1526. GRILL-ROASTED PORK CHOPS with BACON TOMATILLO SALSA

Brine
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground chipolte chile powder
zest of 1 lime

Salsa
4 slices of bacon
10 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed
2 medium Anaheim chile peppers, roughly chopped
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

Whisk the brine ingredients with 1 quart of cold water until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Place pork chops in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the brine. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Place in a bowl and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels, but leave the melted bacon fat in the skillet. Add tomatillos, chile peppers, onion, and garlic. Cover skillet and cook over medium heat until tomatillos begin to collapse and chiles are tender. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. Add the remaining salsa ingredients. Process until smooth. Finely chop the drained bacon and add to salsa.

Remove pork from bag and discard the brine. Pat dry with paper towels. Lightly coat pork with oil and season evenly with salt, pepper, and garlic. Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

Grill over direct medium heat. Turning and rotating every 10 minutes for even cooking. Remove when done. Reheat salsa and serve warm with your delicious pork chops.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Heartland Steaks, 7501 Industrial Drive, Forest Park, Illinois 60130, 1-800-365-5502

1525. BBQ CHICKEN and BACON ENCHILADAS

2 chicken breasts, cooked and finely diced or shredded
12 small flour tortillas
1 large yellow onion, thinly slicede and caramelized
bbq sauce
2 small cans of chopped green chilis
10 slices of crispy cooked bacon, chopped
1 large can of green tomatillo enchilada sauce
2 tomatoes, finely diced
3 cups shredded Cheddar
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread a layer of green enchilada sauce in the bottom of a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Combine chicken, BBQ sauce, red onion, ¾ of the bacon and caramelized onion. Fill each tortilla with BBQ chicken mixture, tomato, green chili and cheese. Roll the tortilla and place enchilada seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with all tortillas. Top enchiladas with green enchilada sauce, lots of cheese and remaining bacon. Bake for 30 minutes or until the enchiladas are bubbly and the cheese is lightly browned.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tracy Wheeler, Tastebook, Berkeley, California

1524. NACHO CHIPS with BACON, JALAPENOS and CHEDDAR

serves six


6 slices bacon roughly chopped
2 onions finely diced
jalapeno peppers, seeds removed and minced
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 bag restaurant style tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add bacon. Let brown and then add onions and jalapeno and cook until they have softened and are beginning to caramelize. Cool slightly and then pour into a bowl and add grated cheese. Toss to combine. Spread the tortilla chips in a single layer on a large baking sheet and top each one generously with a spoonful of the cheese mixture. Bake for 10 minutes or so until chips are golden and cheese is melted and bubbling.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michael Smith, Chef At Home, LifeStyle FOOD, GPO Box 2692, Sydney NSW 1044, Australia

1523. MIXED GREENS with FIVE-SPICED BACON and POACHED EGG

serves six


For the Candied Bacon: 8 ounces slab bacon, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 6 to 8 slices)
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

For the Salad: 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 large Fuji apple, cored and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
8 cups assorted micro-greens or European mixed salad greens

For the Poached Eggs:
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
6 large eggs
five-spice powder (for garnish)

For the Candied Bacon, arrange bacon slices in single layer on foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake in preheated 400°F oven 15 minutes or until bacon edges begin to curl. Remove pan from oven. Carefully drain drippings into a glass measuring cup. Set aside. Microwave honey and five-spice powder in small microwavable bowl on HIGH 30 seconds, stirring after 15 seconds. Brush bacon with honey mixture. Bake 10 minutes longer or until bacon is browned and crisp. Carefully drain any additional drippings into measuring cup. Cool bacon on wire rack. Break into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

For the Salad, mix water, lemon juice and five-spice powder in small bowl. Add apple slices; toss to coat well. Mix 1/4 cup of the warm bacon drippings, vinegar, shallots, mustard and pepper in small bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Set aside.

For the Poached Eggs, fill large deep saucepan with 2 inches of water. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Break 1 egg into small dish. Carefully slide egg into simmering water (bubbles should begin to break the surface of the water). Repeat with remaining eggs. Poach eggs 3 to 5 minutes or until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken. Carefully remove eggs with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels.

