Bar BQ Grills

serves eight


12 slices bacon, cut in 1/2″ dice
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds sugar snap peas
4 cups corn (fresh or frozen & defrosted)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh chives, minced

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until it is crisp; remove to paper towels to drain. Skim off all but 3 teablespoons of fat, then saute the onion for 3 minutes, until it begins to soften, then add peas and saute for 3-4 more minutes, until the peas begin to turn bright green and glossy. Add the corn, mustard, sugar and pepper and toss to combine. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until the corn is cooked through. (It can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered and refrigerated â€" reheat in a skillet before serving.) Serve the saute in a large serving bowl garnished with the reserved crumbled bacon and minced chives.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Diane Phillips, on Carolyn T's Tasting Spoons, January 8, 2011

Served with cilantro quinoa (ick) and Black Bean Fiesta (yum).

Grilled Pork Chops with Two Chili Sweet Sauce

Serves:  4 hungry people

Ingredients

• 4 ea pork chops, bone in, 1" thick
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder

For the sauce

• 2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
• 1 ea shallot, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbsp habanero chili, seeded and finely diced
• 2 Tbsp roasted sweet red pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup red pepper jelly
• slurry (2 Tbsp cold water, 1 Tbsp corn starch whisked together)
• salt and pepper for seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat charcoal grill to 450f set up for both direct and indirect cooking.  Have your hot coals on one side (direct) and nothing on the other side (indirect).  I was using my Smoke Hollow Smoker/Grill combo and used about 3 quarts of Kingsford briquettes with hickory for a little smoke flavor.
2. Pat pork chops dry and season all sides with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  (Not "both" sides, ALL sides)
3. Grill chops over the direct heat for 4 minutes per side.  
4. Reduce heat (shut down your grill's air intake vents) and move chops to indirect heat. Roast until the chops reach an internal temperature of 135-137f degrees.  This took ours roughly 15 minutes but go by temps, not times.
5. Remove pork chops from grill and rest on a rack raised over a plate.
6. Preheat a skillet over medium high heat.  Add butter.
7. Saute shallot and garlic for two minutes.
8. Add the habanero and red pepper and saute another minute.
9. Deglaze the pan with sherry and let almost evaporate away (1-2 minutes)
10. Add the chicken broth and simmer until reduced in volume by half.  Taste for seasoning and add salt/pepper as needed.  I did a pinch of salt and about 6 twists with a pepper grinder.
11. Whisk in the jelly and the slurry.  Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to cover the back of a spoon when dragged through the sauce.
12. Plate the chops and drizzle the Two Chili Sweet Sauce over them.

Notes

•  I had some scraps from trimming the pork roast into chops and seared the scraps in the saute pan first to get some sucs (French for "brown stuff stuck on the pan") before sauteing the veggies.  
• The final target internal temp AFTER resting is 145f.
• If you like more heat, double the habanero.  If you don't like heat, drop the habanero and use something milder like jalapeno, chipotle, or poblano. 

Don't forget to season the sides too.

Tomahawk pork chops!

I like the habanero not only for it's heat but it also brings a zesty citrus flavor.

I know I probably shouldn't ask this because your answer will remind me of how bad that commercial is, but what is the holiday commercial you'll be so glad to see disappear?

serves four


For Creamed Corn
6 ears corn, shucked
6 oz. thick-sliced bacon (4-5 slices), cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-wide strips
1 large bunch scallions
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Quail
6 whole (6- to 8-oz.) jumbo quail, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1/2 cup whole milk
about 2 1/2 cups corn or canola oil for frying

Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Make the Creamed Corn: Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of water to a boil. Add corn and simmer for 4 minutes. With tongs, transfer corn to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking. When cool enough to handle, drain and cut kernels from cobs.

Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Thinly slice enough scallions to measure 1 cup.

Combine cream, water, lemon juice, bacon, sliced scallions, and butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, bring to a simmer, and simmer, stirring, for 1 minute. Add corn and salt and pepper to taste and cook until liquid is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Cook the Quail: With poultry shears or a sharp knife, cut off necks and first 2 wing joints of each quail and discard. Cut out and discard backbones. Halve each quail lengthwise through breast and cut off legs.

