Showing posts with label Bacon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bacon. Show all posts
I can remember being taught many years ago, I believe in Home Economics at school . . . how to make a good sandwich. Or maybe I read it in a book, in any case I was just a young girl when I learned the following rules about sandwich making.
One - always seal your bread, to the edge with butter, or marg, or something which is going to keep your bread from getting soggy from the filling. Nobody wants a soggy sandwich, which is especially important when we are talking about fillings which are wet . . . like tomatoes or cucumbers . . . or in a sandwich which is going to have to sit overnight or longer.
Two - Don't be stingy with your fillings. There should be more filling than bread. There is nothing worse than a sandwich that tastes like bread, but nothing else. And spread it to the edges folks! I have purchased far too many store sandwiches that have a pile of filling stuck in the middle and nothing on the outer edges, rendering the edges dry and inedible . . . tasteless.
Three - Air is your enemy. If you aren't serving them right away, keep them well covered and chilled. What I do is I dampen a white cloth with cold water and wring it almost dry and then I place it over the sandwiches and then cover with cling film making sure it's well sealed. Or I place them back (uncut) into the empty breadbags and seal and put them in the fridge.
Four - Don't store different kinds of sandwiches together. Nobody wants to eat an egg and cress sandwich which tastes like tuna or salmon, or vice versa. It just makes sense to me, but may not be something someone else has thought of. I am a bit pedantic about this.
Five - Use the freshest, finest ingredients you can afford to use. That can mean the difference between a sandwich and a . . . SANDWICH!
Having said all that I have one heck of a sandwich to share with you here today. I think the BLT (Bacon Lettuce and Tomato) Sandwich has to be just about everyone's favourite sandwich. That's pure diner food, and a popular choice when having lunch out.
This version here today is the absolute BEST BLT you will ever eat. Seriously. With a Basil Pesto Mayonnaise, crisp bacon, fresh ripe tomatoes, house dressing and lots of lively fresh rocket leaves . . . and a sturdy baguette (I used an Olive Flute today) . . . this is a simple sandwich that is anything but simple. This is bound to become a firm favourite and much requested sandwich.
Trust me on this one. Would I lie to YOU? Never!
*Two Hander BLT*
Serves 2 - 4
(Depending on appetites)
freshly ground black pepper
a couple of handfuls of fresh rocket (baby arugula)
Whisk together the basil pesto and the mayonnaise. Set aside.
I was asked earlier this month if I would like to participate in the Titan Supper Club and bake a tasty recipe which hails from Basel, Switzerland, called a Basel Tart.
The Toddster has actually been to Basel, although I have not and apparently it is a beautiful place to visit. Nestled on the banks of the Rhine River, it actually borders on three countries, Switzerland, Germany and France and it's not difficult to see where there are influences of all three cultures in this lovely tart.
It has a crisp shortcrust pastry base, which a delicious filling which is made from slowly caramelized onions, milk, eggs, Gruyere Cheese (a deliciously nutty and sweet Swiss cheese) and smoky bacon.
It is delicately flavored with rosemary and coriander leaf (cilantro). I was a bit worried that because they are both very strong flavored herbs they might overpower the flavors of this tart, but they worked perfectly . . . which means there is only a hint of them, allowing the smokiness from the bacon and the sweetness of the cheese and onions to shine through.
This tart was sooooo good, the Toddster had two servings. And he is not one to overindulge himself in anything!
I loved it too. I would make it again and now I am intrigued so much that I have put Basel on my bucket list. Anyplace that can produce something as tasty as this is a place I deffo want to visit one day!
*Basel Tart*
Makes one 10 inch tart
Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onions and saute until they begin to soften. Add the bacon and salt. Cook until golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 170*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Whisk together the flour and milk until smooth. Beat in the eggs, herbs and cheese. Pour over the sauteed onions and mix together gently. Pour this filling into the prepared pastry. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. and bake for a further 5 to 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Cut into wedges to serve.
Many thanks to Titan Travel for asking me to participate in June's Supper Club. I've gotten to try something new and learn about a new place that I now want to visit!
I have a husband who declares he does not like Italian food . . . what he really means is he doesn't like pasta or pizza . . . I still haven't been able to convince him that Italians eat a lot more than pasta and pizza.
Me, on the other hand . . . I just adore pasta and pizza. I treat myself to some every once in a while. Today though I was able to make a pizza that satisfied my pizza hating husband's appetite, and in face he went back for seconds.
