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Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp with Smoked Paprika

Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp with Smoked Paprika

These are a huge hit in my house. You can make them with smaller shrimp (reduce the cooking time slightly), but the bigger the shrimp, the bigger the wow factor. It’s really nice to do both the wrapped shrimp and wrapped asparagus, as the different shapes look pretty cool and festive together. You can also grill either version. Make sure you have napkins on hand, and a little bowl (or two) for people to toss their shrimp tail shells into.

Nonstick cooking spray (optional)
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 pound jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), shelled (tails left on) and deveined and / or medium to thicker Asparagus or combonation
4 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips

Place the oven rack about 4 inches below the heat source and preheat the broiler. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper. Combine the olive oil, paprika, and pepper in a bowl. Add the shrimp and toss until they are coated with the seasoned oil. Wrap each shrimp with a strip of prosciutto, spiraling it up the shrimp until the shrimp is encased. Place the shrimp on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until the tops are crispy, 3 minutes, then turn each shrimp and broil to crisp the other side, 3 minutes more. The shrimp will be cooked through. Serve with the crispier side up.

Sweet & Sour Cabbage

Sweet & Sour Cabbage

4 C. shredded cabbage
½ C. diced bacon
3 tsp. flour
¼ C. honey
¼ C. vinegar
½ C. water
½ C. Onion, chopped

Cook shredded cabbage until tender. Drain. Dice bacon. Fry until well done. Drain and place on cabbage. Blend bacon drippings with flour. Add honey, vinegar, water and chopped onion. Cook until thickened. Pour over cabbage and bacon. Season to taste. Heat thoroughly. Serve hot.

Savory Butternut Tart with Bacon & Cheese

Savory Butternut Tart with Bacon & Cheese

Savory Butternut Tart with Bacon & Cheese

 

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

¾—1 C. fromage blanc or Quark (or substitute ½ C. plain yogurt plus ½ C. softened cream cheese)

¼ tsp. grated nutmeg

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 C. (½-inch-wide) butternut squash strips, shaved from the neck with a vegetable peeler

2 slices thick smoked bacon, sliced into ¼-inch strips

2 T. crumbled goat cheese

 

¼ C. extra-virgin olive oil, or other fancy oil

2 T. sherry vinegar

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

 

Flaky sea salt

Fresh or fried sage leaves, optional

 

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll puff pastry into a 10- by 10-inch square, approximately ⅛ inch thick. Trim the edges if you like or leave them uneven if you prefer a more free-form tart. Place the pastry on the baking sheet and refrigerate while you prepare the other ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the fromage blanc with nutmeg, salt and pepper; set aside. Make the vinaigrette by combining oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a lidded jar. Give everything a good shake and taste for seasoning. In a medium bowl, toss the squash ribbons with half the vinaigrette. To assemble the tart, spread the fromage blanc mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a ½-inch border at the edges. (Any leftover fromage blanc is delicious on a piece of toast or as a base for a creamy salad dressing.) Artistically strew the squash ribbons over the fromage blanc. Top with bacon and goat cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until pastry is golden and bacon is crisp. Before serving, drizzle with remaining vinaigrette, sprinkle with flaky salt and festoon with fresh or fried sage leaves.

 

Sweet Chicken Bacon Bites

Sweet Chicken Bacon Bites

2 chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch cubes
8 to 12 slices thin cut bacon cut into halves or thirds
3/4 C. dark brown sugar packed
salt and pepper to taste
parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, this will save you from having to scrub your baking sheet. Place a cookie rack on top the baking sheet. I used a cookie rack here. Place the sugar in a shallow plate. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Depending on your bacon how thin or thick it is, cut each slice in either half or 3 pieces. I cut mine into 3. Wrap each piece of chicken with a piece of bacon. There is no need for toothpicks, the bacon will stick to the chicken. Roll the wrapped chicken into the brown sugar and make sure each piece is nicely coated in the brown sugar. Place chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet and season again with more salt and pepper. Bake for about 45 minutes or until bacon is nice and crisp. Garnish with parsley, so that it looks pretty.

Egg & Bacon Roll

Egg & Bacon Roll

1 slice Bacon
1 Egg
1 Ciabatta roll
½ Tomato Seeded
Alfalfa Sprouts
Black Pepper

Heat broiler to medium-high and line broiler pan with foil. Broil bacon until crisp, and then let cool. Meanwhile, boil the egg about 6 minutes until the yolk is just lightly running. Hold the egg under cool running water until it is cold enough to handle. Peel egg, place in bowl and roughly chop. Break the bacon into small pieces and stir into egg. Season with pepper. Cut roll in half. Squeeze juices from tomato onto one side of the roll. Spoon the egg mixture onto roll, and top with sprouts.