Stir together flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using) in a shallow bowl. Pour milk into another shallow bowl.

Heat 1/2 inch oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Meanwhile, working with one piece at a time, dip quail in milk, letting excess drip off, then dredge in flour mixture, shake off excess, and place on a tray. Using tongs, put half of pieces, skin sides down, into hot oil. Fry quail, turning several times, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain and keep warm, covered. Reheat oil and fry remaining quail in same manner. Reheat corn over low heat if necessary.

Serve quail with creamed corn and lemon wedges.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Gourmet Cookbook edited by Ruth Reichl. Pages 403-404. Houghton Mifflin, 2004

serves 8-10


2 lb. Brussels sprouts
3 slice bacon, finely diced
1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Trim the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts and remove any yellow or spotted outer leaves. Cut the Brussels sprouts into 1/16-inch slices, and use your fingertips to separate the slices into shreds. Alternatively, shred the Brussels sprouts using a food processor with the coarse shredding disk attached. Place in a bowl and set aside until ready to saute.

Heat a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan.

Just before serving, reheat the bacon fat until hot and add the Brussels sprouts to the pan. Saute until crisp-tender and bright green, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the bacon, hazelnuts, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasonings, and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Thanksgiving Table: Recipes and Ideas to Create Your Own Holiday Tradition by Diane Morgan. Page. 120. Chronicle Books, 2001

7 oz. smoked bacon slices, thickly cut, rinds discarded if necessary
7 oz. smoked bean curd
1/2 cup winter-sacrifice beans (SUBSTITUTION NOTE: 2-3 tablespoons black fermented beans and a spoonful or two of chili oil with sediment)
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 tablespoon peanut oil or lard
fresh coriander (cilantro) or parsley to garnish (optional)

Place the bacon in a steamer and steam over a high heat for 5-10 minutes, until cooked. Cut each slice into about 3 pieces. Cut the bean curd into thickish slices to complement the bacon.

Lay alternate slices of bacon and bean curd into the bottom and up the side of an earthenware or china bowl. Place any remaining slices on top. Spoon the beans, the chili flakes, and the oil or lard over. (You can prepare up to this stage in advance).

Place the bowl in a steamer and steam for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, until the flavors have blended.

You can simply serve the dish in a steaming bowl, and just give everything a good stir with chopsticks before digging in. For greater elegance, however, cover the bowl with a serving dish, swiftly invert, and then serve it unmolded with a garnish of fresh coriander or parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province by Fuchsia Dunlop. Page 93. W.W. Norton & Company, 2006

• 5 lb boneless beef roast, left off refrigeration to temper for up to one hour
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
• 1 tsp dried minced garlic 
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed but left whole
• 1 sprig rosemary

makes four servings


1 1/2 cups kasha
1 tablespoon lard or extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. good-quality slab bacon, minced
1 large onion, diced
salt and black pepper to taste

Bring about 1 quart water (or, if you have it, stock) to a boil. Rinse the kasha in a strainer. Put the lard in a deep skillet with a lid over medium heat. A minute later, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove it with a slotted spoon, add the onion, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; keep separate from the bacon so the bacon will remain crisp.

Add the kasha, along with some pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mixture smells toasty, about 3 minutes. Carefully add 3 cups of the boiling water, turn the heat to low, then cover and cook for about 15 minutes. If the liquid is absorbed and the kasha is tender but not mushy, it's done. If liquid remains, cook it a little more; if the mixture is dry and the kasha undercooked, add a little more water.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in most of the bacon and onion, then garnish with the remaining bacon and onion and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Best Recipes in the World: More Than 1,000 International Dishes to Cook at Home by Mark Bittman. Page 529. Broadway Books, 2005

makes 10 to 12 servings


1/2 pound thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
4 cups chopped onions
3 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped dried apples
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
2 7.4-ounce jars roasted whole chestnuts, coarsely broken
8 cups dried corn bread stuffing mix (from two 16-ounce packages)
1 3/4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to large bowl. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add onions and celery to drippings in skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Add vegetables to bacon; mix in apples, thyme, and sage, then chestnuts. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat to lukewarm before continuing.)

