carefully, with your hands, form a dough that just holds together. Be careful not to over work the dough this will give you a flakier crust. 
Once that the dough coarsely holds together, wrap your dough in plastic wrap and shape it into a disk. 
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour; you can rush it by placing into freezer for 20-25 minutes.

Preheat Oven at 400.
In clean work surface, dusted with flour unwrap the dough let sit for a couple of minutes and roll it into a 18-20” round and about 1/4” thick. Once is rolled place it into quiche pan and start pushing down the inside edges to make sure the pastry dough takes the shape of the dish.

Let the edges of the pastry up to extend beyond the dish edge. Prick the crust a few times all around and blind bake in the oven for about 16-20 minutes at 400 F/  200 C.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 20 minutes.

Prepare your toppings: Render the bacon pieces until crunchy, save 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Finely cut your fennel; include some of the green tops and stems, shallots, garlic and shred your cheese. In a saute pan add the 2 tablespoons of bacon fat and a glug of olive oil, sauté the fennel, shallots, and garlic. Let it come to room temperature. Mix, the eggs, heavy cream and milk, some salt and pepper.

Start assembling your quiche: Spread half of the cheese on the bottom of the crust, add bacon crisps, spread the sautéed fennel and shallots. Then add the egg mixture, top with the rest of the shredded Edam cheese, top with some freshly cracked pepper. Place into the 350F oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top looks golden brown and slightly giggles in the center. Let it cool on a rack for about 15 minutes until totally set. Serve warm with a green salad, or tomato soup.


bacon recipe source: Mariana McEnroe, Yes, more please!, November 19, 2013

3335. FIDDLEHEAD FERNS with BACON, MORELS and SUMMER CORN

1/2 lb. fiddlehead ferns, cleaned
6 strips thick-cut bacon, diced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 lb. morels, cleaned
2/3 cup fresh corn kernels

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a pot of boiling water, blanch the fiddlehead ferns for 1 minute. With a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the fiddleheads into a large bowl filled with ice water to cool.

In a large cast-iron pan, brown the diced bacon on medium-high heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Reserve the drippings in the pan.

Add the butter to the drippings. Continuing on medium-high heat, add the morels. Cook until the mushrooms begin to caramelize in the hot fat, about 4 minutes. Add the corn kernels and continue cooking until the corn begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add the fiddlehead ferns to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. When the fiddleheads have come up to temperature, add the bacon back into the pan and toss to combine.

Serve hot as a side dish to grilled steaks, chicken or ribs.


bacon recipe source: Lorna Yee, Seattle Magazine, April 28, 2011

3334. CANDIED BACON and CHOCOLATE TARTLET with PORK SCRATCHING SNAP, CREME FRAICHE and CARAMEL SAUCE

serves four


For the sweet pastry
100 grams of butter, cubed and cold
50 grams icing sugar
175 grams plain flour

For the filling
225 mls double cream
1 tablespoon caster sugar
150 grams Godiva dark chocolate pellets
125 grams streaky bacon, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of golden syrup

For the pork scratching snap
200 grams caster sugar
25 grams butter
50 grams pork scratching, chopped finely

For the caramel sauce
100 grams double cream
50 grams soft light brown sugar
50 grams butter
Crème fraiche, to serve

First make your sweet pastry (or pâte sucrée) by blending the butter, icing sugar, plain flour and eggs in a food processor and mix until everything comes together into a ball of dough. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for an hour.

Then preheat your oven to 160C (320F) and butter four individual tart tins, 10-cm across.

Roll out your pastry to a thickness of about 5mm and line your tart tins. If your pastry sticks, a good tip is to roll it out between two sheets of cling film (tip from @tomsdinner on Twitter). Prick the pastry and place the tins in the freezer for 15 minutes, then blind bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes until the pastry is cooked through and golden. Leave to cool.

Next make your candied bacon by frying the streaky pieces in a pan until they are cooked through and slightly crispy. Place in a bowl and stir through the golden syrup. To refine further, place in a food blender or processor and pulse very briefly to make smaller nuggets.

To make the chocolate filling, put the cream and sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and mix until the chocolate has melted. Add roughly two-thirds of the bacon nuggets (keeping some back for presentation) and mix further and then pour the sauce into the cooked pastry cases. Leave to set at room temperature for an hour or so.