Asian Pork Belly Kabobs

Asian Pork Belly Kabobs

1kg pork belly, bone and skin removed but with some fat left

150ml C. reduced salt or light soy sauce
100m water
3 cloves of garlic, mashed
3 tsp. honey
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 thumb fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 fresh chili, chopped (optional)
1 lemon grass stem, bruised
chopped spring onions and toasted sesame seeds for garnish
8 – 10 kebab sticks

Slice the pork belly in 1cm thick and 5cm long slices. Make the marinade by whisking all the ingredients except the lemon grass stem. Pour the marinade over the pork belly, add the lemon grass stem and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove the pork from the marinade and thread the strips on the kebab sticks. Grill on a griddle pan or on the barbecue turning on each side until cooked through.

Chicken Biscuits with Bacon Gravy

Chicken Biscuits with Bacon Gravy

2 C. plus 3 tsp. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
Salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled, plus 2 T.
1 C. chopped leftover fried chicken
¾ C. buttermilk, plus more for brushing
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 C. chicken broth
1 C. whole milk
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 450. In a large bowl, sift 2 C. flour with the baking powder and ½ tsp. salt. Using your fingertips, blend in the chilled pieces of butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, then mix in the chicken. Stir in the buttermilk just until incorporated. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until just blended, then pat into 8” round. Using a 3” cookie cutter, cut out 6 biscuits; combine the scraps and cut out 2 more biscuits. On a baking sheet, arrange the biscuits 2 inches apart and brush lightly with buttermilk. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tsp. butter until melted, then whisk in the remaining 3 tsp. flour until incorporated. Whisk in the chicken broth, milk, ½ tsp. salt, and the cayenne and simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Serve the gravy alongside the chicken biscuits.

Loaded Bacon Cheddar Bread

Loaded Bacon Cheddar Bread

6 C. all purpose flour
3¼ C. warm water
2 tsp. instant yeast
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
2¾ C. cheddar cheese, fresh grated not bagged
10 strips cooked thick cut bacon, chopped and divided
fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl combine water, yeast, salt and sugar. Allow mixture to sit for several minutes. Add flour, two C. cheese, ½ bacon and fresh ground black pepper. Stir with spoon until combined. Dough will be shaggy. Don’t stress if it looks messy. It will come together in the end. Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour. After an hour, turn dough out onto a floured board and knead for a few minutes. It does not need to be completely smooth. Just knead it long enough to come together. Divide dough into two equal halves and place in standard loaf pans. Cover loaves with remaining cheese and bacon. Cover with towel and allow to rest for thirty minutes. Bake in a 400º oven for fifteen minutes. Cover loosely with foil and reduce heat to 350º and continue baking for another 35 minutes. Remove foil and allow to bake for another 10 minutes. Notes: If the dough feels too wet, add a little more flour but know that this dough is a bit stickier than most.

Bacon & Egg Breakfast Muffins

Bacon & Egg Breakfast Muffins

Bacon and eggs…in a muffin! These are great for “grab and go”. This makes 4 large muffins. This recipe isn’t suitable for ordinary size muffin tins as it isn’t large enough to hold the egg and batter. You could also use a large popover pan.

4 oz. / 120 g bacon, chopped (I used lean bacon)
½ C. scallions / shallots, chopped
1 C. grated cheddar cheese (or any other flavored melting cheese)

1¼ C. plain flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
Wet Ingredients
½ C. milk + ½ tsp. white vinegar OR ½ C. buttermilk
½ tsp. salt
5 tsp. sour cream (full fat)
2 tsp. vegetable oil or melted butter
1 egg

4 eggs
1 tsp. melted butter (optional, for brushing)

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Spray 4 Texas muffin tin holes with oil (or grease with butter). Heat a nonstick pan over high heat. Add bacon and fry until lightly browned. Remove onto a paper towel to drain the fat, then set aside. Place Dry Ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Whisk Wet Ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour the Wet Ingredients into the Dry Ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in bacon, scallions and cheese. Place 3 tsp. the batter into 4 muffin tin holes. Bang the tin to flatten the batter. Make a divot in the batter (so the egg yolk settles in the middle). Crack an egg into each hole. Divide the remaining batter between each hole to cover the egg. Brush the muffins with melted butter (optional), then bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

I find the easiest way to top the egg with batter and keep the yolk in the middle is to place 3 tsp. batter around the yolk then 1 one top of the yolk. Then gently spread to cover the whole egg.