Add corn bread stuffing mix to chestnut mixture. Mix in 1 3/4 cups broth. Drizzle with butter.

To bake stuffing in turkey: Loosely fill main cavity and neck cavity of turkey with stuffing. Add enough broth to remaining stuffing to moisten slightly (1/4 cup to 3/4 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish â€" alongside turkey or while turkey is resting â€" until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover stuffing in dish. Bake until top of stuffing is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

To bake stuffing in dish: Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough extra broth to stuffing to moisten (3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake until heated through, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 20 minutes longer.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Aidells Sausage Company, Bon Appétit, November 2002

makes 24 deviled eggs


12 eggs, hard-cooked
1/2 cup mayonnaise (store-bought or homemade)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt, to taste (optional)
6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
smoked paprika for garnish

Cut eggs in half. Arrange egg whites cut side up on a serving plate and put the yolks in a small mixing bowl. Mash yolks with a fork then stir in mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, chipotle chile, and garlic powder. Mash and stir all ingredients together well. Stir in chopped bacon, reserving some pieces to garnish the top of the eggs if desired. Taste and add salt if necessary. Spoon some of the filling into each egg white half, dividing the mixture as evenly as possible between the eggs. Sprinkle eggs with smoked paprika and garnish with bacon pieces. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Nicole, Pinch My Salt, Fresno, California, May 20, 2011

I made this up yesterday morning when I had some leftover tater tots.

• 12 ea tater tots, crumbled
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 Tbsp jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 1/4 cup sweet onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350f.  Preheat a small skillet over medium high heat.  
2. Melt butter in the skillet and add the onion and jalapeno.  Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften.
3. Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring occasionally. 
4. Spray two small ramekin dishes with non-stick spray.  Divide the crumbled tots between the two dishes.
5. Stir the onion, chile, garlic mixture into the dishes.  
6. Top with the mozzarella.
7. Crack an egg into each ramekin.  Season with salt and pepper.
8. Bake in the oven on the middle rack for 5 minutes.
9. Broil on high for 5-6 minutes or until the eggs are set.  
10. Rest for 5 minutes before serving and warn diners that the ramekin is still hot.  (see pictures for alternate serving idea)

Notes

• For extra crispy potatoes, put the ramekins in the oven for 3 minutes after step 5 and then proceed as written.

Break the tater tots up coarsely, not too fine.

The egg will stay mostly centered if you make a divot or dip in the center.

You can serve right in the ramekins like this, but be careful - very hot.

But I like to slide it out onto a plate, it's easier to eat this way.

6 jalapenos
3/4 pound of bacon
3 pounds ground chuck
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 buttermilk
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 avocados, pitted & thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
hamburger buns

In a skillet, cook the jalapenos in a little bit of oil until softened and charred. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and let cool slightly. Remove and discard the skin, stem, and seeds; finely chop the chiles.

Fry the bacon until crispy and reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.

In a large bowl, combine the reserved bacon fat, half of the chopped chiles, and crumbled bacon. Then mix in the ground beef. Form into 6 patties and season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine the crumbled queso fresco, mayo, buttermilk, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the remaining chiles. Season with salt and pepper; refrigerate.

In another bowl, toss together the sliced avocados, onion, cilantro, and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.

Grill the burgers, turning once, for about 10 minutes for medium rare, longer if you like them more well done. Just before the burgers are done, toast the buns on the grill (or skillet) for about a minute.

Place a burger on each bun bottom, top with some avocado salsa and queso fresco dressing, and finish with the top half of the bun.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Crystal Light Faulkner, Mrs Happy Homemaker, June 30, 2011

Recently, fellow blogger, Stephen Crout published his book A Cook's Book For Cooks.

There is a membrane on the back side which some people* insist needs to be removed.  It's a little difficult to do and after a brief try I just said screw it.  It won't hurt if you are a bit more persistent than I was (56). 