Yes, I do believe I have found a way to get the Toddster to like pizza. You cover it with mashed potatoes, bacon, onions and cheese.
It's kind of like a pastie . . . sorta, but with the filling on the outside. Well, there isn't cheese in a pastie technically . . . but why quibble about the details.
The important thing was he was eating it . . . AND enjoying it! That was good enough for me!
You take your blessings where you find them.
*Potato Pizza*
Makes 8 servings
Printable Recipe
You CAN have both worlds and eat it. The one way to get my pizza hating hubbie to love pizza.
One 12 inch unbaked pizza crust
For the Potatoes:
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBS finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove of garlic, crushed
freshly ground black pepper
Topping:
1 pound of bacon lardons, or chopped pancetta
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 small red bell pepper, trimmed and chopped
6 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese (1 1/2 cups)
6 ounces grated mozzarella cheese (1 1/2 cups)
3 TBS finely grated Parmesan cheese
Put the potatoes into a saucepan and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to the boil. Boil until very tender, then drain well and mash together with the milk, salt, cheese, garlic and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Place the bacon into a large skillet. Cook until it is partially cooked. Add the onion and peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally until the bacon is crisp and the vegetables are tender. Drain off any fat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Spread your pizza crust out to a 12 inch circle on a lightly greased pan. Prick all over the surface with a fork. Bake for about 15 minutes or until beginning to brown. Remove from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 190*C/375*F/gas mark 5. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over top of the partially baked crust. Sprinkle with the bacon and vegetable mixture. Combine the cheeses and sprinkle them over top of the vegetable mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, or until well heated through and the crust is nicely browned and the cheese is melted.
Serve warm and cut into wedges.
At the weekend I like to cook the Toddster a special breakfast . . . I think that is a custom which goes back to my childhood. During the week, we only ever had cereal for breakfast or toast . . . but at the weekend, my mom always cooked us at least one breakfast of bacon and eggs. It was a real treat. I used to forgo the egg though . . . but always enjoyed the bacon. Peanut butter toast with bacon on it . . . bliss.
This weekend I decided to make the Toddster a breakfast sarnie. I had a few bits I wanted to use up and it seemed the perfect excuse to put them together into something tasty. I love to experiment with textures and flavours . . . combining the unusual into something which ends up being fabulously delicious. What you see there on that warm crisp biscuit half . . . is Italian Lemon Marmalade . . . very tasty. I had a dollop left in the bottom of the jar. It needed using.
I also had a few rashers of dry cured smoked streaky bacon which needed using. It's that salty sweet combination. It works very well together . . . so then we had crisp biscuit base, sweet/tart Italian Lemon Marmalade . . . crisp salty bacon . . .
I topped the bacon with a tender moist little omelet composed of one large free range egg, some cream, chopped spring onions and crumbles of blue cheese, which also needed using. Blue cheese goes very well with fruit . . . Pears and apples go very well . . . why not lemon marmalade???
Why not indeed!!! This was a beautiful combination . . . enticing to the eye, and pleasing to the palate, stroking all of our taste senses . . . sweet, tart, smokey, buttery, tangy . . . richly moreish . . . crunchy and salty . . . lots of pepper . . .
In short . . . it all worked together beautifully and I think I have created a new favourite in this house. Every mouthful was finger licking good . . . a bit messy to eat perhaps . . . but if you're going to get into a mess whilst eating, this was a truly delicious way to go.
We both really loved this and I think you will too. I love it when my experiments turn out so fabulously delicious. Quantities are given for one sarnie . . . you do the maths. Tis not hard, and more than worth the effort. If you are not into blue cheese . . . a good cheddar would work as well. Let your imaginations soar with this one. Cheddar and strawberry jam would be lovely . . . just lovely.
*Bacon & Blue Biscuit Breakfast Sarnie*
Makes 1
Printable Recipe
Oh my . . . I think I have created a deliciously different monster. To die for.
1 large home baked Buttermilk Biscuit (scone), warmed
(See recipe below)
2 rashers of dry cured smoked streaky bacon, cooked to your preference and kept warm
1 large free range egg
1 tsp double cream
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped (white and light green parts)
1 heaped TBS of crumbled blue cheese
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 dessert spoon of Italian Wild Lemon Marmalade (Or your own favourite brand of marmalade)
Bake your biscuits and keep them warm. Fry your bacon to your preference. I don't like mine overly crisp but I don't like it too floppy either. Save your bacon fat. (In for a penny in for a pound) Beat the egg together with the cream and spring onions. Pour this mixture into the hot bacon fat. Once the edges begin to brown and crisp up, crumble the blue cheese over top and cover. Leave for about a minute. Sprinkle with fine sea salt to taste and a good grinding of black pepper.