To make the pork scratching snap, place the sugar in a saucepan and gently heat until it melts and forms a caramel. Jiggle the saucepan slightly to help it on its way and do keep an eye on the caramel, as in my experience it can burn very quickly. Add the butter and the chopped pork scratchings and mix together. Then pour onto a sheet of greaseproof paper, spreading and thinning with a pallet knife and leave to cool and set. Once set, cut or smash with the back of a knife to create shards.

Finally, make the caramel sauce by heating the butter and sugar together in a saucepan, take off the heat and then mix through the cream.

To serve, drizzle the caramel sauce over your plate of choice, place the chocolate tart on top, add a quenelle of crème fraiche and a shard of the pork scratching snap and then dot a small spoonful of the remaining candied bacon onto the crème fraiche.


bacon recipe source: Danny Kingston (@FoodUrchin), on Great British Chefs, Unit 4, Pride Court 80-82, White Lion Street, London, N1 9PF

3333. SMOKY RED PEPPER SOUP with MAPLE CANDIED BACON

Smoky Red Pepper Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 large red bell peppers, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium high heat. Add bell peppers, carrots, and onions and cook 12 to 15 minutes or until onion is golden, stirring frequently. Add garlic, tomato paste, ginger, paprika, and coriander and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add broth and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaves. Transfer soup in two batches to a blender, blending until smooth and returning to soup pot.  Add salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve topped with maple candied bacon (recipe below).

Maple Candied Bacon
1/2 pound sliced nitrate free bacon (7-8 slices)
1/2 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400′F. Place bacon a baking sheet. I use an ugly one that I don’t mind staining. Covering the baking sheet with foil isn’t a good idea because the candied bacon sticks to pretty much everything. You can also use a pyrex baking dish, but it’s just as hard to clean. Place bacon in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and pour off the grease.Turn oven temperature down to 350′F. Pour maple syrup over bacon slices. Return to oven and bake for 20-25 more minutes, until syrup is thick and well, candy-like. Flip the bacon slices several times during this time. Remove from oven and place bacon slices on a plate to harden. Serve in strips, or crumble into the soup.


bacon recipe source: Elizabeth, three beans on a string, April 1, 2014

3332. CHILE and GARLIC PRAWN LINGUINE with BACON, ZUCCHINI and LEMON

70–100 grams linguine 6–8 large prawns
2 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
2 small or 1 large zucchini, sliced into ribbons using a potato peeler, then cut into smaller strips
1 clove of garlic, crushed
half a green chile finely cut
a splash of cream and 50 grams mozzarella (optional)
a few sprigs of thyme or chopped parsley
lemon zest to taste
lemon juice to taste
olive oil
salt and pepper

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water. Just before the pasta is ready, add the zucchini strips to the water and cook for about 2 minutes, then strain in a colander, set aside. Heat a pan and fry the bacon until crispy, remove and set aside. In the same pan, with a bit of the bacon fat lining it, very quickly fry the prawns until just starting to turn pink. As they turn pink, add the garlic and chilli to the pan and toss around a bit. Then squeeze over a bit of lemon juice and a few grates of zest along with the thyme or chopped parsley (or both). Add the bacon back, along with the pasta and zucchini and mix it about ensuring all the ingredients are heated. Add the cream and mozzarella if you want a more indulgent pasta, otherwise its a lovely, lighter and zesty dish. Add salt and black pepper if necessary and serve.


bacon recipe source: Sam Linsell, Drizzle & Dip, July 31, 2011

3331. BACON with WOOD EAR MUSHROOMS and TOFU (培根双鲜)

4 oz sliced bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces, about 1″ square and between 1/8″ and 1/4″ thick
14 oz extra firm tofu, cut into bite-sized triangles (see above)
1 oz dried wood ear mushrooms (木耳, mùěr), soaked until soft in lukewarm water (about 15-30 minutes), and then cut or torn into pieces to match the size of the bacon
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (husks only)
1 very generous tablespoon spicy bean paste (辣豆瓣酱, là dòubàn jiàng)
1/4 cup water or stock
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

Heat your wok on medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the bacon (#1) in batches so that each piece can lay flat against the bottom of the wok. Let it fry until it just begins to curl, then turn and continue cooking for another minute or so. Remove the bacon to drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all the bacon is cooked. It should be gently crispy in places but overall still flexible and soft.