Avocado and Gouda BLT Corn Fritter Stacks with Chipotle Bourbon Dressing

Avocado and Gouda BLT Corn Fritter Stacks with Chipotle Bourbon Dressing

1/4 C. bourbon (may skip if desired)
1/2 C. olive oil
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. honey
1 chipotle pepper, minced
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
salt + pepper, to taste

1 1/4 C. sweet yellow corn, about 2 ears
3/4 C. flour
1/8 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 T. brown suger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. milk
1/4 C. canola oil (for cooking)

8 slices of bacon
2 T. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne
7 oz. smoked gouda or gouda cheese, sliced
1 C. grape tomatoes, halved
3 C. arugula
1 avocado, mashed

To make the chipotle bourbon dressing. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring bourbon to a boil. Cook until liquid is reduced to about 2 T., 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until well chilled. Once chilled add the olive oil, vinegar, honey, chipotle pepper and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange bacon strips about 1 1/2 inches apart. In a small bowl stir together brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over bacon. Bake 14 to 16 minutes until bacon is browned and crisp. Transfer to paper towel; cool. Halve slices. While the bacon cooks make the corn fritters. Add the flour, brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper and 3/4 C. the corn to a food processor. Pulse until blended together, then transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Stir in remaining corn and milk, mixing until a batter forms. It should be the consistency of a thick pancake batter.

Add oil to a large skillet saucepan and heat over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add a little less than 1/4 C. batter to the skillet and then quickly smooth the batter out to a circle. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, flip and place one slice of gouda cheese right on top of the fritters (leave 4 fritters with no cheese). Cook another 2 minutes or until brown and crisped all over. Remove and repeat with the remaining batter until all the batter has been used. Keep the fritters warm.

To assemble, place four fritters with cheese on 4 plates. Spread with mashed avocado, arugula, tomatoes and a few slices of bacon. Top with another cheesy corn fitter and repeat the layering. Finally add the non-cheesy fritter (should be the 3rd fritter, 3rd layer) and top with a few arugula leaves, tomatoes and bacon. Drizzle with the chipotle bourbon dressing.

The stacks are really pretty, but if you want these to be an easy eat then just leave the fritters unstacked. If you do this though, I would make a little extra bacon and add another avocado. Unstacked fritters leave more room for toppings!

Bacon & Kale Adobo

Bacon & Kale Adobo

Bacon & Kale AdoboBacon, onion, garlic, and coconut vinegar add tremendous flavor to this nutritious kale side dish. Feel free to experiment with other greens as well.

6 ounces applewood-smoked bacon, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
1 pound kale, stems and ribs removed, chopped fine
2 to 3 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 to 3 tbsp. coconut vinegar or 1 to 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Thai or serrano chile, crushed (optional)

In a 4- to 5-qt. pan over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour bacon and fat through a fine strainer into a bowl. Return 5 tbsp. fat to pan; discard the rest. Add onion, garlic, and bay leaves and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until onion is pale golden, 5 minutes. Toss in kale; cook, stirring, until wilted. Add 1 C. water, half the bacon, 2 tbsp. each soy sauce and coconut vinegar, the pepper, and chile. Simmer, covered, adding water if pan gets dry, until kale is very tender, 60 minutes. Add soy and vinegar to taste. Serve sprinkled with remaining bacon.

Dandelion Greens Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Dandelion Greens Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

The Kitchen shoot 4/20/2016 Photographer: Soo-Jeong Kang Soojeong1@gmail.com (917)575-5478

1 lb tender dandelion greens, tough stems removed
5 bacon slices
1 1/2 T. finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 T. cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Cut greens into 1 1/2-inch lengths and transfer to a large bowl. Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet until golden and crisp, then transfer to a cutting board, reserving fat in skillet. Finely chop bacon. Whisk together shallot, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then whisk in 3 T. hot bacon fat. Toss greens with enough warm dressing to coat and sprinkle with bacon. Serve immediately.

Tender Kale & Bacon Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Tender Kale & Bacon Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Tender Kale & Bacon Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

 

2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. reduced-sugar strawberry jam
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 T. olive oil

1 bunch curly or dinosaur kale
1 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into ribbons
2/3 C. fresh sliced strawberries

2 T. real bacon bits

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, jam, mustard, and pepper. Drizzle in the oil and whisk until combined. Set aside. Remove the ribs from the kale and roughly chop into %-inch strips. Place the kale in a large bowl, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Gently rub (massage) the kale between your fingers for 30 to 35 seconds, or until it wilts slightly and the leaves smooth. Add the strawberries and carrots and gently toss the salad with the dressing. Sprinkle bacon bits on top and serve.