Split your warm biscuit and lay the halves out onto a plate. Spoon the Marmalade onto the bottom half. Top with the rashers of bacon, cut in half. Fold your little omelet over and place on top of the bacon. Top with the top half of the biscuit and tuck in. Delicious!
This is the pen-ultimate biscuit you will want to use for your Breakfast Sarnies, or any other type of biscuit sarnie you want to make. Crisp on the outsides, flaky on the insides and sturdy enough to hold up to holding just about any filling. They also make a lovely base for fruit shortcakes or creamed savoury toppings such as creamed peas, creamed fish or creamed chicken, or . . . if you are so inclined, sausage gravy. (Which really isn't a British thing.)
*Breakfast Biscuits*
Makes about 12 medium sized, or 9 large
Printable Recipe
These are the perfect breakfast biscuit. Buttery and with a nice outside crust, but tender and flaky inside.
1 1/4 cups of buttermilk
298g plain flour (3 cups)
1 TBS caster sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
115g unsalted butter, cold, cut into small bits (1/2 cup)
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a large baking sheet with grease proof baking paper. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, or two round bladed knives, until the mixture resembles very coarse meal. Some bits can be pea sized. You don't want the butter to be too finely but in. The larger bits are what help make these so flaky.
Make a well in the middle of the dry/fat mixture. Add the buttermilk all at once. Stir together with a fork, just to combine. Tip out onto a lightly floured board. Knead a couple of times to help bring the dough together and then lightly pat it out about 1 inch thick. Using a sharp round cutter, tap out biscuits, making a sharp straight up and down motion. Do not twist the cutter. (Twisting results in lopsided biscuits.) Place the biscuits 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. For large ones use a 4 inch round cutter, for smaller ones use a 3 inch round cutter. You can bring any scraps together and re-pat and re-cut, but these biscuits will not be quite as nice looking as the first cutting, so bear this in mind when you cut the first ones out and try to get as many as you can out of the first cutting.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until well risen with a nicely golden brown crust. Serve hot with whatever you want to serve them with. (honey, jam, peanut butter, marmalade, etc.) These are the perfect biscuit to use for breakfast biscuit sandwiches as they are sturdy and will hold up to most fillings.
This is a recipe I had bookmarked over on Sandra's page a long time ago. She called it Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken. I just call it Sweet and Spicy Chicken, and after finally making it today, I call it delicious.
It's the type of recipe I love to use during the week when I am rather rushed for time, because it's quick and it's easy . . .
You simply cut chicken breasts into strips, roll them in a spicy mixture, wrap them in bacon, pop them into a pan and here is where I made some changes. Sandra rolled hers in brown sugar, but I choose to sprinkle mine with a mixture of oregano and brown sugar . . . oregano and chili go well together.
I then chose to sprinkle some brown sugar over top and then drizzle them with maple syrup. It's the Canuck in me I'm afraid . . . In Canada we can buy maple smoked bacon and today the Canadian in me was longing for maple smoked bacon and so I drizzled the maple syrup over top . . .
Brown sugar . . . Maple Syrup. Brown Sugar . . . Maple Syrup. The Maple Syrup adds a lovely dimension of flavours and it is just about sugar season back home when the woods are filled with maple taps and the air is filled with the smell of the sap of the maples being boiled down into syrup.
Yes, you can take the girl out of Canada . . . but you can't quite take all of the Canadian out of the girl. So anyways, here is my take on Sandra's recipe. Sweet and Spicy Chicken.
Tis good . . . very, very good. I dipped mine in Barbeque Sauce . . . Jack Daniels Barbeque sauce . . . coz bacon and sugar and maple syrup is not enough calories to add to low fat chicken . . . you just have to throw a few more in there don't cha! And that's how I roll. (You should know that by now!)
*Sweet & Spicy Chicken*
Makes 4 servings
Printable Recipe
A delicious recipe I adapted from one I found on fullbellies.blogspot.com. Take care not to over cook the chicken. Delicious.
4 free range chicken breasts
12 slices of smoked rind-less streaky bacon
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mild chili powder
1 tsp oregano
4 TBS soft light brown sugar
125ml of pure maple syrup (1/2 cup)
Barbeque sauce for dipping
Preheat the oven to 200*C.400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a large baking dish well. Set aside.