To serve, divide greens among 6 plates. Top each with a poached egg. Sprinkle eggs with additional five-spice powder. Arrange drained apple slices and bacon around salad. Warm dressing if needed and drizzle over salads. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: McCormick & Company, Inc., 18 Loveton Circle, Sparks, Maryland 21152, 410-771-7301

1522. SKIRT STEAK BLT with BASIL MAYONNAISE

2 pounds skirts steak
1 loaf of country style bread, thick cut slices toasted on a sheet tray
1 head Bibb lettuce, separated leaves
3 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, thick-cut slices
8 strips of bacon, fried until crispy
2 cloves of garlic
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh basil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Begin by making the basil mayonnaise so the flavors have time to come together. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until combined. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the sandwich.

Heat a cast iron griddle pan/skillet or outdoor grill until smoking hot. Season the skirt steak with plenty of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil then grill both sides for 3 to 4 minutes until medium rare. Set aside loosely tented with aluminum foil while you prepare the other fillings.

To assemble, take one slice of the toasted bread and rub a garlic clove all over 1 side. Put a big slather of basil mayonnaise across the bread. Layer the lettuce over the top and then the thick-cut slices of tomato. Top with the crispy bacon slices and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Take the skirt steak and using a sharp knife cut across the grain into thick slices. Lay the pieces of the sliced skirt steak on the top of the open sandwich and serve with more basil mayonnaise on the side.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tyler Florence, AOL Food

1521. PROVENCAL BEAN SOUP with BACON and a BASIL PISTOU

serves 6


For the soup
900 grams bacon
500 grams fresh haricot beans
500 grams fresh red kidney beans
500 grams large runner beans or large flat green beans
4 large courgettes (zucchini), diced (but not peeled)
4 medium-sized potatoes, diced
1 tomato, skinned and pipped, and cut into pieces
1 thinly sliced white onion
salt and pepper from the mill

For the pistou
2 to 4 cloves of garlic (according to taste)
leaves and tender shoots of 3 sprigs of basil
1 tomato, skinned and pipped, and cut into pieces
80 grams gruyère, finely grated
80 grams matured Dutch cheese, finely grated
olive oil

Shell the haricot and kidney beans and prepare and trim the flat green beans into inch-length sticks. Prepare the other vegetables. In a large pan put 2 litres of water to heat. If you have opted for the recipe with smoked ham or bacon, remove the rind from the bacon and cut into 6 or 12 equally-sized portions. Place the rind and the meat into the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove any scum.

Add the three varieties of beans and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If you have added ham or bacon, take into account the salt which the meat will bring to the preparation. Then add the courgettes, potatoes, onion and tomato and cook for a further 20 minutes. At the end of this period, the soup should be nice and thick.

During this time, pound the garlic and basil leaves and shoots using a mortar and pestle. When thoroughly blended, add the tomato and continue the process, and then add the cheese. Finally, slowly blend in sufficient olive oil to obtain a smooth rich sauce. (This operation can be done in a blender if you prefer).

When you are ready to serve, check the seasoning of the soup and remove the bacon rind. Add the pistou to the soup, mix in thoroughly, and cook gently for another 2 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Philippe Broad, Culturekiosque, Euromedia Group Ltd., 164 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10016-5411

1520. DATES wrapped in BACON with MARCONA ALMONDS

yields 4 to 6 servings


1/2 pound large Medjool dates, carefully pitted
1/2 cup Marcona almonds
1/2 pound Valdeon cheese
1/2 pound sliced bacon, each slice cut in 1/2 (roughly 4-inch lengths)
6 cups canola oil
Special equipment: 6-inch bamboo skewers

Heat canola oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot to 475 degrees F.

