Bacon Nation: 125 Irresistible Recipes (5 page)

Sun-Dried Tomato Spread

Makes about ⅔ cup

This spread works as a tasty condiment for a grilled burger or a piece of grilled white fish as well as a topping for the crisp polenta bites. Use a fruity, good-quality extra-virgin olive oil to enhance the flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes.

4 ounces (about ⅔ cup) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a mini food processor or in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar and basil. Process until fairly smooth but still a little coarsely chopped. If the mixture is dry, add some or all of the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spoon the sun-dried tomato mixture into a small bowl and add the red onion. Cover the tomato spread and refrigerate it until ready to use. You can prepare the spread several hours or even a day before you plan to use it. Let the spread return to room temperature before serving.

Cheers for Chipotle

 

We think of chipotles as Mexico’s version of sun-dried tomatoes: a versatile ingredient that can be added to many recipes. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeños, so be sure to remove the seeds carefully as they are quite hot. Chipotles add a fiery smokiness to such dishes as chili, tomato sauce, or an omelet, and for that reason they work well with smoky bacon. Chipotles are often sold marinated in adobo, a sauce of tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, and spices. You can buy canned versions in specialty food stores that carry Mexican foods, or you can purchase them online. After opening a can of chipotles, you can freeze any leftover peppers in an airtight container for up to six months.

Makes about ½ cup

If anyone were to rank recipes by how much flavor you get compared to how much time they take to make, we think this one would be in the running for Most Flavor Per Minute. Bacon Jam combines almost all the flavor giants into one dish: saltiness, meatiness, sweetness, peppery heat, bright acidity, and fruitiness. It makes a wonderful condiment for hamburgers or grilled steak. It’s great with cream cheese on a toasted bagel. And the next time you serve an appetizer platter of assorted cheeses, be sure to include a bowl of Bacon Jam. Your guests will love a spoonful of it atop a slice of goat cheese or Brie. The recipe is really no more than a road map that you should feel free to adjust according to your taste. We like it hot and spicy but it’s delicious without jalapeños. When serving the jam with spareribs or grilled chicken, try rosemary instead of ginger. Bourbon has just the right amount of sweet, smooth smokiness that complements bacon so well, although a really peaty Scotch is worth a try, too.

1
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp and the fat is rendered, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring often and adjusting the heat as necessary. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet.

2
Add the shallot and jalapeño to the skillet and cook over medium-low heat until the shallot is softened, about 2 minutes, stirring often and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Return the bacon to the skillet and add the brown sugar, cider vinegar, orange juice, bourbon, ginger, and bay leaf. Cover the skillet and let come to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer gently, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the bacon mixture to a mini food processor and pulse until the bacon is finely diced but not pureed, 10 to 15 times, pausing several times to scrape down the side of the bowl.

4
Place the Bacon Jam in a small bowl and stir in the honey and a couple of grindings of black pepper. Serve with crackers and assorted cheeses, if desired. The jam can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 week.

Makes about 3 cups

Caponata is a flavor bomb of sweet, sour, and savory vegetables, spices, and seasonings. Although it’s traditionally served as an appetizer, when you are stuck for something to eat with steak or grilled chicken or as a light lunch with a few crackers, you may find, as we do, that this Sicilian/Neapolitan eggplant stew becomes one of your go-to recipes. You might wonder how your palate can make room for bacon amid the strong flavors of raisins, tomatoes, eggplant, fennel, olives, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. One taste, though, and you’ll remember: There’s always room for some bacon.

Eggplant soaks up copious amounts of oil when it’s sautéed in a pan. To avoid an overly oily caponata, we first roast the eggplant in the oven, using only 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then we use about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings to sauté the onion, fennel, red pepper, garlic, and tomatoes. Many caponata recipes call for celery, but we prefer fennel, which has the same crunch plus a hint of licorice that punches up the sweetness in the caramelized vegetables.

1
Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2
Place the eggplant in a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil and toss to mix, then sprinkle the kosher salt on top. Arrange the eggplant in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the eggplant until tender, about 20 minutes.

3
While the eggplant cooks, cook the bacon in a large, deep-sided skillet or a saucepan over medium heat until it is lightly browned and most of the fat is rendered, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often and adjusting the heat as necessary. Add the onion, fennel or celery, red bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned at the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the baked eggplant. Cover the skillet and continue cooking over medium heat until the tomatoes soften a little, 3 to 4 minutes.

4
Mix the tomato paste with 2 tablespoons of water and stir it into the skillet. Stir in the brown sugar, wine vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, parsley, olives, and raisins. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the caponata is thickened and the flavors are fully blended, about 8 minutes.

5
Taste for seasoning, adding table salt as necessary. Refrigerate the caponata for at least 4 hours or overnight if possible. Let the caponata return to room temperature before serving. The caponata can be refrigerated, covered, for 4 to 5 days.

Makes 32 to 36 meatballs

When people show up hungry, meatballs disappear in a hurry. This is a good thing. It means you have served something that puts everyone in a satisfied frame of mind. The bacon contributes a salty meatiness and succulence to the meatballs, the chipotle peppers offer smoky heat, and the sweet and tart combination of brown sugar, tomato, and lime juice in the glaze for the meatballs adds depth. Savory, meaty, and with a flavor that might be overly strong in a main course, these bite-size meatballs go beautifully with cocktails or beer.

⅔ cup dry homemade fine bread crumbs (see
page 32
)

⅓ cup milk

6 slices bacon, diced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 packed teaspoons light or dark brown sugar

Salt

1 small onion, finely chopped (about ⅔ cup)

3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ pound ground pork

½ pound ground beef

1 large egg, lightly beaten

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 canned chipotle peppers, packed in adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)

1
Combine the bread crumbs and milk in a large mixing bowl. Set the bread crumb mixture aside.

2
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until lightly browned and most of the fat is rendered, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often and adjusting the heat as necessary. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, reserving the bacon fat in the skillet. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat into a small bowl. Add the tomato paste, lime juice, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Set this glaze aside for brushing on the meatballs before baking.

3
Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

4
Heat the remaining bacon fat in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of water and cook briefly until the water has evaporated, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the contents of the skillet to the bread crumb mixture followed by the pork, beef, egg, cilantro, chipotle peppers, drained bacon, and a scant ½ teaspoon (or to taste) of salt. Mix well.

5
Lightly grease a large rimmed baking sheet. Using your hands, roll a heaping tablespoon of the meatball mixture into a small ball. Place the meatball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining meatball mixture, spacing the meatballs about 1 inch apart. Brush the top of each meatball with the reserved glaze. Bake the meatballs until cooked through, about 12 minutes. Serve the meatballs hot.