Recipe: Bacon Orange Meatloaf

Age appears to be best in four things; old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. – Sir Francis Bacon 

Wonderful taste and not fatty at all.

You know sometimes you just have to deal with what’s already in your refrigerator when you make dinner. That doesn’t have to restrict your creativity in what you prepare if you think for a while. 

This all started with 3 pork chops. I like to buy meat when it’s on sale (who doesn’t?) but sometimes the packages are an obscene size. In cooking for two what really can you do with 5 large pork chops?

Ground pork on the left; ground bacon and orange on the right.

I know, put a night between them and have pork chops twice, but that’s just… boring. Have you ever thought that the form you buy meat in isn’t necessarily the form you have to cook it in?

Of course you have. We’ve all bought steak and cubed it for stew, or cut it into strips, etc.. Have you ever thought about “grinding’ it? You don’t even need a grinder – just a good food processor.

I have made sausage several times using my food processor and it works extremely well. This means you don’t have another (largish) kitchen gadget hanging around that isn’t used very often and you have to stow away.

Grinding meat extends possible uses in a substantial way – even if you only have a little meat to “dispatch.” Sauté it in pasta sauce with onions and vegetables, or use in a myriad of Chinese dishes (lobster sauce for one), or even stretch it and make a meatloaf.

That’s what I did. But I only had 3 pork chops, not nearly enough meat. So what else is made of pork that could be hanging around in the meat drawer…? Bacon! 

Mix together everything except for the potato and flour.
Yes, there's potato in this meatloaf, but you would
never know it.

Often bacon goes on top of a meatloaf, but why not inside it? Yes, there’s a certain ratio of fat to meat you need to maintain in a meatloaf, but could it be included so it would be balanced out?

In short, yes. I trimmed off as much visible fat from the chops as possible and then let the bacon carry the day. Bacon fat also has the advantage of being smoked, which adds a layer of flavour to your meatloaf.

You may not believe this but it’s true. Even though I used all the fat attached to the bacon this was not a meatloaf swimming in fat. In fact, it had less standing fat than many meatloaves I make with ground beef.

Next up, the orange that was on my counter. In it went (seeded of course). And to top it all off I added the two best friends of orange in cooking, rosemary and sage. There are some standard binders that need to go in as well, like breadcrumbs and egg.

One odd inclusion is a grated potato. But there’s method to my madness. The starch in the potato helps bind everything together and I think it was responsible for the lack of oozing juices, which was a good thing. Moist yet "dry."

This recipe worked out very well considering there was no trip to the grocery store. Chalk another one up to the stuff you already have in your refrigerator. All it takes is imagination. What’s in your ‘fridge?

This is everything just before baking.

Bacon Orange Meatloaf

Prep: 20 min  |  Cook 1 hour  |  Serves 4

3/4 lb pork loin

10 slices bacon

1 orange

1 egg

1/3 cup bread crumbs

2 tsp Dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup diced onion

1/2 tsp salt (depending on salt in bacon)

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp rosemary, dried

1/2 tsp sage, dried

1 medium potato

1/4 cup flour

Cube the pork and place it in a food processor. Chop the pork until well “ground.” Place in a large bowl.

After baking, nice and moist. Note there's no collected fat.
This is how it came out. Nothing has been poured off.

Chop the bacon into 1” pieces. Place the bacon in the food processor. Peel and seed the orange. Cut the segments in half and add to the bacon. Pulse them together until well ground. Add to the previously ground pork.

To the meats add the egg, bread crumbs, mustard, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, rosemary and sage. Mix well with your hands.

Peel and then grate the potato. Squeeze the grated potato in your hand to extract as much water as possible. Add on top of the meat. Sprinkle with the flour and mix all together until well incorporated.

Place in a 5"x9" loaf pan.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake the loaf in the centre of the oven until the internal temperature reaches 165°, about 1 hour.

To complete the meal roast vegetables at the same time. Why waste the heat of the oven?

