Well, Fall is upon us, and that makes me crave dishes that include the hearty taste of that all-American treat -- you guessed it! -- BACON! The average American consumes 50 pounds of pork per year, and if you are like my family, much of that is -- again, you guessed it! -- BACON!
My earlier post and my 11 years of vegetarianism notwithstanding, I love bacon! So I thought I would indulge you with a post that included a listing of some of the YUMMILICIOUS things you can make using bacon, and a few favorite recipes as well.
BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwich),
Bacon Bleue Cheese Burgers,
Bacon Cheddar Tart (pretty much a Quiche),
Bacon-Horseradish Dip,
Bacon Home Fries,
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops (or Water Chestnuts, yummmmm),
Baked Beans,
Bean and Bacon Soup,
Black Eyed Pea Salad,
Braised Cabbage,
Breakfast Burritos,
Broccoli Salad with Bacon (a favorite, this one is dedicated to our VETERANS today!),
Cheese Fries,
Chili with Bacon,
Coq Au Vin,
Creamy Potato and Bacon Soup,
Grilled Cheese with Bacon,
Pasta Carbonara,
Pizza with Bacon,
Potato Skins,
Stuffing with Bacon (very good with Quail or Pheasant)…
Notice I skipped anything that combines either Brussel Sprouts or Chocolate with my precious bacon. Either one, in my honest opinion, would be a total waste of bacon.
Now, if you want to make some Bacon-Horseradish Dip, simply combine a pint of sour cream with six crumbled strips of cooked bacon, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup horseradish, and few squeezes of lemon. Mix madly with a fork for a minute or so. Best with rippled or salt-n-vinegar chips!
How about a nice Broccoli Salad with Bacon? Thaw and thoroughly dry a bag of frozen broccoli crowns. Mix this with a cup of mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of finely chopped onions, six crumbled strips of cooked bacon, 1/2 cup each of raisins and cashews, and you can add a sprinkle of finely grated cheddar, a sprinkle of apple cider vinegar, or both to taste. Mix it CAREFULLY to avoid breaking up your broccoli!
And my favorite, Coq Au Vin. You don't even need actual bacon, the way I make it! Just use the leftover bacon fat to braise the outsides of 8 chicken thighs, skin on. At the same time, caramelize one large yellow onion in a separate pan. When the onion is almost done, add about 4 minced cloves of garlic. After the chicken is thoroughly braised on both sides, skim the bacon fat out of the pan with a spoon, and add 2 cups of cheap wine. You can usually find a HUGE bottle of burgundy for about $8. Add the onion and garlic mixture to the pan with the chicken and wine, and simmer for about 20 minutes on medium-high heat. At this point, you can transfer the whole thing to a baking pan and freeze it, OR put it in a 300-degree oven for another 30 minutes.
You can probably find a dozen great recipes online for a Potato Soup with Bacon, and they vary from somewhat healthy to completely decadent. Have fun with a little research on that one!
And no, for those of you who are wondering… I do NOT get any sort of remuneration from the pork industry for posting this, and spurring you all to go out and buy 8 pounds of bacon this afternoon! Just go forth and have some bacon-ey fun!
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