2153. CHICKEN BACON CAESAR CALZONES

pizza dough for one large pizza
2 chicken breasts, roasted and chopped
8 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled
1 cup Caesar dressing
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for top
4 ounces Mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine chicken, crumbled bacon, dressing and Parmesan Cheese in a medium bowl. Set aside. Cut pizza dough into four sections. Roll out into rounds on a floured surface. Top 1/2 of one pizza round with filling. Top filling with 1/4 of Mozzarella cheese. Fold over dough to form half moon shape. Using a fork, press edges down to completely seal. Repeat process with remaining dough, cheese and filling. Place calzones onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove calzones from oven and lightly brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake for 5 additional minutes. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sarah, Short Stop, October 22, 2009




Grilled Orange Beef with Broccoli Stir Fire

Let's be honest.  Spring is a tease.

After some glorious weather a week ago, it seems that fickle Spring smacked us with cold, wet, and dreary.  Want to show nature who is boss?  Want to shake off the winter blahs?  Then drag out your grill, fire it up and do something different! And oh yeah.....bring your wok.

Many people don't think about using a work on the grill but actually it's an ideal match.   Traditionally woks were used over a pit stove with live fire.  A charcoal grill generates the high heat that woks crave.  A flat bottomed wok will work on just about any large grill.   You can use a round bottom wok too, if you have a "spider rig" or if you have a mounting base for it.  The things I like about using a wok on the grill, or as I call it, "Stir Firing", are:
  1. It is a fast dinner option.  Most dishes on the wok take only a few minutes of prep and cooking.
  2. It is a healthier option.  (less oil, more veggies)
  3. It is just fun!
So break out of the same ol', same ol' and try using your wok on your grill.  That is what I did tonight, I made a Grilled Orange Beef w/ Broccoli Stir Fire (aka stir fry).  The steak by itself was pretty damn good but the rest of this dish is good too.

Grilled Orange Beef with Broccoli Stir Fire

1 ea flank steak

Marinade
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 ea green onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp ginger, fresh ground
Veggies
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 ea shallot, diced
1 head broccoli, cut into 1" pieces
1/3 cup chicken stock
Sauce
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 inch ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks (about 2 Tbsp of fresh ginger)
1 Tbsp orange peel, fresh grated
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp dry sherry
2 tsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp cold water
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the marinade ingredients together and marinate the steak for 3-4 hours.

Set up the grill for direct heat at 400-450f.  Grill the steak for 3 minutes per side (4 minutes per side if skipping the stir fire part).

Remove to a raised rack and let rest.  Since you will now be working with the grill top open, you will want to cut your lower air intake vents down to almost closed to keep your fire from burning out of control hot.

Place a wok on the grill and preheat.  This should only take about 1 minute.  Add the oil and when it begins to shimmer add the shallot.  Simmer for 30-45 seconds.  Add the broccoli (still wet from rinsing) and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, cover and steam for 4-6 minutes.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the flank steak across the grain.  It is so hard NOT to just eat it all at this point.  But I did have to do some "quality control tasting.....errr....testing" of course. 

Remove broccoli.  Add the oils and when hot, add the ginger and orange peel.  Stir fry for 1 minute.  Add the OJ, sherry, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and stir.  Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Stir together the water and cornstarch and add to the sauce* to thicken.

Return the broccoli and beef to the wok and toss them to coat with the sauce.


Remove and serve immediately with rice.


The beef and broccoli was good.  It disappeared quickly, with my 11 year old having seconds.  But the sauce seemed awfully thin, it just didn't coat like my usual stir fry does.   After dinner I was cleaning up my out door kitchen, gathering things to be washed and there on the table was my unused bowl with the cornstarch slurry in it.........DOH!  Mystery solved.