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Weekend Baking: French Épi Bread (Sheaf of Wheat)

Here is bread, which strengthens man's heart, and therefore is called the staff of Life. – Matthew Henry

The sheaf of wheat – Épi.

There’s nothing like weekend baking to set your relaxation clock back on schedule.

The smell of freshly baked loaves can somehow erase burden more easily than almost anything else. It is the smell of safety, care and love. So why not fill your house with “leavened prozac”? All it really takes is some time.

These two loaves are called Épi (aypee) because they are cut into the shape of a sheaf of wheat (French: épi de blé).

It’s actually very easy to shape bread. Believe it or not, all bread is not oval, or in the shape we buy sliced from the grocery store. In fact, most types are not.

This French bread recipe uses a biga starter. A biga is a mixture of water, yeast and a little flour that is allowed to rise overnight. This rise allows more complex flavours to develop that then translate into your final bread. Just mix it up the night before. Easy.

Homemade bread is actually not difficult. There’s only a few rules you have to obey. First, make sure your yeast is alive by proofing it. This means not killing it with overheated water. 110 to 115° maximum. 

Just after kneading, before first rise.

And let it proof (get bubbly/creamy) before you proceed further. If the yeast doesn’t activate during proofing, it won’t later. That’s why it’s called proofing. It’s proof your yeast is alive.

Another rule is to let the bread rise in a warm place until doubled. It doesn’t matter what length of time the recipe states. It’s an approximation. If your room is warmer or colder the time will differ. The bread will tell you when it’s ready to go on. I’ve had bread rise for 4 hours on certain days.

These decorative breads will be a hit at the dinner table for certain. It’s just one more way to show those you love that you take an extra (albeit easy) step in what you feed them.

It doesn't hurt that homemade bread is delicious too...

After 2 hours the dough doubled in size.

French Épi (Sheaf of Wheat)

Makes 2 loaves

Biga

1 cup flour

1-1/2 cups water

1/2 cup dry milk powder

2 tsp yeast

To finish

3-1/2 to 4 cups flour

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup olive oil

Plus

1 egg white, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

flour for dusting

Cut sheaf of wheat.

Mix together the milk powder and water and heat to 110°F. Proof the yeast in the warm milk until creamy. Make a biga with 1 cup of flour and mix well. Let rise overnight.

The next day mix in the salt, yogurt, oil and enough of the flour to make a moist feeling dough. Knead until smooth, about 5-10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl covered with plastic and a towel and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.

Divide and shape each half into a baguette. On one baking sheet lay one down long; on the other shape into a circle of dough. Let rest for 20-30 minutes. Just before cutting, brush with the egg white mixed with the water and dust lightly with flour. Then cut.

Here’s detailed info for final cutting (sheaf of wheat and wheat wreath):

Wheat wreath shape.

1. The following sheaf shaping directions are from The Fresh Loaf, an amazing bread baking site:

Take some sharp kitchen scissors and cut into the dough, about 2 or 3 inches from the end, at a 45 degree angle, stopping about a quarter inch from the bottom.

Lay the piece at a 45 to 60 degree angle to the side. Make another cut about 2 or 3 inches from the first and lay it to the other side. Work down the dough, alternating sides.

2. After the 30 minutes, cut as above but rather than alternating the cut pieces lay them all out radiating from the centre.

Throw 1/2 cup water in the bottom of the oven and quickly close the door. This makes a moist environment for the first rush of expansion of the loaves.

Quickly place the loaves in the oven. Bake at 400°F for 25 to 35 minutes or until they sound hollow when tapped and are golden brown. 

Halfway through change the position of the pans on the racks, switching the lower with the upper and vice versa. This helps facilitate even baking.

Remove from baking sheets and let cool on a wire rack. 

The end result of your labours.

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Booze of the Week: Strawberry Kiwi Liqueur

Booze may not be the answer, but it helps you to forget the question. – Henry Mon

Deep pink with a hint of green. Just what you would expect!