Split each date in half and stuff with 1 almond and 1/2 teaspoon of Valdeon cheese, and close carefully. Lay a strip of bacon on a cutting board, place a stuffed date at the bottom of the bacon, and wrap with the bacon, making sure to pull the bacon tightly towards you while rolling. Add 3 dates onto each skewer. Carefully submerge the skewers one by one in the oil and fry until golden, about 1 minute. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Seamus Mullen, Food Network, 2008

1519. SALMON and CRISPY BACON TARTE TATIN with SORREL SAUCE and BUTTER CARAMEL SAUCE

serves four


4 x 100 grams salmon fillet portions
100 grams puff pastry, cut into 4"" discs
100 grams streaky bacon
1 bulb fennel
150 grams leaf spinach

For the sorrel sauce:
½ onion, finely chopped
100ml white wine
100ml fish stock
250ml double cream
1 bunch sorrel

For the butter caramel sauce:
100 grams sugar
100 grams butter
50 ml water

For the sorrel sauce: Pick the sorrel leafs and chop stalks. Keep the leaves to one side. Fry the onions and sorrel stalks in a saucepan, add the fish stock and white wine, reduce down by half. Add the cream and boil until pouring consistency. Taste and season. Pass through a fine sieve.

For the butter caramel sauce: Mix sugar and water together in a bowl. Place in a saucepan. Put over heat and boil until the sugar has turned a golden brown. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute. Carefully whisk in the butter. The sugar will bubble up so great care must be taken. Pour into small blini pans or tart moulds and allow to harden.

Cut fennel into quarters and blanch. Place the salmon on top of the caramel and then the fennel. Push the puff pastry around and cook in the oven at 350F. Slice bacon and cook between two baking trays.

Pan-fry spinach.

To serve, slice the sorrel leaves into fine stips and fold into the sauce. Turn out the tatin and place on a large white plate. Bundle spinach onto the plate and place the bacon on top. Drizzle the sorrel sauce around the plate.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Salmon Recipes.net, Stewart Building, Esplanade, Lerwick, Shetland, ZE1 0LL, United Kingdom

1518. CHICKEN, BACON and PISTACHIO TERRINE

serves eight


9 oz. rindless streaky bacon
12 oz. chicken breast fillets, cut into pieces
9 oz. lean minced pork
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 oz. shelled pistachio nuts
1 small egg, beaten
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Stretch bacon rashers with the back of a knife and use to line a 600ml/1 pint loaf tin, overlapping them slightly and leaving the edges overhanging on one side by about 10cm (4 inches). Put half the chicken into a food processor or blender and blend until finely chopped. Scrape into a bowl and stir in the remaining diced chicken, minced pork, onion, garlic, nuts, eggs, and plenty of seasoning. Spoon the mixture into the tin and fold over the overhanging strips of bacon.

Cover with a double thickness of foil. Put the terrine into a small roasting tin and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the tin. Cook in the oven for 1½ hours. Remove the terrine from the roasting tin and leave to cool, then chill until firm.

Turn out and cut into chunky slices.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michelle, Greedy Gourmet, November 5, 2007

1517. CANDIED BACON TOFFEE

For the candied bacon:
3/4 pounds of bacon
1/4 cup brown sugar

Toffee:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon dark unsulfured molasses
1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the bacon: On a foil-lined sheet pan, lay out your bacon strips. Coat the top with brown sugar. Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes, flipping over half way through the baking time.

Allow the bacon to cool until warm, then cut (with scissors) into 1/4-1/2" pieces. Reserve in a separate bowl.

For the toffee: Prepare your mise en place: in a medium bowl, combine sugars, espresso powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine water and molasses. Butter a sheet pan or line with a Silpat.

Melt butter in a heavy 2 ½-quart saucepan over low heat. Add sugars, espresso powder, cinnamon, salt, water, and molasses; stir until sugar dissolves. Attach a clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium; cook until thermometer registers 290 degrees (and no less!), stirring slowly but constantly and scraping bottom of pan with a silicone spatula, about 20 minutes.

Once you arrive at 290 degrees, remove your pan from the heat, and quickly stir in the candied bacon. Immediately pour the mixture onto your prepared sheet pan; do not scrape the saucepan. Spread toffee to ¼-inch thickness. Use two forks to separate and distribute any bacon that clumps together. And finally, dust the top of the toffee with a light sprinkle of Kosher salt.