2152. CORN BREAD DRESSING with PECANS and BACON

makes 12 to 14 servings, enough to stuff a 12- to 15- pound turkey


12 cups (3 quarts) 3/4- to 1-inch chunks stale, dry corn bread
6 slices stale, dry firm-textured white bread, cut into 1/2- inch cubes
2 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 pound hickory-smoked bacon, each slice cut crosswise into strips 1/2 inch wide
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted, or 1 cup bacon drippings or vegetable oil
2 very large yellow onions, coarsely chopped
4 large celery ribs, trimmed and coarsely chopped (include a few leaves)
1 tablespoon rubbed sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried leaf thyme, crumbled
6 cups chicken broth or stock
3 extra-large eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Place the two breads, pecans, and parsley in a very large mixing bowl and set aside. Brown the bacon in a very large, heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring often, for 12 to 14 minutes until all the drippings render out. Drain the bacon on paper toweling and if you intend to use the drippings in the dressing, pour them into a measuring cup. You should have about 1 cup; if not, round out the measure with melted butter or vegetable oil. Heat 1/2 cup of the melted butter or bacon drippings in the same skillet for about 1 minute over moderately high heat. Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Add the sage and thyme, and cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more. Scoop the skillet mixture into the mixing bowl along with the reserved bacon and remaining melted butter or bacon drippings; toss well. Add 3 cups of the chicken broth, the eggs, salt, and pepper and toss well again. Transfer the dressing to the baking pan, spreading to the edges, then drizzle the remaining 3 cups chicken broth evenly on top. Cover snugly with heavy-duty foil and bake on the middle oven shelf for 25 minutes. Stir the dressing well, cover again with foil, and bake 20 minutes more or until steaming. Serve hot with roast turkey, chicken, or pork and top with lots of gravy.


bacon recipe courtesy of: A Love Affair with Southern Cooking: Recipes and Recollections by Jean Anderson. William Morrow Cookbooks, 2007




2151. LEEK and BACON PAPPARDELLE with MUSHROOM PANGRATTATO

For the pappardelle:
300 grams pasta flour
3 medium eggs
1/2 teaspoon olive oil

For the Mushroom Pangrattato:
6 slices of stale bread
10 grams dried mushrooms (e.g, porcini)
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
a few fresh rosemary leaves

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 rashers smoked back bacon, chopped
3 large leeks, washed and finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 glass white wine
500 ml chicken or vegetable stock
parmesan, grated
25 grams butter

Start off by making the pasta dough, and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. For the sauce, heat the oil in the pan and fry off the bacon until it just starts to color. Add the leeks, garlic and thyme and sweat for a few minutes. Add the white wine and bring to the boil for 30 seconds before adding the stock. Bring back to the boil, season with salt & pepper and simmer, covered until the leeks soften (15 minutes), stirring occasionally. Make the pangrattato by blitzing the stale bread and dried mushrooms in a food processor to form fine crumbs. In a frying pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and add the garlic and rosemary. Cook for a few seconds. Add the crumb mixture and a little salt and pepper. Gently fry off until crunchy and golden brown, but don’t allow to stick or burn. Rollout the pasta and cut into ribbons, 20mm wide (pappardelle). Cook pasta in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until al dente. Drain (but reserve some of the liquid) the pasta into the leek sauce. Toss the pasta in the sauce, adding the parmesan, butter and a little reserved pasta water to make a sauce if necessary. Check seasoning. Dish up the pasta and sprinkle with the mushroom pangrattato


bacon recipe courtesy of: James Bonfield, James's Recipes, March 21, 2010




2150. TERRINE of HARE with BACON

serves 8-10


1 hare
1 onion
salt
pepper
pinch of grated nutmeg
1/3 pint red wine
1 egg, beaten
6 streaky bacon rashers, rinded and stretched
flour and water paste

Remove the hare meat from the bones and mince it with the onion. Add salt, pepper, the nutmeg, wine and egg and beat well. Line an earthenware terrine with 4 of the bacon rashers. Spoon in the hare mixture and smooth the top, then cover with the remaining bacon rashers. Put the lid on the dish and seal with the flour and water paste. Place the dish in a roasting tin of hot water and bake in a preheated moderate oven 350°F Gas Mark 4 for 1 1/2 hours. Leave to cool before unsealing.


bacon recipe courtesy of: COOKITSIMPLY.com




Kingsford University: Manhattan Fillet 101

Quick!  Off the top of your head give me three words that describe a perfect steak.

Chances are two of the words were thick and juicy, right?

The problem is that if you cut a NY Strip steak to 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick, you end up with over a pound of steak and that is just too much to eat for most people.  I learned just the trick for that at Kingsford University - The Manhattan Fillet.


Snake River Farms' Executive Chef, Alan Turner, gave a demonstration on working with cuts of beef.  One of the new cuts was breaking down an American Waygu beef strip loin into the Manhattan fillet instead of strip steaks.  The resulting cut yields 10 oz fillet and a 6 oz petite fillet.  This gives you the thickness you crave AND the portion size that you want, while saving money too. 

