Potatoes with Bacon, Apples & Onions

Eric, my husband, was in charge of the side dish to go with the Pork Chops with Figs in Hard Cider.  He dug around in the larder and came up with this stellar starchy side!

Potatoes with Bacon, Apples & Onions

Serves 6

3 thick or 4 regular slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
½ cup onions, sliced
1½ lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup apple-cider vinegar
1 sweet-tart apple (like Gala), peeled, cored, and cut in half and sliced

Sauté bacon in a cast iron skillet until crisp.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon bits from pan to a paper towel and set aside.

Pour off all but 1 – 2 Tbs of the bacon fat.

Sauté the onions for 1-2 minutes then add the sliced potatoes Sauté until potatoes turn golden brown. Season well with salt and pepper. Add the vinegar, mix well, and then add the apple slices and sauté for 2 – 3 minutes, add the bacon bits and serve immediately.

Peanut Butter, Banana & Bacon Sandwich – The Elvis

Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977.  I was 16 years old and I was in Berlin at the time.  Don’t get out your calculators, I’m 51 years old!

Several years ago, I taught a cooking class and the theme was A Culinary Tribute to Elvis.  Boy, did we cook up some healthy stuff!  Take your Lipitor and get ready!

A peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich, sometimes referred to as an Elvis sandwich or simply the Elvis, consists of toasted bread slices with peanut butter, sliced banana, and fried bacon. Honey is sometimes included. The sandwich is frequently cooked in a pan or on a griddle.  I actually love this sandwich, but try to only have it once in a blue moon…

Peanut Butter, Banana & Bacon Sandwich – The Elvis

Serves 4

2 Tbs butter, softened
8 slices white bread
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 large, ripe banana, sliced
1/4 cup honey (optional)
12 slices bacon, fried until crispy

Spread the butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. On the other side of half of the slices spread peanut butter. Place banana slices on top of peanut butter. Drizzle honey over bananas. Place 3 bacon slices on top of the banana, then place the remaining buttered bread slices on top, butter-side-out.

Place sandwiches on a preheated grill pan or griddle. Flip them over when they become golden brown and crispy. When the sandwiches are browned on both sides, remove to plates. Slice in half and serve immediately.

Salade Frisée aux Lardons

The French term lardons refers to small strips or squares of fat cut from the belly of a pig. They are often sautéed until crunchy and added to salads (such as this one) and other dishes, including stews, fried potatoes and omelettes. The same term is used for strips of pork fat that are inserted into leaner cuts of meat with a larding needle to increase tenderness and moisture. In the United States, slab bacon (rind removed), which comes from the side of the pig, is a good substitute for the pork fat. Salt pork, which comes from the belly of the pig, can also be used.

Salade Frisée aux Lardons

Serves 4

1 cup cubed coarse country bread (1-inch cubes)
1½ Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
¾ lb thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 shallots, finely chopped
5 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
4 eggs
2 heads frisée, cored and leaves torn into 3-inch pieces

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle them with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toast in the oven, turning once or twice, until golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

In a fry pan over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the shallots and sauté until softened, about 1 minute. Add the red wine vinegar, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

Pour 6 cups water into a large, deep fry pan or wide saucepan and add 1 tsp. salt and the white wine vinegar. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a gentle simmer. Break 1 egg into a ramekin and slide it carefully into the simmering water. Working quickly, repeat with the remaining 3 eggs. Carefully spoon the simmering water over the eggs until the whites are just opaque and firm and the yolks are still soft, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a plate and set aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine the croutons and the frisée. Pour the warm dressing with the bacon pieces over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Divide the salad among shallow individual bowls, making sure there is an equal amount of bacon in each serving. Place a poached egg on top of each salad and serve immediately.

Note: Poached eggs are not fully cooked. They run a risk of being infected with salmonella or other bacteria, which can lead to food poisoning. This risk is of most concern to small children, older people, pregnant women and anyone with a compromised immune system. If you have health and safety concerns, do not consume undercooked eggs.

Maple Bacon Biscuits

It seems bacon is sneaking into a lot more recipes these days – Jack in the Box Bacon Milkshake, Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies, Maple Bacon Ice Cream, etc….  This recipe actually makes sense.  Surprise your mother on Sunday with a plate of these!