Here’s another one folks. This time I’ve combined two of my favourite flavours, plump ripe strawberries and delicious kiwis. Right now I have four additional liqueurs on the go so look for some interesting posts over the next few weeks. This one was ready first.

Nicely ripened kiwi. Photo: rofi, Flickr ccl

Years ago there used to be a frozen yogurt shop on Spring Garden Road here in Halifax. It was a walk-up take out where they blended together your chosen flavours on the spot – right in front of you. Boy, it was tasty!

My favourite was, you guessed it, strawberry kiwi. There’s something about the lusciousness of strawberries and the tar/melon overtones of kiwi fruit that just belong together…

When purchasing your fruit keep one important fact in mind: make sure they're at their peak. You need well developed flavours. That means pick strawberries at full ripeness. 

For the kiwis, choose the softer ones. Hard kiwis are not completely ripe and won’t have nearly as much flavour. Most kiwis that are sold are slightly underripe. It helps with shelf life.

The colour and flavour transfers from the fruit to the vodka.

Slightly soft kiwis will be a messy to deal with but are essential. Removing the fuzzy peel from a soft fruit can be a “juicy” exercise but you need the fully developed taste to infuse good flavour in your liqueur.

Of course I would suggest fresh Nova Scotia strawberries at their peak, but we are in the dead of winter. I used flash frozen berries for this, but will be making it again during U-pick season. Even frozen berries made an excellent liqueur.

One thing I have learned over my year of making liqueurs is they definitely improve with some ageing. Of course, they are more than adequate as soon as finished, but will develop more subtlety after a month or two. Some of my earlier liqueurs had changed substantially by Christmastime – all in a very good way.

Try this one. It’s great just in a glass with ice, and will add a real kick to any springtime backyard party drinks you’re dreaming up during the cold winter months.

Strawberry Kiwi Liqueur

Time: 4 weeks  |  Yield: 2 x 375 ml plus 1 small glass

3-4 ripe kiwis, depending on the size

1 lb strawberries

2 cups vodka, potato preferred

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Wash the strawberries, slice and place in a clean Mason jar. 

Peel the kiwis over a bowl to collect any juices that may exude when you remove the fuzzy brown skin. Slice and add to the jar. 

Pour the vodka over the top, seal and shake well. Let sit for 4 weeks. Shake periodically. Over the month the colour will leech out of the fruit and look disgusting. That's what you want.

After the infusion time, strain the vodka/berry mixture until as clear as you can get it – 2 or 3 times.

Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan. let boil for 5 minutes and then let cool slightly.

Mix the syrup with the vodka, bottle and enjoy!

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Ingredient of the Day: Jamaican Jerk Spice

If you fall in love with a jerk, don't just reject him. He may reveal the jerk part of you which is concealed. – Toba Beta

I'm sure this gentleman is not a jerk at all. Photo: Smile My Day, Flickr ccl

Feel like a taste of the Caribbean? Try using Jamaican spice in your cooking.

Photo: Freecandy13, Flickr ccl

Jerk is both a spice mix and a meat preparation technique. In prep it is a process where meat is dry-rubbed or marinated with a very hot spice mixture and then slow smoked and/or air dried. 

To do jerk properly you need to start with jerk spice seasoning, of course.

Jerk seasoning – a fiery mixture – is usually used on pork and chicken, but is can also be used on other meats, fish, shellfish and even tofu. It can also be used with fruit to great effect.

Jerk seasoning gets its flavour from two main ingredients: the first is allspice and the second is Scotch Bonnet pepper. Other commonly included ingredients are thyme, garlic, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. 

Photo: artizone, Flickr ccl

It is common to substitute cayenne for the Scotch Bonnets since they’re (literally) a pain to deal with and are quite uncommon to find in dried form. 