Chef Turner shows the Manhattan Fillet at Kingsford U

I brought my Flip video camera but had left it back at the hotel room.  Still kicking myself over that one.  So as he talked, I scribbled notes furiously.

The notebooks they gave us came in handy!

Last night I applied the lessons learned  when Alexis brought home a 10 lb strip loin.  It was packaged as USDA Choice and certified Angus but it was more like Select to me.

Like Darth Vader said to Admiral Motti  "I find your lack of marbling disturbing."
See the difference that their American Waygu beef makes? 

First order of business is to find the "good end" of the loin.  Just like the "first cut" from a whole ribeye, a strip loin has a better part for steaks.  One end of the strip loin is what Turner called the "nerve end" and that has a bit of connective tissue.  You can see the grain of meat change there and you can feel it.  If you look at my drawing in the notes, that circular area is the nerve end.  Cut that off and use it for steak sandwiches or a small roast.  


Then, using a very sharp knife, slice the "tail" off of the strip loin and save.


Slice off the top strap and save.


Trim off the excess fat and silverskin.  Save the fat.


At this point, Chef Turner sliced the loin lengthwise.  I went the route of cutting the thick Strip steaks first.


Then I broke them down into the two fillets each.  

Because of how I cut them, my fillet were 8-10 oz fillet instead of the two sizes Chef Turner does.

I ended up with twelve fillets, worth the $60 cost alone.  But I also had a 2lb roast leftover.  I picked the lean meat from the tail and top strap to make a few beef kabobs for the boys.  Last but not least, I rendered some of the fat to produce a cup of tallow.  

Scraps!

Did I do it expertly and perfectly?  No, but I did fairly well and I learned along the way.  Next time I'll feel more confident in my knife work, I find tentative cutting leads to bad butchery.  You have to move purposefully and at speed, but that only comes with practice. 

Chef Turner showing off his bisected strip loin before portioning into fillets.

We ate a few last night and then vacuum sealed most of ours in packs of two for freezing and grilling later.  If you are having a steak cook out with a bunch of friends, this would be THE way to go.  For other ideas about grilling for parties, don't forget to check out Grilling.com.

Speaking of grilling get togethers......

Blogger Get Together
Last year, a handful of Smoky Mountains area bloggers got together at Larry Doolittle's (Big Dude's Eclectic Ramblings) lakeside retreat for lunch, socializing, and fun on the water.  It was so much fun that we've decided to do it again!!!!   The theme is going to be Texas BBQ.  More details are forthcoming. 






2148. BACON-WRAPPED APRICOTS with SAGE

makes twenty-four


24 small fresh sage leaves
24 large dried apricots
8 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thirds
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
toothpicks, for serving

Heat oven to 375º F. Place a sage leaf on each apricot, wrap with a piece of bacon, and place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Bake until the bacon is beginning to crisp, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Remove from oven and brush with the maple syrup. Serve with toothpicks.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kate Merker and Sara Quessenberry, Real Simple, December 2009




2149. SPINACH, BACON and CASHEW STUFFING

makes 8 servings


6 slices bacon, chopped
1/3 cup butter
1 large sweet onion , diced
1/4 cup minced fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bag (8 oz/227 g) fresh spinach, trimmed
7 cups cubed crustless sour dough bread, (about 1 loaf)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted cashews
1 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup whipping cream
3 eggs

In skillet, fry bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towel-lined plate. Drain fat from pan. In same pan, melt butter over medium heat; fry onion, sage, salt and pepper, stirring often, until very soft and just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add spinach, in batches and stirring until wilted. Scrape into large bowl. Add bread and cashews to bowl. In small bowl, whisk together chicken stock, cream and eggs; pour over bread mixture, tossing to coat. Scrape into 13- x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish, smoothing top. Cover and refrigerate until evenly soaked, at least 1 hour. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.) Bake in 400°F (200°C) oven, covered, for 20 minutes; uncover and bake until crusty and knife inserted into centre comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cut into squares.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Canadian Living Test Kitchen, Canadian Living, # Transcontinental Publications Inc., 25 Sheppard Avenue West, Suite 100, Toronto, Ontario M2N 6S7




