Low Carb Bacon Grilled Cheese

That’s right… LOW CARB grilled cheese wrapped in bacon.

Instead of bread I make the sandwich with “cauliflower bread”. It does takes a wee bit of effort to make, but it’s so worth it. I use this recipe (step-by-step photos) on The Iron You website.

After cooling the cauliflower bread, just add cheese then wrap the sandwich in bacon. Check out the short BuzzFeed video (and photos) here.

Cauliflower mix ready for oven.

Cauliflower “bread” after about 20 minutes in the oven.

Once it was wrapped in bacon and cooked, I didn’t miss real bread at all.

Cauliflower bread recipe

Bacon-wrapped grilled cheese video

If you’re on instagram, I tag all my low carb dishes with #LowCarbJo. Enjoy!

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Bacon Potato Chips!

A few years ago I shared photos and a Saveur recipe for delicious Sage Potato Chips. I recently made them again and updated the photos in a set on flickr.

While trying to come up with a fun snack for the big game on Sunday (Puppy Bowl for me, Super Bowl for Peter), I decided to change-up the recipe with (what else?) BACON.

Before scrolling down, check out the step-by-step Sage Potato Chip photos here. The bacon process is similar.

What you need:

Two large russet potatoes. You should get about 10-15 chips, depending on width of cut.
Five pieces of Bacon.
Oil for frying.
Salt (and thyme if you want).
Mandolin (I use a Kyocera) or use your good knife skills!

Instructions (a few photos below):
1. Clean and dry the potatoes. 

2. Using a mandolin (or sharp knife), make long, even slices of the potato. Make them thick enough so the potato doesn’t tear when inserting the bacon.

3.  Make two cuts (photos below) in the center of the potato to hold the bacon. 

3. Cut five pieces of bacon in half (or maybe in thirds depending on the size of your potato) then pan-fry the bacon until cooked about 50%. Drain and set aside.

4. The potatoes will be cooked TWICE. In a separate pan, heat up oil (just enough to cover the potato slices) to 200 degrees. Fry each potato slice (without the bacon ) for ten seconds each then drain.

5.  After the potato pieces cool down a bit, carefully insert the partially cooked bacon piece into the center cuts.

6. Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry until cooked to your liking.

7. Drain on paper towels and season if you want extra flavor on the potato.

Photos (make sure you’ve looked at these sage potato photos first):

Fry the potato (precut for bacon) in low heat. You want it pliable enough so it doesn’t tear when adding bacon.

Insert the partially pre-cooked bacon gently into potato cuts. This is what they look like BEFORE frying the second time.

Fry until done to your liking then drain and season (if needed). I also call these “Bacon Sandal Crisps” and served with guacamole.

Chef Dan Barber’s Original Sage Recipe via Saveur

Need MORE bacon?

How to make BACON ROSES

Easy BACON ICE CREAM

BACON-Wrapped Baby Potatoes

BACON-Wrapped Breadsticks

How to make a BACON BOWL

Twisted Sage Cafe – Scouting Report

If you’re searching for breakfast or lunch near San Dimas, check out Twisted Sage Cafe. My Jonathan Gold scouting report for the L.A. Times.

My Go-To (not just Super Bowl) Party Recipe

I’ve been making this EASY BACON appetizer for years. So simple and fun, that even my husband Peter likes to help make them!

The best part is, they can be made a day or two before you need them. I added cayenne (for heat) and fresh nutmeg to Food Network’s original mix.

Ingredients
1 cup grated parmesan
2 teaspoons garlic salt or powder
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
24 slices bacon
24 long breadsticks (with sesame if avaialable)

You will also need: parchment paper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the parmesan, garlic salt, cayenne and nutmeg.

GENTLY wrap each breadstick with a slice of bacon (so breadsticks don’t break), then place wrapped bread sticks on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. If you break one, just cut bacon to fit and add to sheet. No one will care if the pieces are small.

Bake for 15 minutes or until bacon is cooked to your liking.

Next, roll the breadsticks in cheese & spices. Do this while bacon and breadsticks are still warm, then set aside and let cool. (Peter loves this part!)

Can be made a day ahead and even taste great cold! I’ve even chopped up leftovers and used them as salad croutons!

Recipe on FoodNetwork.com (Note: I added Cayenne & Nutmeg)

(Originally posted 7/16/09)

Bacon Day 2011!!!