Stick the sheet pan in the refrigerator for about an hour (until the toffee is firm.) Break the toffee into pieces and store in an airtight container. Sharing is optional.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Traca Savadogo, Seattle Tall Poppy, seattletallpoppy@gmail.com, Seattle, Washington

1516. CORNISH HEN with BULGUR-BACON STUFFING

makes two servings


1 slice bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
3 tablespoons uncooked bulgur
1/4 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 Rock Cornish hen (1 1/2 lb)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

In 1-quart saucepan, cook bacon and onion over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until bacon is cooked and onion is tender. Drain bacon and onion. In same saucepan, heat water and bouillon granules to boiling. Stir in bulgur; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Stir in bacon mixture, zucchini, mushrooms and thyme.

Heat oven to 350°F. Fill body cavity of hen with stuffing. Fasten opening with skewer. Place hen, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Place meat thermometer in thigh muscle so tip does not touch bone. Brush with some of the butter.

Bake uncovered 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, brushing occasionally with remaining butter, until thermometer reads 180°F and juices are no longer pink when center of thigh is cut.

Remove stuffing from body cavity. Cut hen in half along backbone from tail to neck with kitchen scissors. Serve each hen half with stuffing.


bacon recipe courtesy of: At Work and Bored.com, Virtual Chef

1515. STEAMED SAVOY CABBAGE and MUSTARD GREENS with BACON

serves 8


3/4 pound sliced bacon
1 large head Savoy cabbage (about 2 pounds)
2 bunches mustard greens (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
6 large garlic cloves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Cut bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and in a large heavy skillet cook over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp and golden. With a slotted spoon transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Thinly slice cabbage and discard coarse stems from mustard greens. In a large steamer rack set over boiling water steam cabbage, covered, until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer cabbage to a large bowl and keep warm, covered. In steamer rack set over boiling water steam mustard greens until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add mustard greens to cabbage and keep warm, covered.

Mince garlic. In a small saucepan heat garlic, butter, and oil until butter is just melted. Drizzle butter mixture over vegetables, tossing to distribute evenly, and season with salt and pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet, 1998

1514. SOFT-SHELL CRAB and BACON SANDWICHES

yields 10 servings


1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 small head green cabbage, cored and shredded
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 small carrot, coarsely shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons grainy mustard
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
1 pound thickly sliced bacon
about 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
8 medium soft-shell crabs, cleaned
1 long baguette, split lengthwise
lemon wedges, for serving

In a small saucepan, boil the vinegar over moderately high heat until reduced by half. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and let cool, then stir in the honey. Add the cabbage, onion and carrot, season with salt and black pepper and toss well. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of the mustard, the chives, parsley and cayenne and season again with salt and black pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of mustard with the crème fraîche.

In 2 large skillets, cook the bacon over moderately high heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve the bacon fat in the skillets.

Spread the flour on a large plate. Lightly dust the crabs with the flour. Warm the bacon fat over moderately high heat until shimmering. Add the crabs to the skillets and cook, turning once, until golden, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt.

Arrange the bacon on the bottom half of the baguette and mound the slaw on top. Arrange the fried crabs on the sandwich as close together as possible and drizzle with the mustard crème fraîche. Close the sandwich and use a serrated knife to carefully cut it into 10 pieces. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges for seasoning.


bacon recipe courtesy of: David Lentz, "A Banner Day, Editor's Picks: Grace Parisi's Favorite F&W Recipes," Food & Wine, July 2003

1513. BASQUE SALT COD with BACON and TOMATOES

makes 4 to 6 servings


1 pound filleted salt cod
1 cup chopped drained pimentos
one 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped and juice included
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 thick, lean slices hickory-smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Place the cod in a large glass dish or bowl with enough cold water to cover and let soak 24 hours, changing the water several times.

In a blender or food processor, purée the pimentos, ¼ cup of juice from the tomatoes, and the cayenne and set aside.

Drain the cod and cut or break it into 1½-inch pieces, removing any bones or skin. Place the pieces in a bowl with the flour and toss till the pieces are well coated.