2147. BACON and KALE MINESTRA

yields four servings


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 pound smoky bacon (about 6 slices), chopped
1/2 pound red potatoes, cut into small cubes
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound kale or tuscan kale (lacinato), stemmed and shredded or chopped
6 cups chicken stock
One 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, for serving

In a soup pot, heat the extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, onion and garlic, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the kale, cover and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the chicken stock, beans and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with the cheese on top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rachael Ray, "30-Minute Meals," Everyday with Rachael Ray, December/January 2010




2146. ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH LASAGNA with GOAT CHEESE, BACON and FRIED SAGE

serves 6


6 slices of uncooked bacon
1 1/2 cup smashed roasted butternut squash
8 ounces soft goat cheese
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage or 1/2 tsp dried ground sage + 2 sprigs fresh sage to fry for garnish
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 cups marinara sauce (around 25 ounces)
9 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella and Provolone cheeses

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Ask a question about this step. Fry the bacon (sliced or whole, whichever you prefer) in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it crisps up. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Ask a question about this step. Meanwhile, remove leaves from the 2 sprigs of fresh sage and add to the hot bacon drippings after you remove the cooked bacon. Fry for about 45 seconds or so until they, too, crisp up. Remove fried leaves from skillet and set aside with cooked bacon bits. Ask a question about this step. In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, ricotta cheese, egg, 2 T minced fresh sage, salt & pepper. Mix thoroughly. Set aside. Ask a question about this step. Prepare an 11x7 inch casserole dish with nonstick spray and add spread a couple spoonfuls of marinara sauce in the bottom. Put a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. I used three, but I had to break one to make it fit. Spread about 1/2 cup smashed squash over noodles, followed by 1/3 of the goat cheese mixture, 1/3 of the marinara sauce and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella. Repeat layering two more times with remaining ingredients and top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Ask a question about this step. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake, uncovered, for another 15 minutes until everything is bubbly, heated through, and the cheese begins to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and top with reserved bacon bits and fried sage. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Ask a question about this step.

NOTES:This obviously goes much faster if the squash is roasted ahead of time. It also freezes well. To roast a butternut squash, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the squash in half, discarding seeds and gunk from the center. At this point you can either place it face-up on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil or face-down in a casserole dish and fill the dish with about 1/2-inch of water. Bake for about 40-70 minutes, depending on the size of your squash. When it's done, it should easily pierce with a fork. Allow it to cool, then scrape the flesh from the skin, discarding the skin. Mash, then proceed with recipe. This method works for just about any type of squash. Ask a question about this step.


bacon recipe courtesy of: perrysplate, California, food52




March Giveaway: The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches

You know those nights when you got home late from work, you are tired and you aren't up to making a huge dinner but you won't want to settle for boring?   Then flipping through Susan Russo's The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches will be spark ideas and take you from "blah" to "kick butt food between bread" in just a few minutes.

Tonight was one of those nights for us.  I spent just a minute browsing and found the "Chow Mein Sandwich".  It sounded crazy, looked delicious and I had all of the ingredients on hand.  According to the book this is a South Massachusetts favorite.  I can see why!  

Matt's picture makes mine above look like crap, but it still tasted great!

Chow Mein Sandwich
slightly adapted from

Ingredients
2 yellow onions, cut into small wedges
1 stalks celery, thinly sliced using the whole stalk and leaves
2 leaves napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 cup bean sprouts
4 cups chicken broth (divided)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 tsp red pepper flake
1 cup beef broth
salt and pepper to taste
4 hoagie rolls
16 oz Chow Mein crispy egg noodles

Place veggies in a 3 quart pan preheated to medium high heat and dry stir fry (no oil) for 1 minute.  

Whisk together the cornstarch and 1 cup of the chicken broth.  Pour over the veggies and toss for another minute.

Add the remaining chicken broth, beef broth, Kitchen Bouquet, sriracha, and red pepper flake.  Bring to a boil and them simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened.  

Split rolls, top with crispy noodles and ladle the sauce over them.


When I first sat down to go through the book, my expectations ranged from "been there done that" to "who the hell has shaved Himalayan yak ham in their fridge?".  But I was very pleasantly surprised.  The book is a winner.   
 