Scotch Bonnets are among the hottest of all peppers, rating between 100,000 and 350,000 Scoville units. Jalapenos, in comparison, rate 2,500 to 8,000. So Scotch Bonnets hot, hot hot. 

I actually drove myself out of my kitchen one day while sautéing cut Scotch Bonnet in a frying pan. The fumes actually took my breath away. I had to go outside.

Good jerk seasoning is available in most groceries, but it’s easy to make at home. This is advantageous for those who may want to adjust the heat to their own taste – up or down.

Photo: Manne, Flickr ccl

Today’s word “jerk” comes from the South American Quechua word charqui, meaning “dried meat.” Jerking was an effective way to preserve meat in tropical locales. 

Over time the seasoning mix became more or less standardized. Of course jerk seasoning can vary greatly just by changing or adding an ingredient or quantity.

Many different regional types of jerk seasoning exist, but most people think of Jamaican jerk only. Jamaican is characterized by allspice and thyme. 

In traditional jerk, the jerk spice is rubbed onto meat and allowed to cure before it is slow smoked and wind dried. The end result is spicy dried meat. This meat can be stored for long periods of time.

Today jerk is popular as a barbecue rub and sometimes combined with liquids for a marinade or "wet" cooking spice. Wood chips are also used for smokiness.

My version is below. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to dabble with the amount of cayenne you use.

These are allspice berries. Photo: Food Stories, Flickr ccl

Jamaican Jerk Spice

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried thyme

1-1/2 tsp cayenne powder*

1-1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1-1/2 tsp allspice, ground

1-1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika, smoked if possible

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground

1/2 tsp cloves, ground

Mix all the ingredients and store in a tightly sealed jar. It is at its best for about 4-6 weeks.

Rub (or sprinkle) directly on meat before grilling. If using as a wet rub, combine with some oil and water, or try fruit juice such as pineapple.

* This amount of cayenne makes a fairly mild Jerk mix. If you're after some real heat, double it to 3 tsp, or maybe even 1 tbsp.

Jerk spice on avocado. Photo: Choking Sun, Flickr ccl

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1/2 Hour Dinner: Beef Stroganoff with Bacon

Why is there an expiration date on sour cream? – George Carlin

Delicious. No other word to describe this.

Here’s another in my ongoing saga of quick (or relatively quick) dinners for you to try. They're a godsend when you're pressed for time or want to get dinner on the table after a long day in the salt mines.

Stroganoff is named for the Stroganov family in
Czarist Russia. They built many churches throughout
the country. Photo: Wiki CC

I’ll start by saying this recipe is not low fat. Take a look at the ingredients list: bacon, butter and sour cream. That pretty much tells the story. And what a good story it is.

Sometimes a person just needs something “comforting.” To me that means fatty. Just don’t do it all the time and you’ll be fine. Julia Child and I agree on that point. 

I posted a pork stroganoff recipe earlier (here) that’s very good and switches the meat from beef to pork. This one takes another turn from the traditional in that it uses bacon. I saw that ingredient in my researching for this recipe. I had never heard of including it before, and it works nicely.

Another "first" for me and stroganoff is that I fried the steak before slicing it. This works to your benefit two ways. First you get a nice sear on the meat. Second, by adding the steak back in at the end, you don't over cook it and make it tough. This will now be my preferred method.

This stroganoff has enough interesting flavours going on to satisfy anyone’s cravings. If you’ve had bland stroganoff before don’t expect it from this recipe.

There’s enough nutmeg to get noticed, the Worcestershire adds complexity and the sour cream with it’s tartness brings it all together nicely.

Of course it’s always good to use sherry when cooking. Sometimes I even put some in the food… Actually it all goes into the food. It’s not a favourite libation of mine. But it works here!