• 8 chicken wings, cut into wingettes and drummettes, tips reserved for stock
• 1/2 cup mirin cooking wine
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, sliced on a bias, divided between marinade and garnish
• 1/4 cup roasted red pepper, diced
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup sweet Asian chili sauce

1. Mix the mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, half the onion, roasted red pepper and black pepper together.  
2. "Marinate the wings in this for one day.  Don't have a day?  Fine, go for an hour (Crout 75)."
3. Set up your grill for indirect heat and preheat it to 375f.  This will be fire roasting instead of direct grilling.
4. Remove wings from marinade (reserve marinade) and fire roast them for 30 minutes.
5. Flip wings and roast another 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, put marinade in a preheated saute pan over medium high heat.  Rapidly simmer for at least 5 minutes.  Stir in sweet Asian chili sauce.
7. Toss wings in the sauce and return to the grill for 10 minutes.
8. Remove, garnish with remaining green onion, and serve.

Notes

• The book gives bake/broil method for doing this inside.  I'd tell you what it is but then I'd have to pay Stephen royalties.  Go buy the book, it's only $10.99. 
• Wing tip:  When placing wings on a grill, place their cut/open side down first.  This will help the rendered fat drip off/out easier.  Can't remember who I got that tip from but it works.

4 bacon slices
1 small onion
1 large eggplant
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup hominy
fresh tomato salsa (recipe below)
olive or corn oil
queso fresco
salt and pepper
corn or flour tortillas

Peel and dice the eggplant. In a medium sized fry pan, cook the bacon to so that it's done but not too crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel. If there is more than a tablespoon of grease in the pan, remove some. If your pan is dry without any bacon grease, then add a good drizzle of olive oil along with the diced onion and eggplant. Cook, tossing often, until both are tender and cooked. Add in the garlic, let that saute for a few minutes and then add in the crushed tomatoes. Cover the pan and let everything simmer for 5 minutes.

Place the eggplant mixture and the bacon in a small food processor, process a few times to blend it all together. Fill each tortilla with a spoon of the eggplant mixture, add in a spoon of hominy and a little queso fresco.

Wrap the burrito and place in shallow pan; you may need to warm the tortillas first to make them easier to wrap. Once you've made all of your burritos, place in a warm oven for about 15 minutes.

Serve with a spoon of the fresh salsa, crumbled queso fresco and a little extra crumbled bacon if desired.

Fresh Tomato Salsa
1 tomato, diced small
2 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (or cilantro)
juice of 1 lime

Toss all the ingredients together in a bowl. Spoon over the burritos above.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Monique Costello, Fat and Happy, August 31, 2011

serves four


8 slices raisin bread
4 oz (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/4 cup honey mustard
8 slices Havarti cheese
4 slices Gouda cheese
8 slices applewood-smoked bacon, fried crisp
1 large Granny Smith, sliced thinly

Spread each slice of bread on one side with soft butter. Turn over and generously spread with 1 tablespoon of honey mustard. Place a slice of Havarti on each bread slice. Top half the slices with 2 slices of bacon. Shingle 6 apple slices over the bacon. Top the remaining 4 slices with a slice of Gouda. Assemble the sandwiches, pressing together and leaving the buttered side of the bread exposed.

In a skillet or grill pan, grill over medium heat until golden brown on each side. Cut sandwiches in half or quarters diagonally. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Becky Bakes, May 4, 2011

makes six


6 slices of bacon
12 slices of pepperoni
6 eggs
1/4 cup shredded cheese plus 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice (for separate purposes)
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line 6 standard muffin tins with the slices of bacon. Feel free to tear the bacon up as needed to cover the sides and bottom as well as possible. Pop it into the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes. If your bacon is thinner than mine was, this will make it crispy. If your bacon was thick like mine was it’ll make sure it is cooked through.

While the bacon is bubbling in merriment, whisk together the eggs, salt, and 1/4 cup of shredded cheese. Set aside and take a few sips of coffee while tapping your fingers on the counter, waiting for the bacon to get done already.