Bacon fat will have collected in your wok at this point. Heat it until hot but not smoking, and then add the tofu (#2) in batches, frying on each side like the bacon. Treat the pieces gently so that they don’t break up. Remove them to a paper towel to drain.

Make sure the bacon fat in the wok is once again hot but not quite smoking. Add the mushrooms (#3) and stir-fry to heat, perhaps one minute. Then add the garlic (#4) and continue stir-frying for another 30 seconds. Next, add the Sichuan peppercorns and the bean paste (#5). Stir-fry everything for another half minute.

Stir in the water and soy sauce (#6), heat until just bubbling, and then add the tofu back to the wok. Stir gently until everything is heated through. Garnish with some chopped scallions in the final stir.

Serve with rice and contrasting dishes.


bacon recipe source: Will, TastyAsia, June 14, 2013

3330. BACON-WRAPPED MARINATED STURGEON

1 pound sturgeon sliced into pieces about 3/4” thick
1/2 pound bacon

Marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic minced or smashed
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Place fish pieces in a plastic bag. Pour in the marinade. Seal and mix well. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Remove fish from bag and let marinade drain off, but do not rinse. Wrap each piece in bacon and secure with a toothpick. Fry in a very hot pan until the bacon gets cooked, turning often. Remove from pan to paper towel lined plate.


bacon recipe source: Cooking with Game.com, April 10, 2009

3329. WARM YELLOW WAX BEANS in BACON VINAIGRETTE

yields 6-8 servings 


2 pounds yellow wax beans, trimmed 
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
4 ounces thickly sliced bacon, cut into lardons (1 cup) 
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 
10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved 
1 small shallot, very finely chopped 
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped 
1/3 cup chopped basil 
Kosher salt 
freshly ground pepper 

Cook the beans in a large pot of salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the beans and cool them under cold running water. Drain well and pat dry; transfer the beans to a large bowl. 

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the vinegar, tomatoes, shallot, garlic and basil. Scrape the bacon vinaigrette over the beans, season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat. Serve warm.


bacon recipe source: Jody Williams, Food & Wine, April 2014

3328. CHARRED OCTOPUS SALAD with BACON and TANGERINE SAUCE

yields 5 to 6 servings


1 bottle red wine, such as Merlot

2 heads garlic, halved
1/3 cup black peppercorns
one 2-pound octopus
4 bacon slices, cut into lardons

tangerine sauce (recipe follows)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup pink peppercorns, crushed
3 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves picked, for garnish
microgreens, for garnish
micro baby arugula, for garnish
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
 

Tangerine sauce:
2 cups tangerine juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 anchovies
1 half finger chile
canola oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Tangerine Sauce: Reduce the juice and honey in a saute pan over medium heat until syrupy. Allow to cool slightly. Combine in a food processor with the red wine vinegar, mustard, anchovies and chile and process until smooth. While processing, drizzle in enough canola oil to create an emulsified sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Octopus salad: Combine the red wine, garlic, black peppercorns and 2 quarts of water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.

Dip the octopus in the boiling liquid for 10 seconds and lift it back out. Repeat the process 3 times. Finally, submerge the octopus in the liquid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and allow the octopus to poach in the liquid until tender, about 90 minutes.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve the fat in the pan.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Preheat a grill to high heat. Warm up half of the Tangerine Sauce in a saute pan on medium heat.

Remove the octopus from the poaching liquid and allow to cool before handling, about 10 minutes. Remove the head and discard. Cut off the tentacles from the body and reserve the body for another use. Dip the tentacles into the reserved bacon fat, and place on the hot grill to char very briefly. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the tentacles to a large ovenproof saute pan, toss with the heated Tangerine Sauce and place in the oven for 5 minutes.

To serve, drizzle some of the remaining Tangerine Sauce on each plate. Sprinkle some of the crushed peppercorns and oregano leaves around each plate. Place a tentacle on each plate and sprinkle with some of the bacon. Garnish with the Bulls Blood microgreens and micro arugula. Finish with a drizzle of oil and some freshly ground black pepper. 