Yes, we still actually own an encyclopedia set.
True to it's name, it is an A-Z encyclopedia of classic, regional, and unusual sandwiches.  Each "entry" includes history & trivia about the sandwich, the recipe itself, and suggested variations.   The author, Susan Russo, writes for NPR's Kitchen Window and runs the food blog, Food Blogga.  Matt Armendariz of MattBites rocked out the photos in the book.  
The recipes themselves are not intimidating but at they same time, they are creative and fun.  That's because Susan uses a lot of ingredients that you will probably have on hand.  I could see this being one of those books that you always turn to when you need a quick idea for something tantalizing, different, but easy too. 

Because of the history and trivia presented with each sandwich, I often found myself thinking "Wow, I didn't know that".  Susan keeps even the standard sandwiches interesting by offering possible additions that make one say, "Huh, that's a neat twist". 

I almost wanted to take issue with pulled pork done in an oven, but at least she didn't kill it in a crock pot with a gallon of bbq sauce poured on top and I know not everyone has two Big Green Eggs and another smoker like me ;)  So I'll let that slide ha ha.

And this is a small thing, but it is a paperback with one of those hinged spines that let's it stay open when you put it down open.  Don't you HATE using a cookbook that every time you turn back to reference it, has either closed or changed pages on you????

Hold on.  I think I am talking myself out of this giveaway.  Never mind people, this book is awful.  You don't want it.  I'm keeping it for myself!  Nah, just kidding.  I am still giving it away but I'll buy myself a copy.

How To Enter
Each person can receive up to a total of 3 entries as follows:
  1. leave a comment below telling me your all time favorite sandwich. (NOTE: If you use the "anonymous comment" option, be sure to leave an email or your screen name in the comment so I can contact you if you are the winner. Something like "EggerinFL from the Egg Forum" or "swibirun from the BBQ Brethren forum" is enough.)
  2. Do a Twitter or Facebook post linking to this giveaway post and then leave a separate comment below with the URL of your Facebook post or for Twitter use the slash tag #foodblogga so I can find it. 
  3. Mention this giveaway and link to it in a post on your blog. Then leave a separate comment below with the URL of your post.
The Rules
  1. Giveaway entry period begins Friday, 12:01am March 24, 2011 and ends Thursday, 11:59am, March 31, 2011. Drawing will be held Friday, April 1st (no april fools), 2011 at 7pm (All times are Eastern Time zone).
  2. Comments will be numbered by order received and random.org will generate a random number for the winner.
  3. Limited to residents of the continental US unless you wish to pay the extra shipping charges.
  4. I am the final judge regarding any discrepancies, interpretations, grievances, etc about this drawing.
  5. Quirk Publishing is sponsoring the prize. They are not responsible for the drawing or the giveaway.
  6. Winner must respond and claim the prize within one week of the winning announcement. If a winner does not claim the prize during the specified time, a reserve winner will be drawn from the original entries.
  7. Employees, Board Members, pets, indentured servants, and family of Nibble Me This are not eligible to enter. 
If you don't win, don't worry.  The book goes on sale April 5, 2011.   I know I will buy one.




    2145. WARM SALAD of TEA-SMOKED TROUT with CRISPY BACON, FRISEE and HORSERADISH

    serves 6-8


    For the tea-smoked trout
    6oz demerara sugar
    6oz long grain rice
    leaves from 14 tea bags
    olive oil, to drizzle
    11½-12½oz fresh trout, heads removed
    salt and freshly ground black pepper

    For the dressing
    3½fl oz fish stock
    3½fl oz double cream
    2 tablespoons creamed horseradish sauce, from a jar
    3½fl oz cider
    salt and freshly ground black pepper

    For the salad
    8oz smoked streaky bacon, rind removed
    1oz butter
    1 Golden Delicious apple, thinly sliced
    7oz frisée lettuce, torn
    4 tablespoons chopped parsley
    2 tablespoons chopped chives
    extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

    Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

    For the tea-smoked trout, put the sugar, rice and tea leaves into a bowl and mix together. Line a wok with heavy-duty kitchen foil and pour the mixture on top. Cover with another layer of foil, drizzle over some olive oil and place the trout on top. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cover with another sheet of foil, sealing it tightly around the edges. Place on the hob over a moderate heat and leave the trout to smoke for a few minutes. Set aside. (CAUTION: tea-smoking generates a lot of smoke. Cook in a well-ventilated area.)

    For the dressing, bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan and continue to boil, uncovered, until reduced by half. Leave to cool.

