Tag: bacon

There is nothing bacon can’t do

September 8, 2008September 8, 2008 admin

Bacon-flavored vodka? Now you’ve heard it all.

“Everything is better with bacon. It’s one of my favorite foods,” said Don Yovicsin, the owner of Jake’s Dixie Roadhouse in Waltham. “So when one of my friends mentioned the idea of bacon and vodka, it piqued my curiosity.”

He fried a batch of Niman Ranch thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, added the crispy bacon to a large infuser jar with Absolut vodka, then let it sit for four weeks. After the liquor was smoky, he filtered out the bacon pieces with cheesecloth, chilled the vodka to congeal the bacon fat, then removed it via coffee filter.

The remaining smoky liquor was bottled and put behind the bar, where Jake’s is serving it in a variety of cocktails.

“The clear winner has been our Bloody Mary,” said Yovicsin. “It’s too perfect with the smoky bacon flavor.”

Recipe: THE BACON BLOODY MARY

1 1/2 oz. bacon-flavored vodka
6 oz. Bloody Mary mix
Barbecue rub
1 lime wedge

Mix the bacon-flavored vodka and Bloody Mary mix together. Rub rim of tall glass with barbecue spices. Pour mix into glass. Garnish with lime wedge.

And then there is this. The maple bacon doughnut.

Nothing else needs to be said.

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[recipe] Risotto with cod, smoked haddock, bacon & peas

May 6, 2008May 30, 2019 admin

I made risotto for the first time today. It was dead simple but oh-so-tasty!

Ingredients
240g risotto rice
750 ml chicken stock
250g smoked lardons
300g cod
200g undyed smoked haddock
1 chopped onion
large handful of frozen peas, thawed
olive oil
parmesan
pepper

Method
1. Bring the stock to a boil and lower to a simmer. Poach the fish in the stock for 5 minutes. Remove the fish from the stock and set aside.
2. Brown the lardons in olive oil. When well coloured, add the onion and sautee until translucent.
3. Add the rice and mix well until all the grains are covered in bacon fat. Start adding the stock one ladle at a time until the stock is mostly absorbed. Stir often and simmer until all the stock has been used and the rice is cooked but the core still has a bit of bite (about 18 minutes).
4. Add the fish, peas and parmesan. Mix well, cover ant let sit for 3 minutes.
5. Serve with fresh black pepper and steamed asparagus.

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50 things to do with bacon

May 2, 2008 admin

Ahh, bacon! That crispy, chewy, salty and sinful cut of pork we all love.

Bacon has disciples far and wide, some of whom devote entire blogs to it. The Bacon Show, for
example, posts a daily recipe featuring bacon; the site “101 Things Every Cook Should Cook” has an entire section devoted to bacon. Heather, of the site “Bacon Unwrapped”, chronicles her adventures with bacon,
and “Bacontarian” brings you bacon-y goodness from around the Internet, while “I Heart Bacon” conducts bacon reviews.

For those who’ve spent more time eating it than studying it, bacon is cut from the sides, belly, or back of a pig, near the ribs. It’s the fattiness of the meat that makes it so yummy. After the skin is cut away, the meat is cured, smoked, and sliced. It can be cooked in a pan on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave, until it’s perfectly crisp.

You probably know bacon as the star of the BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, in case you didn’t know), and the bacon cheeseburger. But there are so many other ways we can incorporate it into our diets and our lives! Here are 50 ways to use bacon:

1. Make a good old BLT sandwich, of course.

2. Bacon cheeseburgers will make anyone’s mouth water. Meat topped with more meat? Perfection!

3. Bacon-wrapped tater tots would go perfectly with that bacon cheeseburger!

4. Roast a bacon-wrapped turkey for Sunday dinner.

5. Make delicious bacon pastry slices.

6. Add a punch of flavor to your creamed spinach recipe.

7. Make your own hot bacon dressing to use on lettuce, cabbage, or even potato salad!

8. Entertaining? Whet your guests’ appetites with the bacon-cheese fundido appetizer.

9. Indulge in a bar of dark chocolate infused with the flavor of applewood smoked bacon as a special treat.

10. Maple bacon cupcakes will make your mouth water.

11. And if you liked those, try a bacon chocolate chip cookie with maple cinnamon glaze.

12. It’s not real, southern cornbread unless there’s bacon grease in it.

13. Visit The Plaid Mushroom’s e-shop to smother your lips with bacon lip balm made with real bacon oil, refined from bacon. (The link is to a listing that was reserved for a certain buyer, but contact theplaidmushroom to ask for your own listing.)

14. Join the bacon of the month club to have artisan bacon delivered to your door 12 times a year.

15. The beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina gives us bacon-flavored cotton candy.

16. Enjoy a bacon martini with any meal.

17. Use bacon to dress up your leftovers for a second visit to the dinner table.

18. Whip up a tasty bacon asparagus quiche with Swiss cheese for dinner.

19. Cook bacon into the shape of cups and fill with lettuce and tomato for a breadless BLT.

20. Stay warm by wrapping a giant fleece bacon scarf around yourself.

21. Even if you’re a vegetarian and/or keep a kosher diet, you can still enjoy the taste of bacon salt, because, as the manufacturers say: “Everything should taste like bacon.”