In a large, heavy skillet, fry the bacon over moderate heat till crisp and transfer to a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the skillet, brown the cod pieces on all sides in the fat, and add them to the bacon. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, add the onion and garlic, and stir about 3 minutes. Add the reserved pimento mixture, the tomatoes and their remaining juices, the cod and bacon mixture, and stir well. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer the mixture for 1 hour. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Bacon Cookbook: More than 150 Recipes from Around the World for Everyone's Favorite Food by James Villas. Wiley, 2007

1512. BACON-WRAPPED FILET MIGNON with BEARNAISE SAUCE

2 servings of beef tenderloin (filet mignon) between 6 and 8 oz. each
4 slices bacon
salt
pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Bearnaise Sauce
1 shallot, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon
2/3 cup white-wine vinegar
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
coarse salt

Let the beef come up to room temperature and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Pour extra virgin olive oil into a large skillet so it completely coats the bottom. Heat on medium high until almost smoking, and then add the beef. Cover and sear for about 3-4 minutes. Turn beef over and sear the other side for another 3-4 minutes, or until browned to your liking. Remove from pan and cover with foil. Let sit for a few minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and cover with non stick spray, set aside. Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each filet, and secure the bacon to itself (do not poke holes in your beef!) with a toothpick. Place beef on the top rack of your oven and bake until beef is cooked to your liking. For us (our steaks were about 6 oz.) this took 15 minutes for medium, and 20 minutes for medium well. Let sit for about 5 minutes before cutting into it.

While letting the steaks cook in the oven, you can make the bearnaise sauce. In a small saucepan, bring shallot, tarragon, and vinegar to boil over medium. Cook until liquid reduces to 2 tablespoons, about 4 minutes; strain. Rinse pan; return mixture to pan. Whisk together egg yolks and 2 tablespoons water. Add to pan. Cook over low, whisking, until mixture thickens and forms thick ribbons when lifted with whisk, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in butter (if sauce bubbles at any time, remove from heat, and whisk in a piece of butter). Continue whisking until all butter is incorporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Le Petit Pierogi, Lepetitpierogi@yahoo.com, June 18, 2009

1511. BACON-WRAPPED CHICKEN BROCHETTES with CURRY SAUCE

serves eight


Curry Sauce
1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
1 small chopped onion or washed leeks
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 green apple, peeled and chopped
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup whipped cream
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger (or 1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger)
1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped

Chicken Brochettes:
8 10" bamboo skewers soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
12 green onions, roots trimmed; use white part and about 1" of green
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 strips smoked bacon
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

For Sauce: In skillet, sauté onion, garlic and bell pepper in butter or oil on low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 15 minutes or until the apples are tender. Add salt to taste. Cool 15 minutes and put in blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. If sauce looks too thin, return to stovetop and reduce on low, until you reach desired consistency. Taste again for salt. Set aside.

For Chicken Brochettes: Trim, clean and cut green onions into 2 inch pieces from stem (white part). Reserve tops for garnish. Cut chicken breasts into 8 pieces each and place in a bowl. Pour teriyaki sauce over chicken and let marinate 5-10 minutes. Cut bacon into 4 pieces each. Take a piece of chicken breast and wrap it in bacon. Skewer it where the two ends of the bacon meet. Place an onion next on the skewer. Repeat process until each skewer has 4 pieces of chicken wrapped in bacon and 3 green onions. Place over a hot grill or under hot broiler until bacon is crisped and chicken is cooked through, (it should feel firm to the touch), about 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove from heat.

Rewarm sauce on low while chicken is cooking and spoon sauce onto warm dinner plates. Place brochettes on top of sauce and garnish with cilantro leaves and/or thinly sliced green onions.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Farmer John, 1101 North Main Street, Austin, Minnesota 55912-3680

1510. PRAWN, PEAS and BACON RICE

serves two


450 ml vegetable stock
1 tablespoons olive oil
6 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
125 grams long grain rice
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
100 grams frozen peas
150 grams large, cooked and peeled prawns
lemon wedges, to serve (optional)

Make up the stock. Heat the oil in a wide, deep frying pan over a high heat. Add the bacon and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Tip away most of the fat from the pan, then return the pan to a medium heat.

Stir in the rice and zest. Cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the stock. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the peas, cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the prawns. Cook for 2 minutes, until the prawns are heated through and the rice is cooked.