    Whip the cream until stiff peaks form, then fold in the creamed horseradish, the cooled fish stock and cider. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    For the salad, place the bacon on a baking tray and cook in the oven until crisp.

    Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan and cook the apple slices until soft and golden.

    Remove the bacon from the oven and, when cold enough to handle, break into bite-size pieces.

    Arrange the frisée lettuce on serving plates. Scatter the bacon on top, drizzle over some of the dressing, then scatter over the apple slices and chopped herbs. Spoon over the remainder of the dressing and top with the smoked trout. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve immediately.


    bacon recipe courtesy of: James Martin, Stately Suppers, BBC-Food




    2144. WATERMELON SALAD with BASIL and BACON

    makes 6 servings


    6 cups cut watermelon
    2 cups quartered fresh strawberries
    2 green apples, cored and diced
    1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
    6 slices cooked and cooled bacon, crumbled
    1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

    In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, strawberries and apples. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Drizzle the mixture over the fruit, then gently toss to combine. Scatter the bacon and basil over the salad. Serve immediately at room temperature.


    bacon recipe courtesy of: J.M. Hirsch, The Seattle Times, August 12, 2010




    Grilled Potatoes

    You've heard me say before that a good steak doesn't need much besides salt, pepper, and flame. 

    Bad steaks on the other hand require every trick in the book.  Salting, marinades, crazy rubs, finishing sauces, you name it.    Life is too short to waste time on bad beef.

    I guess I've been spoiled lately.  We usually only buy USDA Choice grade at our house.  But at Kingsford University, I had USDA Prime flat iron, fillet, strip, & brisket from Snake River Farms.  Then there was the Prime strip at Shula's last week.  I have been living in Beef Nirvana.  Then at SOMEONE in our house brought home some USDA Select grade ribeyes that were on sale this week.  They had no marbling.  And they were only 1" thick.  I wept. 

    One of my best tips for dealing with crappy steaks (other than don't buy it)?  Misdirection.  Draw attention away from that beef in a "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain" way with great side dishes like these awesome grilled potatoes.


    I adapted the basic process from this recipe at America's Test Kitchen and then changed it around to meet my tastes and ingredients on hand.

    Grilled Potatoes

    8-10 ea red bliss potatoes, halved
    4-5 bamboo skewers
    1/2 cup herb infused oil (see instructions for ideas)
    kosher salt to taste
    1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
    1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated

    Infused Oil
    Their recipe had a process for making your own rosemary/garlic oil but then they have you strain the solids out.  I WANT the herbs and garlic roasted onto my potatoes, don't you?  Anyway, I was going to make my own oil when I found this in my cupboard.  


    It was a gift from a neighbor at Christmas and thought I'd try it out.  I mixed it up according to directions and then added 1 Tbsp finely diced roasted red pepper and 2 Tbsp of the parsley.  

    If you need to make your own oil, just simmer your choice of minced garlic, shallot, and herbs in a 1/2 cup of olive oil over medium/low heat until fragrant. Then add in some color and texture with finely diced parsley and red peppers.  Have fun with the combinations, this is your chance to make it YOUR dish. 

    Par-cook Potatoes
    Skewer the potato halves and poke each several times with a fork or skewer.  Brush with 2 Tbsp of the oil mixture and season liberally with kosher salt.  Microwave for 4 minutes, flip, and then microwave another 3 minutes.  What?  YES, I have a microwave.  Just because I grill all the time doesn't mean I'm a cave man. 

    Grill Potatoes
    Fire up the charcoal grill to 350-375f.  Brush 1/4 cup of the oil on the potatoes.  Grill cut side down until grill marks appear or the sides begin to brown (4-7 minutes depending on your grill's temps and hot spots).


    Flip and grill another 7-10 minutes skin side down.  They are done when a sharp knife tip easily penetrates the sides.


    Top with the grated cheese as soon as they come off the grill.  The results were a hit with us.  


    In fact we made them twice in two days.   Last night, I served them with the ribeye and grilled zucchini.  (See?  I'm so ashamed of that crappy piece of steak that I hid it with a short depth of field and veggies!)


    Just before going to bed last night, Alexis was talking about the potatoes wistfully and mentioned how good they would have been coarsely crushed into mashed potatoes.    How do you ignore that comment?  So today we did just that and topped them with mornay sauce made from the last of the Edam cheese I smoked over the winter.  Popped it under the broiler for about 5 minutes and voila!  