After the 10 minutes, pull out the muffin pan and sop up some of the grease from the cups with a paper towel. If you don’t do this you may have bacon grease run out of the cups and into your hot oven as the eggs rise and you may have a smoky situation in the house like I did. I do know that my smoke detector works, so this is a good thing. See, just goes to show that there aren’t potentially negative situations without something positive happening as a result. But enough philosophizing. Back to bacon. Tuck two pieces of pepperoni between the bacon and the tin, facing each other. I like balance in life, do you? Your bacon may have experienced some shrinkage (thank GOD I don’t have to worry about that) so press it back into shape a bit if you want.

Pour the egg mixture into the tins and put it back in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the eggs are nearly set. Divvy out the 1/2 cup of shredded cheese you set aside earlier and top each bacon and pepperoni cup with about the same amount. Put the tray back in the oven for a couple minutes until the cheese has melted.

Let cool a bit. Eat. Enjoy.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Amber DeGrace, Tickling My Fancy, September 24, 2011

makes 2-4 servings


pink or red snapper fillets; skin-on
4-6 medium bok choy
4-5 slices of bacon
2 slices of ginger slivers (for sauté only)
4 cloves of minced garlic
3-4 tablespoons of shredded lemongrass stems
1 large leek
Salt & pepper

For Lemongrass & Kaffir Lime Broth
4 cups of water
4-5 soup spoons of Vietnamese fish sauce
2 small lumps of yellow rock sugar
3 cloves of whole garlic
2 slices of ginger
15 â€" 2″ pieces of lemongrass stalks (more if you’re a lemongrass enthusiast)
Kaffir lime leaves (shredded lime leaves work faster)
Bunch of Thai basil leaves
1-2 thai chilis or 2 red jalapeños
Salt

Marinate the fish in olive oil, salt & pepper, garlic and the shredded lemongrass stems. Marinate for at least 2 hours, no more than a day.

Start making the lemongrass and kaffir lime broth. Add the water, garlic, ginger and lemongrass stalks into a pot and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat so you can start doing the taste-testing. Add fish sauce and dissolve 1 small lump of rock sugar first, adding the other lump if needed. Once you have a nice balance of fish sauce, sweetness and aroma from the lemongrass, it’s time to add the kaffir lime leaves to achieve a flavor that resembles a very mild tom yum soup. Add 4 pinches of shredded lime leaves (3-4 leaves) to taste. Then add a few Thai basil leaves at a time to extract the aroma. Add chopped Thai chiles or red jalapeno slices for a little spice kick. Once the broth is complete, turn the heat on low and remove the Thai basil leaves â€" they will make the soup bitter if you leave it in.

Prepare bok choy by cleaning them properly and cutting off the stem so that the leaves are detached. On high heat, sauté the garlic, ginger slivers and Nueske bacon (for flavor) and salt & pepper to taste. Make sure these are sautéed 50% through as you’ll want them to have some crunch upon service. They will also be sitting in broth and will eventually soften. Set these aside or begin plating.

Optional: Cut 1/8″ diagonal “coins” from the leek stem. Pan fry these on medium heat in oil till they are nice and brown on both sides. It should have a nice crispness to it. Set aside when finished.

Turn oven to 450 degrees. Add salt & pepper on all sides of the snapper fillet. Sear the snapper fillets skin-side down on medium heat with your oil of choice for about 4-5 mintues. Make sure that you get a nice crust on the skin as the snapper skin is a bit more rubbery like chicken skin. Carefully flip the fillets over without ruining the skin and put the skillet in the oven for another 5-7 minutes, depending on your cuts. Take fillets out and set aside.