Stir in the bacon and season to taste. Divide between plates and serve with the lemon wedges, if you like.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Matthew Drennan, delicious. magazine

1509. CHEESE TRIPLE ONION BACON BUNS

makes 16 to 18 buns


Dough:
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup liquid honey
1 large egg, beaten
3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour
4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Filling:
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup chives, chopped
1/3 cup shallots, chopped
1/3 cup onions, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2/3 cup crispy chopped bacon
2 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese

Heat water, milk and butter in sauce pan till butter is melted. Do not bring to a boil. Pour mixture into a mixing bowl and allow to cool to lukewarm. Add honey and 1 1/2 cups of flour, mix till smooth. Add in lightly beaten egg and yeast, mix till smooth. Allow to sit uncovered for 15 min.. Mix salt and 1 cup of flour. Pour out onto a floured surface and slowly add remaining flour just till the dough no longer sticks to counter. Knead for 8-10 minutes. Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Spray top with an oil spray. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or till double in bulk. For filling, melt butter in a medium fry pan. Add in garlic, saute for a minute. Add in chives, shallots and onions, till onions are tender. Add in cooked bacon bits and stir till combined. Set aside to cool. After dough has risen pour out onto a floured surface. Punch down into a small rectangle. Roll out dough into a 12X24 rectangle. Pour filling onto dough. Spread with a rubber spatula, leaving about 1/2 inch around edges. Sprinkle half cheese on top of filling. Fold over the 1/2 inch edge. Roll dough like a jelly roll. Pinch seam closed with your fingers. Cut the jelly roll into 16-18 pieces. Place each piece into a very lightly greased muffin tins. Cover with plastic wrap let rise till double in size, about 1 hour. Top risen buns with remaining cheese. Place buns into a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before removing from tins. Cool on a wire rack.


bacon recipe courtesy of: CookingBread.com, contact@cookingbread.com

1508. FIVE SPICE CRUSTED SALMON with SAUERKRAUT, IRISH BACON and CARAWAY SEEDS

makes 4 to 6 servings


Sauerkraut:
1/2 pound Irish bacon
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 large onion, peeled and sliced very thinly
1 plum tomato, chopped, with seeds and skin
2 pounds sauerkraut, drained if necessary
12 ounces lager beer

In a large sauce pan sweat the bacon, caraway seeds and onions for five to seven minutes or until soft, but not colored. Add the tomato, sauerkraut and beer and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer and cook, covered for one hour. Let cool and reserve until needed. It will keep, refrigerated, for up to a week without spoiling.


Salmon:
1/4 cup coriander seeds
1/4 cup cumin seeds
1/4 cup fennel seeds
1/4 cup black onion seeds
1/4 cup black mustard seeds
4 to 6 pieces of salmon fillet, about 6 ounces each, skin on, cut from the center portion
1/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola oil

Blend each spice briefly in a blender to break up, but not pulverize to a powder. Mix all of them well together in a bowl.

Wet each piece of salmon with water on the skin side. Dredge each piece, skin side down, in the spice mix. Set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat a heavy saute pan or skillet. Add the oil and then add the salmon pieces, skin side down and cover with a tight fitting lid. Let them cook for four minutes on one side only, for rare fish. Cook longer if desired. Uncover the pan and remove the fish to paper towels to drain.

Serve with the hot sauerkraut.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sara Moulton | Gourmet

1507. BEEF CONSOMME with BACON DUMPLINGS

yields about 8 servings


1/2 pound raw bacon, finely chopped
4 cups stale white bread cubes, (about 8 slices white bread)
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup milk
salt
freshly ground white pepper
1/2 to 1 cup all-purpose flour
8 cups rich beef or veal stock
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off all of the oil, except for 1/4 cup. Add the bread to the hot oil and pan-fry until slightly crispy. Remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, combine the egg and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk well. Stir in the bacon and bread. Mix well. Cover and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Starting with 1/4 cup of flour, stir in enough flour to form the mixture into soft, smooth dumpling dough. Bring the stock to a boil. Add the red wine and caraway seeds and simmer for 15 minutes. Form the dough into balls, about 1 tablespoon each and drop into the hot liquid. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. To serve, ladle the soup into serving bowls. Garnish with parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, "Food of Austria," Emeril Live, 2000