 

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 ½ C. Salad

Calories: 140

Fat: 7g

Fiber: 2g

Roasted BLT Salad

Roasted BLT Salad

Roasted BLT Salad

4 slices bacon

1 C. cherry tomatoes

6 tsp. olive oil

1/2 baguette, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

1 head romaine lettuce, quartered lengthwise

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towel. Break into large pieces; set aside. Meanwhile, line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil. Add cherry tomatoes; toss with 2 tsp. of the olive oil. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Transfer tomatoes and their juices to a medium bowl. Place bread cubes and romaine quarters on the baking pan. Drizzle romaine with 2 tsp. of the olive oil. Return pan to oven; bake 5 minutes or until bread is golden and romaine is browned on edges. Add bread to the medium bowl with the tomatoes. Toss gently to combine. Let stand 5 minutes to allow bread to absorb some of the tomato juices. Transfer tomatoes, bread, romaine, and bacon to a serving platter. Drizzle with remaining 2 tsp. olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 

Yield: 4 servings

Calories: 258

Fat: 10g

Fiber: 2g

BLT Towers

BLT Towers

BLT Towers

 

Bread slices, cut in rounds (better if cut the same size as the tomatoes)

3 T. butter, melted

2 packages fresh Mozzarella cheese, cut in ½-inch slices

10 small tomatoes, ends cut off, sliced in ½-inch slices

1 large bunch bib lettuce, cut in rounds

6 slices maple-glazed bacon, fried crispy

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a circular cookie cutter, press into bread slices and create crustless bread rounds. Brush the rounds with butter, and toast in oven for about 8 minutes or until crispy. Add Mozzarella to the bread round, then layer with tomato, lettuce, and bacon, making a tower. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Secure the towers with a toothpick if desired, and place on platter. Easy and colorful!

Rhubarb Bacon Jam & Ricotta Toast

Rhubarb Bacon Jam & Ricotta Toast

Rhubarb Bacon Jam

 

3 – 5 slices bacon

2 cup finely chopped red onion

2 cup chopped fresh rhubarb

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

3 T. apple cider vinegar

1 lemon (1 tsp. zest; 1 T. juice)

Crusty bread

Whole milk ricotta cheese

 

Heat a large skillet over medium. Add bacon; cook about 8 minutes or until brown and crisp. Remove, reserving 2 T. drippings; drain bacon on paper towels. Add onion to skillet, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is soft and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, chop cooked bacon. Return to skillet. Stir in rhubarb, maple syrup, and vinegar. Continue cooking over medium-low 5 to 8 minutes or until rhubarb is soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Use a potato masher to slightly mash the mixture. Serve warm with bread and ricotta. Makes 14 servings.

RB&O Sauce

RB&O Sauce

RB&O Sauce

 

2– 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup finely chopped red onion

1 cup sliced rhubarb (about 2– 3 medium-size stalks, cut into ¼-inch slices)

3 T. maple syrup

1½ T. red or white wine vinegar

Pinch allspice

Pinch dried thyme (or ¼ tsp. fresh)

 

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel, reserving drippings in skillet. Cook onion in drippings until lightly golden. Stir in rhubarb, maple syrup, vinegar, allspice, and thyme; cook over low heat, 5-7 minutes, until rhubarb is soft. Crumble in cooked bacon. Serve warm.

Rhubarb Baked Beans

Rhubarb Baked Beans

Rhubarb Baked Beans

 

4 slices thick-sliced bacon, chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb

1 cup chopped sweet onion

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

2 15 – ounce cans navy beans, rinsed and drained

1 8 – ounce can tomato sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp. yellow mustard

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees . In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove with slotted spoon. In reserved drippings, cook rhubarb and onion about 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in salt and ginger; cook 1 minute more. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, brown sugar, mustard and cooked bacon. Transfer to a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 20 minutes more or until surface loses wet appearance

Scallops with Bacon and Cream on Toast

Scallops with Bacon and Cream on Toast

Scallops with Bacon and Cream on Toast

 

3 slices bacon, chopped

1 pound sea scallops, tough muscle removed

1/2 C. chilled cream or half-and-half

2 T. chopped fresh chives

1/4 tsp. salt

6 slices firm white sandwich bread, toasted,

crusts discarded and halved diagonally

 

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble when cool. Reserve skillet drippings. Heat drippings over high heat until hot but not smoking. Sear scallops, turning once, until cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to platter and keep warm. (We poured some of the drippings out of the skillet at this point.) Add cream, 1 T. chives and salt (we also threw in a handful of tiny frozen peas for color) and boil until slightly thickened, about 1 or 2 minutes. Divide scallops among 4 plates. Pour sauce over scallops and sprinkle with bacon and remaining chives. Serve with toast points. Alternatively put scallops in the cream sauce and stir to coat. Serve over rice or angel-hair pasta.