 

Maple Bacon Biscuits

Makes 2 dozen biscuits

1 lb bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3½ cups flour
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
½ lb (2 sticks) butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
¾ cup plus 2 Tbs maple syrup, divided
¾ cup plus 2 Tbs buttermilk
1 egg yolk
1 egg
1 Tbs heavy cream
Fleur de sel

In a medium frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crispy, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate or pan, to remove excess fat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the diced butter, until it resembles small peas. Stir in the bacon, then one-fourth cup plus 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and the buttermilk until the dough just comes together (it will still be clumpy). Be careful not to overwork the dough.

On a lightly floured surface, gently press or roll the dough to 1-inch thickness. Cut the biscuits using a 2-inch round cutter; you should have 24 biscuits. Place 12 biscuits on each of two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Freeze the trays just until the biscuits are chilled, about 10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. While the biscuits are chilling, prepare the egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, egg and cream. Brush the chilled biscuits with egg wash and top each with a pinch of fleur de sel.

Bake the biscuits until they just begin to brown, about 25 minutes (you should easily be able to pick the biscuits up off the tray). Remove the tray from the oven. Quickly drizzle 1 teaspoon of the remaining maple syrup over each biscuit, then place the tray back in the oven for 3 minutes more. Serve while still warm.

Cheddar Ale Soup

This soup has all the elements of comfort.  Bacon, and cheddar, and ale, oh my!  Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!

Cheddar Ale Soup

Serves 6

4 slices bacon
4 Tbs butter
½ cup onion, minced
¼ cup carrot, minced
¼ cup celery, minced
1 small bay leaf
1/3 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
12 oz bottle Harpoon Celtic Ale
2½ cups low-fat milk
14 oz can 99% fat-free chicken broth
1 tsp dry mustard
1 lb Cabot Sharp, Extra Sharp or Seriously Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 4 cups)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a skillet or microwave, cook bacon until crisp; crumble and set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter; add onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are translucent and softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes longer.

Gradually whisk in beer; when mixture is bubbling and thickened, whisk in milk, chicken broth and dry mustard. Bring cheddar ale soup to a simmer, stirring often so it doesn’t scorch on bottom of pan. Add cheese a handful at a time; stir until cheese is melted and soup is hot, but do not let soup boil. Remove from heat, remove and discard bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with crumbled bacon.

Bacon & Cheese Stuffing Bites

I vote for making this in the first place!

Why is it that people only make stuffing during the holidays (including me!)?  To me, it’s the best part of a holiday meal. Here is a way to use up some of the leftover stuffing, though I vote for making this in the first place!

Bacon & Cheese Stuffing Bites

Makes 20

3 slices of bacon
2½ cups leftover cooked bread stuffing
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup green onions, minced
Milk or broth, optional

Pre-heat the oven to 350˚. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan.

Cut the bacon into ½” pieces. You need 20 pieces. Discard any pieces that are all or mostly fat.

Place the stuffing in a bowl and break it up with a fork. Add the cheese and scallions. Mix well. If the mixture is too dry, moisten it with a little milk or broth.

Press a heaping tablespoon of the stuffing mixture into the muffin cups and press down. Top each with a piece of bacon. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the bacon is cooked.

Bacon, Pasta & Cheese Casserole

A casserole for winter

Here is a delicious, easy, make ahead casserole recipe that I have (believe it or not) toned down the fat content. The original recipe used bacon drippings to make the roux and it also called for 4 cups of heavy cream – I used 2 cups of milk and 2 heavy cream.  It’s still fattening, but worth it once in a while.

Bacon, Pasta & Cheese Casserole

Serves 12

16 oz box penne pasta
6 slices bacon
1 cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup butter, melted
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbs olive oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 Tbs buttter
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon into a bowl, then mix in the panko bread crumbs, butter, and chopped parsley. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and shallots; cook and stir until the shallots have softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter and flour. Cook and stir for 1 minute, then whisk in the heavy cream, milk and thyme. Continue to cook and stir until reduced by 1/3. Add Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese, stirring until cheeses have melted. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the penne pasta. Transfer the pasta mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven until bread crumbs have browned and the sauce is bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Calf’s Liver with Bacon and Onions

This is love!