The secret ingredient. Photo: Michelle@TNS, Flickr ccl

Beef Stroganoff with Bacon

Prep: 5 min  |  Cook: 20 min  |  Serves 4

1 lb steak

1 tbsp vegetable oil

6 slices bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, halved and sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3/4 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced

3/4 cup beef broth

1/2 cup sherry (divided in two)

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp butter

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cracked black pepper

Heat the oil in a wide saucepan. Season the steak with salt and pepper and fry (whole) on high heat until nicely browned, about 3 minutes per side. The steak will not be cooked through. Remove the steak to a plate.

Add the bacon to the pot and fry until it begins to brown. Pour in 1/4 cup sherry and deglaze the pan, scraping any brown bits from the bottom.

Add the sliced onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to brown. Then add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the mixture with the flour and mix well. Then add the broth and remaining sherry and let cook until thickened. Reduce the heat to medium.

Slice the steak and add to the pot with any collected juices. Toss well and let the steak finish cooking in the sauce.

Stir in the butter until melted and then add the sour cream, nutmeg, Worcestershire and any remaining salt and pepper.

Serve atop buttered wide egg noodles. Yes, more butter...

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Taking Risks: Shrimp & Spinach Soufflé

The only thing that will make a soufflé fall is if it knows you are afraid of it. – James Beard

Served with a rice, cranberry, green onion and almond pilaf.

I have a confession to make. This is my first soufflé – ever. Never one to take half steps, I decided to jump right into the middle of it with a seafood souffle.

This is the base béchamel.

I assume that normal dessert soufflés would be a little bit easier to start off with. You don’t have to calculate for extra loft to offset the heaviness of the seafood mixture.

I have a second confession. I made this recipe up, basing it on some semi-thorough research of several fish soufflés. Daring of me, right?

I made some calculated risks. One was that I decided to chop the spinach and shrimp in a food processor. I was afraid of large shrimp pieces not being thoroughly cooked before the rest of the soufflé. No worries there – everything cooked perfectly.

And my derring do paid off. “Main” dish soufflés are heavier as a rule than fluffy dessert versions, but it still puffed up, supported itself and kept that height to the table. Ha!

The chopped shrimp and spinach mixture.

This soufflé (of which I am moderately proud) also has a lot of flavour. The tarragon pulls out the taste of the shrimp and complements it perfectly. The spinach adds an interesting green speckle and also does double duty as one vegetable in your meal.

If you’ve never made a soufflé go get a soufflé dish and try one. Nothing ventured, nothing gained... Once your soufflé is done take it directly to the table and serve hot from the dish.

Take Mr. Beard’s advice to heart. After all, if it falls you’ve only wasted a few eggs, plus some expensive shrimp...and bemoan your fate. Or proudly dish it out to your family and guests and call it something else!

Shrimp & Spinach Soufflé

Prep: 20 min  |  Cook: 35-45 min  | Serves 6

2 c. spinach, raw

1 lb shrimp, chopped

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. flour

3/4 c. milk

1/4 c. vermouth

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp dried tarragon

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt
freshly cracked pepper

6 egg yolks

6 egg whites

The béchamel, shrimp/spinach, cheese and whipped egg yolks.

Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a souffle dish with butter.

Place the spinach in a food processor and chop. Then add the shrimp and pulse until fairly fine, with some still identifiable texture.

Put the shrimp mixture in a large bowl before folding the whites.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Blend in the flour. Slowly add the milk and vermouth. Cook and stir until thickened. 

Remove from heat and stir in the tomato paste, tarragon and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Stir in the shrimp mixture.

The whites don't have to be absolutely, completely incorporated. If they are
you may have over-folded.

Divide the eggs and whip the yolks until very light and lemon coloured. You need to put lots of air into them. Stir carefully into the shrimp mixture. Then stir in the cheese.

In a clean glass or metal bowl beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. They should be glossy. Gently fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the shrimp. Then fold in the remaining whites. Turn the mixture into the dish.

Right from the oven, about 40 minutes later.

Bake for 35-45 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a kitchen needle (or piece of straight clean metal wire) into the centre. It is done when the needle comes out clean.

Take to the table and serve immediately.

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