Saturday, September 3rd is International Bacon Day, so I’ve reposted a few of my favorite bacon recipes:

Bacon Roses

 Step-by-Step Photos: How To Make Bacon Roses

Bacon Ice Cream

SUPER EASY, hardly a “recipe” at all! Step-by-Step PHOTOS and Directions

Bacon Wrapped Baby Potatoes

Easy to make, and perfect with grilled steak, burgers, chicken or on their own! Directions

Bacon Wrapped Breadsticks

So simple, you can have the kids help you make ’em! Directions

Bacon Bowl

Step-by-Step “How to make” photos here

Hope you enjoy… and please have a safe and fun holiday weekend!

Note: Bacon Day is held on the Saturday before Labor Day in the U.S.

The PORK Oscars

Film lovers have the Academy Awards, music lovers have the Grammys, and those of us obsessed with swine have Cochon 555, which FINALLY comes to Los Angeles this Sunday!

Cochon 555’s Mission Statement:
“Cochon 555 is a one-of-a-kind traveling culinary competition and tasting event–five chefs, five pigs, five wine makers–to promote sustainable farming of heritage breed pigs. Each stop along the ten-city tour offers hard-working local farmers the opportunity to connect with like-minded agriculturalists, renowned chefs and the pork-loving public. Our goal is to help family farms sustain and expand their businesses and to encourage breed diversity. Cochon 555 is the only heritage breed pig culinary competition in the country.” more about Cochon 555

Cochon 555 – Los Angeles, May 1, 2010

The Five Chefs:
Octavio Becerra – Palate Food & Wine
Chad Colby – Mozza
Tim Goodell – Public Kitchen & Bar
Ben Ford – Ford’s Filling Station
Joshua Whigham – The Bazaar

The Five Pigs:
Spotted Poland – Hopkins Hog Farmvia Tender Belly
Hampshire – Hopkins Hog Farmvia Tender Belly
Berkshire – ReRide Ranch
Hereford – Hopkins Hog Farmvia Tender Belly
Red Wattle – Walnut Keep Farm & Vineyard

The Five Wines:
The Scholium Project
Alysian
Arnot-Roberts
Copain Wines
Red Car Wine

An added bonus… My friends at Lindy & Grundy will be doing a butchering demo in the VIP lounge! (more info below)

Photos – Cochon 555 Napa 2010
Last year my good friend Charles Thompson and I trekked to Napa for a pork showdown with five of the areas most acclaimed chefs including: Christopher Kostow (Meadowood of Napa Valley), Devin Knell (French Laundry) the WINNER, Peter Pahk (Silverado Resort), Dennis Lee (Namu Restaurant SF) and John Stewart & Duskie Estes (Zazu Restaurant).

Charles is friends with John and Duskie (who actually won the Napa event this year), so although we tried each of the chef’s offerings, we kept returning to the Zazu table where I happily tried delicious pig heart for the first time.

Bacon centerpieces at the VIP pre-party… And yes… we ate them!

Chicks with meat cruised the VIP pre-party

More chicks with meat!

Crispy Pig Skin of course!

Pork Fries by Chef Chris Kostow (Meadowood)

Pork Sausage by Chef Chris Kostow (Meadowood)

Pig Heart in Lettuce Cup by Zazu (Duskie Estes and John Stewart)

Cotecchino & Black Lentils by Zazu (Duskie Estes and John Stewart)

Corn Dogs w Guinness Mustard by Zazu (Duskie Estes and John Stewart)

Pork Cheek Sliders with Johnny’s Kimchi by Zazu (Duskie Estes and John Stewart)

Bites from the French Laundry including Pate on Pistachio

Cheeses

French Laundry’s Ham Hock

Porked Out!

Many more photos here, including PIG butchering (not for the squeamish!)

Tour and Ticket Info

Cochon 555 Website

@Cochon555 on Twitter

Lindy and Grundy

Cochon 555 VIDEO

Zazu wins Cochon 555 Napa (2011)

My friend Charles (he blogs at 100 Miles)

How to make BACON Roses [PHOTOS]

Please don’t bring me flowers…

What you need to make bacon roses:
24 strips of bacon (I prefer thick cut)
24 toothpicks (soaked in water)
24 long skewers
4 disposable muffin tins (6 compartments each)
Vase or tissue paper and ribbon
Paper towels
Hammer and nail

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Poke holes in muffin pan bottoms (for draining).
Place muffin pans on a baking sheet covered with foil to catch grease.