Last night I decided I would make my mother-in-law and husband their all time favorite dinner – liver and onions.  I won’t go into the fact that I detest the whole idea of this meal….  Even the girl at the check out at the market was wondering why I would make it.  I cooked it up to the point of adding the liver and told my husband to take over.  Apparently, it was delicious.  I wouldn’t know!  This is one of those things you either hate or love.

Soaking the liver in milk, a method typically used for pork liver, helps soften and mellow its flavor.

Calf’s Liver with Bacon and Onions  

Serves 4

1 lb calf’s liver (½”thick), cut into 4 pieces
1 cup whole milk
8 bacon slices, halved crosswise
3 medium onions, halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

Soak liver in milk in a bowl 20 minutes.

While liver is soaking, cook bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, turning over occasionally, until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and reserve 2½ tablespoons fat in skillet, transferring remaining fat to a small bowl.

Cook onions with salt and pepper to taste in fat in skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl and add bacon. Keep warm, covered.

Pat liver dry and discard milk. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper on a sheet of wax paper and dredge liver in flour mixture, shaking off excess.

Add 1½ tablespoons reserved bacon fat to skillet and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté liver, turning over once, until browned but still pink inside, about 4 minutes total. Serve liver topped with onions and bacon.

Brussels Sprouts Salad With Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

This contains important anticancer compounds

Brussels Sprouts are usually a dreaded side dish at many a holiday dinner. They are usually over cooked. I have a real problem with boiling any vegetable. Basically, you just boil out the nutrition.

This miniature member of the cabbage family has been linked to protection against colon cancer as it contains sinigrin, which has been linked to the destruction of precancerous cells.

Here is a Brussels Sprouts recipe From Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food, by Sam Mogannam and Dabney Gough (Ten Speed Press, 2011).

Brussels Sprouts Salad With Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

Serves 4-6

1¼ lbs Brussels sprouts
6 thick slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled, fat drained and reserved
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
1½ Tbs sherry vinegar
1 small shallot, minced (about 1 Tbs)
1½ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp honey
Kosher salt
¼ cup lightly chopped toasted pistachios
1” knob fresh horseradish, peeled (optional)

Peel off and discard the darker outer leaves of the sprouts and trim any discolored areas from the stem ends. Cut the sprouts in half lengthwise, then slice them crosswise very thinly – about 1/16 inch. (You can use a food processor fitted with the slicer attachment, but the cuts will not be as clean.) Transfer to a large heatproof bowl, add the crumbled bacon, and set aside.

Measure 1/4 cup of the reserved bacon fat into a small pan and warm over low heat until liquefied. (If you don’t have enough bacon fat, make up the difference with olive oil.) Remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice, vinegar, shallot, garlic, honey and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Drizzle the dressing over the Brussels sprouts and toss well. Taste and season with more salt as necessary.

If you have time, let the salad sit out for 30 minutes or so before proceeding so the dressing can soften the sprouts a bit.

Just before serving, top with the toasted pistachios. If using the horseradish, use a microplane grater to shave a little over the top as well.

Eggs Carbonara

Breakfast for Zoe

My daughter Zoe loves to come home and eat frozen peas (while they are still frozen) out of the bag as an after-school snack. Yes, it’s weird! I call it toddler food, but at 17, she is no longer teething. Anyway, she asked me to make her scrambled eggs carbonara for breakfast and she loved it….

Eggs Carbonara

Serves 4

8 eggs Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup milk
1/2 lb thickly sliced bacon, sliced crosswise into ¼” strips
1 garlic clove, minced, optional
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

In a bowl, beat eggs, salt, black pepper, cheese, and milk. Set aside. Cook bacon in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until it is done like crisp pieces of bacon. Drain off excess fat (but leave about 2 tablespoons in the pan). Add garlic to the pan and cook over until garlic shows the first sign of turning golden. Add peas and stir for 1 more minute. Reduce heat to medium, add egg mixture to pan, and stir until eggs are cooked to your liking. Serve immediately on warmed plates.