Bring the lemongrass and kaffir lime broth to a boil and make sure the broth is seasoned well and has not become salty from water loss. Place fish on top of the bed of bok choy and add the broth around the fish, careful not to get the fillets wet. Garnish with leek “coins” and thinly-sliced red jalapeños or Thai chiles. Optional: Put the whole plated dish back into the oven for a good 5 minutes to ensure a super hot plate â€" it tastes better that way.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dylan, Eat, Drink + Be Merry., Los Angeles, March 28, 2011

1 chicken, corn-fed
1 pinch black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallots, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
100 grams arborio risotto rice
450 ml chicken stock
50 grams laver bread, pureed
40 grams parmesan, grated
30 grams unsalted butter
50 grams bacon

Set the oven to 200C/gas 6. Season the chicken breast with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 2. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken breasts on each side until light and golden. 3. Transfer the chicken to a baking tray and cook for 12 minutes.4. Heat a further tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and fry the shallot and garlic for two minutes. Add the rice. 5. Gradually incorporate the hot chicken stock a little at a time. Stir occasionally until rice is just cooked through, this should take around 12 minutes. 6. Stir in the laver bread puree. 7. Add half of the Parmesan cheese and the butter, and then set aside. 8. Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan and fry the bacon for three to four minutes, or until crisp. 9. Spoon the risotto into a bowl, slice the chicken and put on top, then sprinkle with the bacon and remaining Parmesan.


bacon recipe courtesy of: James Tanner, for Good Food Channel, UKTV/Food

This is as close to a "cookie post" that you will ever see on Nibble Me This.   I made DivaQ's Chocolate Pig Candy Pretzels (click for full recipe).  It's made of pretzels, chocolate and crumbled candied bacon.  Yeah, I know....right? 

Sweet, salty, and a bit smoky too.

Made my pig candy on my Green Egg.

Improvised double broiler.

Dipped in chocolate, sprinkled with crumbled pig candy, chilled in fridge, dusted with powdered sugar.

For gnocchi:
2 lbs. russet potatoes
1 1/4-1 1/2 lbs. all-purpose flour
3 large egg yolks
Kosher or sea salt, to taste

For dish:
1 cup applewood smoked bacon, sliced
2 cups asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments and blanched until tender (about 2 minutes)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon chopped sage
Salt
Cracked black pepper
Shaved parmesan

For gnocchi: Preheat oven to 350°. Bake the potatoes until they are completely cooked. Cut the potatoes in half, scoop out the flesh and press them through a potato ricer. Place the hot, riced potatoes on a board or counter and make a well in the center. Place a layer of about 1/2 cup of flour in the well, add the egg yolks, then add about 1/2 cup more flour and the salt. Use a bench scraper to chop the potatoes into the flour and egg. This should be done quickly (15-30 seconds), as overworking the dough will make the gnocchi dense and sticky. Add more flour if necessary. The resulting dough should be homogeneous and barely sticky on the outside. Shape the dough into a ball. Roll the dough lightly in flour. Pull off a small hand sized section of the dough and roll it by hand into about 1/2 inch snake. Cut into 1/2 pieces and roll into a ball, then over a gnocchi board or a fork create a barrel shape with indentations. Test one piece by placing it in a pot of salted, boiling water. Once the gnocchi floats to the surface, it is cooked. Taste for seasoning and texture. Re-season dough if necessary and add a little flour if the gnocchi is mushy. Continue rolling and cooking off the gnocchi.

For dish: In a large saute pan, render fat from bacon until crispy. Drain off bacon fat and add butter. Cook until butter is browned. Add gnocchi to pan and saute until lightly browned. Add asparagus and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Toss in the sage. Plate and finish with shaved parmesan.


bacon recipe courtesy of: cshack_21 (Chris Shackelford) for TasteFresno, January 12, 2011

yields 4 to 6 servings


Kosher salt
Two 4-ounce lobster tails
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips (about 2 1/2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
One 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup clam juice
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobster tails and cook until they begin to curl, 5 to 7 minutes. Using tongs, remove the lobster tails and set aside until cool enough to handle. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.

Using kitchen scissors or a heavy knife, cut along the underside of the lobster tails and remove the meat. Chop the meat into 3/4-inch chunks. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.

In the same skillet, add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes (and juices), clam juice, cream, 1/2 cup basil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the lobster and bacon. Simmer until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour the tomato mixture over the cooked pasta and toss until coated. Garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup basil and season with salt and pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Giada De Laurentiis, "Surf and Turf," Giada at Home, Food Network

Beef stew ladled over a split biscuit - extreme comfort food.

325f direct - was covered during the cook except when browning the beef.