Roll individual bacon slices into “rose” shapes.

Secure with toothpicks and place one each into muffin tins.

Bake until nicely cooked (depends on your oven).

Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Gently remove toothpicks and replace (in same hole) with long skewers.

Present in a vase or bouquet to the pork lover(s) in your life.

If you have a dog, please consider sharing at least one bacon rose!

All my BACON photos on Flickr

Link to Sarah Tisdale’s Bacon Broquet (where I first saw the idea!)

Cast Iron Gourmet @ CorkBar

Recently I’ve come down with a serious “girl crush” on Rashida Purifoy, the chef/owner of Cast Iron Gourmet. Or maybe I’m just crushing on her bacon.

Rashida and I first met at Artisinal LA back in December. Although I was there to purchase tasty holiday gifts from various vendors (including ghost-chile popcorn from All Spice Cafe and bacon FAT caramels from Morning Glory Confection), I had a difficult time breaking myself away from Rashida’s bacon booth, which was basically a shrine to swine.

As you may or may not know, I was born on the island of Okinawa, also known as the “Island of Pork”. I’ve never taken for granted that this makes my love of all things pork an actual BIRTH RIGHT.

Needless to say I eat a great deal of pork, sometimes lean but usually not. Pilates twice a week and regular runs with my dogs help to keep me a “healthy” size gal (I eat my share of beef, seafood and fresh veg too by the way), but nothing makes me happier than a fatty piece of bacon.

This doesn’t make me an expert on pork products by any means (I’ve yet to make bacon at home), but my good friend Phil (aka @MyLifeAsAFoodie) brings me his spectacular home-made bacon instead of flowers when he visits (I KNOW, he’s awesome). Up to this point in my life, I’m pretty much just a hard-core bacon enthusiast.

Cast Iron Gourmet specializes in making small-batch bacon and “bacon-inspired goodies” such as a signature Couch Mix™ (caramelized bacon with dried fruit, chocolate, and nuts), and Bacon Fat Pimento Spread™.

On the company website Rashida writes: “Our process is simple. First, we take fresh, sustainable pork belly, then cure it for days. Next, we take one of our hand-crafted rubs (each of them made with a unique blend of spices), and coat the pork with the its sinfully good flavor. Finally, we smoke the meat using fresh hickory wood, which helps give our bacon a rich hearty taste.”

Last week Peter and I attended a “Swine and Wine” dinner at CorkBar downtown. Chef Albert Aviles (loved meeting him!) collaborated with Rashida on a 3 course tasting menu featuring her beautiful, sustainable pork. The cost was $25 per person with an optional $13 wine pairing. Such a deal… of course we went for both!

All hail Rashida… the Queen of Bacon!

Photos below from Swine and Wine:

Cast Iron Gourmet’s signature Couch Mix™: Hand-crafted snack—made with seasonal dried fruits, nuts, a little bit of chocolate, and Caramelized Bacon Chunks!

Frisée & Bacon Salad: Frisée, roasted tomato, shallot, bacon lardons and a grain mustard vinaigrette.

Pork Belly Bánh Mì Slider: Cured pork belly with hoisin glaze, sambal aioli, micro cilantro, pickled daikon and carrot, on brioche bun and a side of sriracha sauce.

Bacon Chocolate Cupcake: Carmel whipped cream and bacon lardons

More photos on flickr

Swine & Wine event date: 2/2/11

CorkBar
403 W. 12th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 746-0050
website

Cast Iron Gourmet’s website

Follow @CastIronGourmet on twitter

Follow @CorkBar on twitter

Follow Chef Albert Aviles @ChefAlburger on twitter

Okinawa memories

About Artisanal LA

All Spice Cafe

Morning Glory Confections

My Life As A Foodie

Pig Heaven

This week I’ve scheduled a hangover (and food coma) for Thursday…

Seriously, I have to make sure my schedule is clear the day AFTER I return from a bona fide, nose-to-tail pork fiesta in Tijuana. There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for my beloved pork, but I’m especially thrilled that my guide to this south-of-the-border PIG HEAVEN will be the awesome Bill Esparza (aka StreetGourmetLA).