22. If pork-covered pork appeals to you, you may also enjoy the bacon-wrapped deep-fried hot dog.

23. Trim your holiday tree with joyful ceramic bacon ornaments.

24. Use bacon instead of ground beef in stuffed peppers.

25. Get the morning off to a good start with beer cheese muffins with bacon cream cheese frosting.

26. Impress your guests with deceptively simple bacon-wrapped “crabette” appetizers.

27. A bacon-y take on an Asian favorite: bacon and bok choy potstickers.

28. Weave and bake bacon into edible placemats.

29. Then, use the woven bacon to augment your grilled cheese experience.

30. Or, use woven bacon to cook up an eggless bacon and cheese omelet.

31. Bacon and date appetizers will be the hit of your party.

32. Bacon egg salad croissants put a new spin on an old favourite.

33. Then, have a bowl of bacon ice cream for dessert.

34. Then use an actual bacon bandage to cover your own boo-boos.

35. Or wake up to cooking bacon with the bacon alarm clock, which is appropriately shaped like a pig’s face.

36. Add it to your bathroom in the form of bacon-printed toilet tissue.

37. Then, use it to wash up afterward.

38. Bacon popcorn is a deliciously salty, crunchy snack!

39. Try your hand at making your own bacon.

40. Enjoy barbecue-baked beans with bacon alongside your BLT.

41. Cook up a bacon buffet with bacon-topped potato skins, bacon-wrapped shrimp and scallops, bacon-wrapped asparagus, and eggs cooked in bacon grease.

42. Corn and bacon chowder sounds like the perfect soup to warm you up on the last chilly evenings before summer!

43. Strawberry bacon spinach salad will make you the star of any potluck.

44. Salty bacon will complement the sweet honey dressing in this imitation crab salad.

45. Try poached pears stuffed with blue cheese and baked with bacon.

46. Or try the same combo of flavors in a pear, blue cheese, bacon pizza.

47. Take a look at this bacon-filled quiche. It’ll really make your mouth water.

48. See who comes out on top with an action-figure wrestling match between Mr. Bacon
and Monsieur Tofu.

49. Smooth caramel topped with crunchy bacon: Does that sound delicious or disgusting? Try it and let us know.

50. Try many other bacon dishes suggested by foodnerd, including bacon fluffernutter sandwiches, bacon cups with macaroni and cheese, bacon-pepper-cheese scones, and more!

Original Source: http://startcooking.com/blog/395/50-Ways-to-Use-Bacon

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[Recipe] Bacon and Egg Pies

December 4, 2006 admin

Makes 12
Ingredients

6 rashers back bacon, derinded
3 large eggs
about 4 fl oz (120 ml) milk, plus a little extra for brushing the top of the pies
salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the shortcrust pastry:

6 oz (175 g) plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
a pinch of salt
1oz (40 g) softened lard
1oz (40 g) softened butter

You will also need a 12 hole patty tin, each hole 1inches (4.5 cm) at the base, 2inches (6 cm) at the top, and inch (2 cm) deep, well greased, plus a 3inch (9 cm)and a 3 inch (7.5 cm) pastry cutter.

Begin by making the pastry by sifting the flour and pinch of salt into a large bowl,
holding the sieve as high as possible.

Now add the lard and butter, cut into smallish lumps, then take a knife and begin to cut the fat into the flour. Go on doing this until it looks fairly evenly blended, then begin to rub the fat into the flour, using your fingertips only, and being as light as possible. As you do this, lift it up high and let it fall back into the bowl, just long enough to make the mixture crumbly with a few odd lumps here and there. Now sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water in, then, with a knife, start bringing the dough together. Then discard the knife and, finally, bring it together with your fingertips. When enough liquid is added, the pastry should leave the bowl fairly clean. If this hasnt happened, then add a spot more water. Now place the pastry in a polythene bag and leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Alternatively, store-bought shortcrust pastry works just as well.

Next, hardboil 2 of the eggs by placing them in a small saucepan and adding enough water to cover them by about inch (1 cm). Bring the water up to simmering point and put a timer on for 7 minutes. Then, when the time is up, cool the eggs rapidly under cold, running water for about a minute, and leave them in cold water till theyre cool.

Meanwhile, grill (or fry) the bacon gently until the fat begins to run and pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400(200Roll out half of the pastry, on a lightly floured surface, cut out 12 rounds using the 3inch (9 cm) cutter and line the patty tin. Now peel and chop the eggs quite small and chop the bacon fairly small, too, Then divide the egg and bacon among the pies and season with freshly milled pepper and a very little salt. Beat the remaining egg together with the milk and carefully pour the mixture into the pies, allowing it to settle as you go. Dampen the edges and roll out the rest of the pastry to cut out the smaller rounds for the lids.

Make a small hole in the centre of each pie, brush the tops with milk, then bake for 10 minutes. After that, reduce the heat to gas mark 5, 375(190and cook for a further 25 minutes.

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[recipe] Tagliatelle Carbonara

November 27, 2006 admin 2 Comments

This is based on Delia Smith's recipe

Ingredients

8 oz (225 g) dried tagliatelle
5 oz (150 g) smoked pancetta, cubed or sliced (could use lardons or bacon)
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano (could use parmesan)
4 tablespoons double cream
freshly milled black pepper
olive oil

First of all, cook the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the pancetta until its crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Next, whisk the eggs cheese and cream in a bowl and season generously with black pepper.

Then, when the pasta is cooked, drain it quickly in a colander, leaving a little of the moisture still clinging. Now quickly return it to the saucepan and add the pancetta and any oil in the pan, along with the egg and cream mixture. Stir very thoroughly, so that everything gets a good coating what happens is that the liquid egg cooks briefly as it comes into contact with the hot pasta. Serve the pasta on really hot deep plates with some extra grated Pecorino.

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