 

 

bacon recipe source: Bobby Flay, "Timer's Up," Worst Cooks in America, Food Network

3327. GRILLED SALSIFY, CORN and BACON HUSH PUPPY with SALSIFY HONEY BUTTER DIPPING SAUCE

yields 4 servings


2 stalks salsify, peeled and sliced in half

1 ear corn, shucked
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
Peanut oil, for frying 

Salsify Honey Butter Dipping Sauce:

4 salsify stalks
1/2 cup honey
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sriracha
1 tablespoon cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Dipping sauce: Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Break the salsify stalks in half to release the milk inside, and boil for 10 minutes. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Take 1 cup of salsify stock and pour into another saucepan. Then add the honey, butter, sriracha, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Bring back to a boil and simmer for another 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Hush puppies: Preheat the grill to high.

In a large bowl, toss the salsify and corn with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper. Add the salsify and corn to the grill, grilling on all sides until the salsify is fork tender and the corn looks charred. Remove from the grill.

Slice the corn kernels off the cob into a bowl. Chop the salsify into small cubes. Add to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

In another bowl, mix the buttermilk with the egg. Add to the salsify and corn, mixing to incorporate. Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and bacon. Mix together to form a thick batter.

Heat enough peanut oil to fry in a Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet to 350 degrees F. Drop golf ball size balls of batter in the oil, cooking until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove from the fryer, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with dipping sauce. 


bacon recipe source: Chad Rosenthal, "A Star Is Chopped," Food Network Star, Food Network

3326. SPICY CHICKEN THIGHS and BACON STIR FRY

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch

1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1 1/2" pieces

1" fresh ginger, cut into tiny matchsticks

2 bell peppers, any color, stemmed and cut into 1" pieces

1 bunch of green onions, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2" pieces

1 tablespoon chili paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce



In a large bowl, whisk together the arrowroot and the egg white. Toss the chicken pieces in this mixture and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar and chili paste and set aside.



Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crisp and browned, approximately 7 minutes. Without draining the oil, add the chicken and the ginger to the pan. Cook over high heat until browned, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add the bell peppers and green onions and stir to combine. Cook over high heat, stirring until crisp tender.



Add the soy sauce mixture and stir to combine. Cook about two more minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the meat and vegetables.


bacon recipe source: Mary Younkin, Barefeet In The Kitchen, January 6, 2012

3325. BRUSSELS SPROUTS with BACON and SUNFLOWER SEEDS

makes six servings


1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
salt and ground pepper to taste

Cook Brussels sprouts in boiling, salt water in medium sauce pan 6 to 8 minutes or until tender crisp; drain. Cut Brussels sprouts in half, if desired. Saute Brussels sprouts in hot oil in large skillet with cooked bacon and sunflower seeds 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.


bacon recipe source: Dole Food Company, PO Box 5700, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359-5700

3324. CHICKEN, BACON and MUSHROOM STRUDEL

3 chicken breasts, chopped into generous mouthful-sized pieces½ cup of milk
½ cup of chicken stock
4 spring onions, finely chopped
4 rashers of streaky bacon, diced
450 grams of Swiss Brown mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of crushed garlic
1 red capsicum, sliced
2 eggs, beaten
250 grams ricotta cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1 bunch of parsley finely chopped
phyllo pastry
thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 220°C (425ºF)

Fry onions, capsicum, garlic, bacon and onions in butter until just golden, add chicken pieces and all to color slightly before adding stock and milk.  Reduce heat and cook until chicken is tender and most of liquid has evaporated.  Add mushrooms and allow to soak up remaining liquid.    Allow to cool slightly before folding through ricotta and parmesan cheese, herbs and eggs.

Lay out the phyllo pastry over an oblong oven tray one sheet at a time brushing with butter or olive oil.  Layer up at least four sheets of pastry positioning it horizontally on the tray.  Spoon the filling onto one edge of the  pastry, leaving enough pastry at each end of the parcel to fold inwards. Form the filling into a long sausage and carefully roll the pastry over, leaving the 'seam' at the bottom.  Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over the top of the parcel and bake in a moderately hot oven until the pastry is golden and crispy.