Pork 5 Ways from 5 Different chefs

Chefs
Chef Max Bonacci
The Linkery and El Take it Easy, (San Diego,CA)

Chef Benito Molina
Manzanilla and Muelle Tres (Ensenada)

Chef Jair Tellez
Laja (Valle de Guadalupe) and Mero Toro (Mexico City)

Chef Paul Zamudio
Peacocks (San Jose del Cabo)

Chef Javier Plascencia
Villa Saverios, Casa Plascencia, and Mision 19 (Tijuana)

Paired with wines from Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe:
Adobe Guadalupe
Aborigen
Sinergi VT
Tres Valles
Vinisterra

The cost of this event is 350 pesos, or approximately $35 USD, depending on the restaurant’s exchange rate.

Tickets are available by calling:

Villa Saverios, from the US dial 011-52-664-686-6443,ext. 104 (there should be someone available that speaks english)

Linas Vinos, from the US dial 011-52-664-971-0953, or at the door

Wednesday, December 8, 2010
7PM

Villa Saverios
Blvd Sanches Taboada
Esq. Escuadron 201
Zona Rio, Tijuana, Mexico

More info (travel, attire) via Street Gourmet LA

Follow @StreetGourmetLA on Twitter

Porky Parts at Artisanal LA

Guest Post By Julie Wolfson

This little piggy went to market (Julie at Artisanal LA)

This little piggy stayed home (Jo was catching up on editing and writing)

This little piggy ate roast beef (Julie sampling Cast Iron Gourmet’s bacon and Villebois Kitchen’s pork rillettes)

This little piggy had none (Jo was at home, but Julie did bring her a jar of Chef Zarate’s Anticucho sauce and a container of All Spice Cafe Ghost Adobo Rub)

And this little piggy went we we we all the way home ( though Julie did stop in the way to check out the new Pal Cabron in Koreatown and eat cemitas and tlayuda with chorizo. Hello more pork!)

On October 23 and 24, Shauna Dawson of Sauce LA launched Artisanal LA. When I walked in purveyors of locally made foods were set up on the top floor of the Cooper Building bathed if gorgeous natural light. The two hours I spent at Artisanal LA included greeting friends, tasting sweets (hello Jonathan from Compartes your raspberry pink peppercorn truffle is haunting my dreams), and searching out some of the best piggy parts for my pork loving from Jo.

What did I find? Chick with Knives were offering their freshly made bacon jam. Jam made from bacon? Now that would be my kind of pj & J sandwich.

Next stop a nibble of Cast Iron Gourmet’s smoky small batch bacon. They were selling bags of their inspired couch mix. Look in that bag there are nuts and pieces of bacon inside, all packaged so that you can sit on your couch and snack on some porky goodness while catching up on an episode of Project Runway, The Soup, Community, or Mad Men ( Ok, so now you know what’s on my TIVO).

Winding my way through more sweets like Ococoa’s Butter Cups and our friend Chef Akasha Richmond beautiful table full of freshly made preserves, I found Villebois Kitchen and their classic version of pork rillettes. Though I am a big fan of Chef Keller’s addicting salmon rillettes at Bouchon, this yummy pork version satisfied my craving for protein.

I asked my friend The Minty to tell us what we missed. In The Minty’s story:
Lindy & Grundy at Artisanal LA or How I won Pork and What I Did with It she writes about meeting the butchers at Test Kitchen,  her grandmother being a pork butcher, how she won a picnic roast, and what she made with it at home.

All in all, Artisanal LA was ton of fun. I even helped my friend Michel Dozois do some demonstrations pouring Tru Organic Gin over his large block Neve Luxury Ice. Then I headed home by way of the new Pal Cabron to get ready to meet Jo at The Yard in Santa Monica. And what did we order that night? Some pork belly and pulled pork sliders to go with our poutine, arancini, and cocktails. The next day I should have planned for a juice cleanse, but who are we kidding there were more parties to go to and yummy food to taste.

All photos above by Julie Wolfson

Follow Julie on Twitter | Julie on LAist | Julie on Posterous

Artisanal LA

Chick with Knives

Cast Iron Gourmet

Villebois Kitchen

Shawna aka SauceLA

Check out more photos by Ryan Tanaka (coming soon)