Cut your chicken breasts lengthwise into thirds, giving you 12 pieces in all, chicken tender sized. (Alternately you could use 12 chicken tenders). Mix together the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and chili powder. Sprinkle this mixture over all of your chicken pieces, coating them well. Using one slice of streaky bacon for each piece, wrap it around the chicken, making sure that the beginning and ending of the wrap are on the same side. Place into the baking dish with the ends of the bacon side down. Sprinkle them with the oregano and brown sugar. Drizzle the maple syrup over top.
Bake in the heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon has begun to glaze and become crisp. Serve hot with some barbeque sauce for dipping if desired. I am awfully fond of the Jack Daniels Barbeque Sauce. Just sayin' is all.
I served these with some new potatoes that I had sliced in half lengthwise and then roasted with butter and garlic seasoning and some steamed carrots. It made for a fine meal.
I wanted to make you something different for pancake day this year. I try to do something special each year for you. Last year it was Honey and Raspberry Pancakes . . . a lovely treat. Mmmm . . . my mouth is watering just think about them.
I had a real longing this year for light and fluffy pancakes, and yet hearty pancakes . . . pancakes that reminded me of my travels during my younger years, when a stay at a hotel meant pancakes for breakfast. When I was a child my mother never ever made pancakes but for once a year, on pancake day . . . oh how we loved them. My poor mom was stuck at the stove for hours fulfilling our pancake desires!
I can remember traveling through Vermont when I was a young woman and stopping at a restaurant for breakfast in the Northern Part of the State past Burlington and near to the border . . . where it gets really watery and lakey and rivery . . . I know of no other words to describe it. It was a cool morning and the mist was rising up over the lake, in an almost ethereal way. The perfect pancake morning.
I ordered pancakes for my breakfast and was served these pancakes which had been made with cornmeal, quite unlike any other I had ever eaten, and it was love, love, love at first bite. I know that things seem to taste better with memory . . . and the memories of those pancakes are no exception. Every time I think of them my mouth waters . . . and of course they were served with fresh Vermont Maple Syrup. Scrummo!
And so I wanted a hearty pancake like that, modernized for today by using polenta. I had also seen photos of pancakes on the web, that had been baked over slices of crisp bacon, the batter flowing around the crisp bacon . . . all crisp and golden. Oh my, but they have always looked so tasty, and so I decided to add this aspect to my 2013 pancake as well.
The result was a delicious pancake, moist from the use of sour milk, with nice bits of crunch throughout from the polenta . . . and that salty smoked moreish flavour from the Bacon, which goes so very well with the sweetness of the Maple Syrup.
And so here you have my pancake day offering for Shrove Tuesday, 2013. Polenta and Bacon Pancakes. Enjoy!
*Polenta and Bacon Pancakes*
Makes approximately 16 (8 servings)
Printable Recipe
Golden brown, sour milk tender, with a slight crunch. Deliciously salty sweet and peppery, should you so choose.
170g of coarse polenta (cornmeal, 1 cup)
100g of plain flour (1 cup)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 rashers of lightly cooked dry cure rindless streaky bacon
(smoked or not, as you prefer)
393ml of sour milk (1 2/3 cup)
(to sour milk, squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the measuring beaker, and fill with
the milk to 393ml. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before proceeding.)
2 large free range eggs
60ml of pure maple syrup (1/4 cup)
4 TBS melted unsalted butter, or bacon fat
(How naughty do you feel?)
To serve:
cold butter and maple syrup
Preheat the oven to low and place a baking sheet lined with baking paper inside.
Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper (if using) together in a bowl. In another bowl whisk together the sour milk, eggs, maple syrup and melted butter or bacon fat. Blend thoroughly. Add the wet ingredients to the dry all at once and stir together just to combine. A few lumps are normal and welcome. Transfer to a pouring beaker. (This will make things so much easier, trust me.)
Lightly grease your skillet and heat over medium heat. Place a slice of bacon in the skillet, or two depending on the size of your skillet and leaving a goodly amount of space between. Carefully pour batter over the bacon to cover. (about 1/4 cup) Cook, until the undersides of the pancake are golden brown and the surface of the pancake is covered with bubbles. Carefully flip over and cook until the other sides are golden brown. Transfer to a warm oven and keep warm while you cook the remaining pancakes.
Serve hot with cold butter for spreading and plenty of Maple Syrup.
Note: If you are feeling really indulgent you can serve them with more bacon and some cold tinned sliced peaches. Nom! Nom!
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