Can be served hot or cold with salad or vegetables.  Can also be rolled into individual parcels for lunches, canapés or entrées.

Bake in a hot oven for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry is just golden and crisp.


bacon recipe source: the cooking bug.com

3323. RED BLISS POTATO SALAD with BLUE CHEESE, BACON and CHIVES

serves 4-6


1 1/2 lb. Red Bliss potatoes
3 tablespoons coarse salt
1 1/2 oz. Danish blue cheese, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, plus 1 teaspoon for garnish
8 bacon strips, cooked until crisp and crumbled

Place potatoes and the salt in a medium saucepan. Cover with water, and bring to a simmer. Cook until a knife pierces through potatoes with little resistance, about 12 minutes. Drain, and let cool slightly. Halve potatoes.

Meanwhile, mix blue cheese, buttermilk, vinegar, and mustard in a bowl until well combined.

Combine potatoes, dressing, chives, and almost all of the bacon in a large bowl. Garnish with blue cheese, chives, and remaining bacon.


bacon recipe source: Martha Stewart Living, "Salads with Substance," by Genevieve Ko, p. 74, June 2008

3322. GRILLED CHEESE with BACON, APPLE and SPROUTS

serves one


2 slices extra-sharp cheddar cheese
2 slices rye or sourdough bread
2 strips bacon, cooked
3 thin slices Granny Smith apple
1/2 cup assorted sprouts, such as radish or adzuki
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, divided

Place one slice of cheese on one slice of bread. Layer bacon, apple, sprouts, and remaining slices of cheese and bread on top. Spread half the butter on top of sandwich. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, and place sandwich, butter side down, in skillet. Spread remaining butter on top of sandwich. Cook until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown, flipping once, about 12 minutes.


bacon recipe source: Martha Stewart Living, p. 72, January 2013

3321. UDON NOODLES with CHICKEN and BACON

3 chicken thighs 1 onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons grated ginger
2 tablespoons crushed garlic
1 liter boiling water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 pieces bacon
3 scallions (chopped)
½ cup mushrooms (chopped)
1 cup vegetables of your choice (i.e. frozen mix of baby corn, peppers, water chestnuts)
400 grams udon noodles
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
salt & pepper to taste

To serve:
sliced eggs
sliced scallions (green parts)
fried onions

The first thing to do is to make the broth. In a big soup pot, heat some vegetable oil. Sweat the onion, half the garlic and ginger. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces, sauté for a couple of minutes. Then add the boiling water and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer for half an hour. Then add the rest of the ginger, soy sauce and brown sugar. Mix it in thoroughly. Then simmer for further 15 minutes. Turn the heat down and put the mixture in a blender. In the same pot, add the bacon and the scallions. After the bacon has browned add the mushrooms, other vegetables and garlic. Stir in the oyster sauce and sauté for a further few minutes. Then stir in the noodles. Simmer for a further few minutes. Take it off the heat. Ladle the noodle dish onto bowls and serve topped with sliced eggs, scallions and fried onions.


bacon recipe source: Yummyfoodmadeeasy, November 30, 2012

3320. SMOKED HADDOCK and LEEK CHOWDER with BACON

serves four (generously)


600 grams natural (undyed) smoked haddock
500 ml milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
150 grams diced bacon
2 sticks of celery, thinly sliced
3 medium leeks, washed and sliced
2 bay leaves
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
500 ml fish or chicken stock
125 grams frozen sweetcorn, thawed
142ml carton single cream
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley 

Lay the haddock in a deep frying pan and pour over the milk. Cover and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave undisturbed for about 5minutes , until the haddock is just cooked. Lift the haddock from the milk, remove the skin and bones and flake onto a plate. Reserve the milk for later. 

Heat the oil in a large saucepan (preferably non-stick) and gently fry the bacon until starting to brown. Add the celery, leeks, bay leaves and potatoes, and cook for a couple of minutes. Pour in the stock and reserved milk. Bring to the simmer and cook for 10 minutes. 

Add the flaked haddock, sweetcorn and cream. Season with pepper (it shouldn’t need salt) and stir in the parsley. Heat through gently, then serve.


bacon recipe source: Jo Pratt, Good Food Magazine, February 2005