    That was lunch today.  Just the potatoes.  And by "just" I mean, "Holy bleep, this tastes so friggin' good!"  Excuse my harsh language.




    2143. ASIAN PEAR, MACHE, FETA and BACON SALAD with COARSE-GRAIN MUSTARD and MOLASSES

    For the Vinaigrette:
    1 1/2 tablespoons coarse grain mustard
    1/2 teaspoon molasses
    1/4 teaspoon (packed) brown sugar
    2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    pinch kosher salt
    3 tablespoons olive oil

    For the Salad:
    1 Asian pear, core removed, sliced thin
    5â€"6 cups mache, can substitute any green
    1/2 cup feta, crumbled
    4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

    For the Peppery Candied Walnuts:
    1 cup walnuts
    2 tablespoons light corn syrup
    1 tablespoon (packed) brown sugar
    3/4 teaspoons salt
    1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    1/8 teaspoon red pepper fakes

    For the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the vinaigrette except olive oil until thoroughly combined. While continuing to whisk constantly, slowly drizzle in olive oil to form an emulsifed vinaigrette. Adjust seasoning to taste with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons of dressing for garnish. Add mache and sliced pear to vinaigrette and toss to coat. Divide salad evenly among four plates. Sprinkle each salad with crumbled feta, bacon, and candied walnuts (see below). To garnish, drizzle a teaspoon of reserved vinaigrette around the perimeter of the plate.

    For the Peppery Candied Walnuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Mix together all candied walnut ingredients in abowl until walnuts are evenly coated. Pour walnuts onto prepared baking sheet and scatter into a single layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until nuts turn a deep golden. Stir every 5 minutes to prevent nuts from burning. Remove from oven. Cool nuts completely on the pan. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.


    bacon recipe courtesy of: ifood.tv




    2142. SMOKED CARP CHOWDER with BACON

    1 1/2 lb. smoked carp
    1/2 lb. bacon
    1 large onion, sliced
    4 medium potatoes
    4 cups milk
    1 bay leaf
    salt and pepper to taste

    Brown bacon in pot, add onion and cook till clear. Add potatoes, and enough water to just cover. Add some salt and pepper to taste and simmer until potatoes are almost done. Add milk and fish and simmer for 15 min. Thicken a bit if desired with a reaux made from equal amounts of butter and flour, melt butter and mix in flour, stir in a bit at a time, stirring until thickness is where you want it.


    bacon recipe courtesy of: Bowfishing Association of Illinois




    Quick Grilled Buffalo Chicken Wrap

    Spring starts Sunday night at 7:21pm EDT but it sure feels like Spring today!  The trees are blooming, the male birds are trying out their best pick up lines ("Hey chickie, you know what they say about the size of a bird's beak?"), and even my neighbors are breaking out their dormant grills.

    TIP:  If your grill has been neglected all winter, Clint wrote a good article about how to tune up your grill for action.

    I had a couple of chicken breasts and wanted a quick lunch.  How about a grilled buffalo chicken wrap?


    This really isn't a recipe, it's just a quick and easy lunch.

    I gave the chicken breasts a fast 30 minute bath in KC Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade.  It is one of the sauces they gave us at Kingsford University.  WARNING:  Do NOT attempt to marinate a buffalo with this sauce.  It only makes them angry.  

    I set up the Big Green Egg for direct heat at 350f.  To add a little smokiness I toss in a handful of cherry wood chips into the coals just as I put the breasts on the grate.  


    I grilled them for about 5-7 minutes per side, until they hit 160f in the thicker part of the breasts.  TIP:  Breasts come in all shapes and sizes so they will cook differently.  I check each one, not just one.  For example, today the first one was done 4 minutes before the last one.   


    TIP:  When grilling chicken breast, arrange them so the thinner end is further from the hotter spots of the grill.

    I grilled some flour tortillas and then it was just a matter of assembling the wraps.

    First a handful of rinsed baby spinach leaves, thin sliced red onion, and blue cheese dressing...


    ...then the sliced grilled chicken and an extra squirt of the Buffalo marinade.  (Look, if they can claim it is a marinade for buffaloes then I can use it as a sauce instead of a marinade, right?)


    Just about perfect for a sunny almost Spring Saturday afternoon.  Plus it was fast & easy.




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