www.PassionforPork.com
Recipe: Bacon & Fennel Dumplings
Alberta Pork is proud to sponsor Russell Bird of Sherwood Park as he readies himself to compete in the bacon category in next month’s World Food Championships in Orange Beach, Alabama. The dedicated home cook and smoker addict placed 3rd in last year’s Canadian Food Championships bacon category. That won him a place on the national team and a trip to Florida last fall where he placed 13th at the World Food Championships.
With some experience under his belt, Russell took first place at the Canadian Food Championship in Edmonton this past July, scoring another entry to compete at this year’s World Food Championships. While his recipes for this year’s competition are still top secret, he was happy to share his Caramelized Bacon & Fennel Dumpling recipe from last year’s world championship. We’re wishing Russell good luck and look forward to more of his bacon recipes upon his return.
What you’ll need…
2.5 cups all purpose white flour
1 taplespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast
3 tablespoons rendered bacon fat
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cups canola oil
2 cups fennel
4 cups bacon
1/2 cup green onion
2 pinch salt
2 pinch pepper
1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
3 tbsp sriracha sauce
Directions:
Dough:
Mix 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast in large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons bacon fat and the warm water. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour until dough is soft and leaves sides of bowl. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead 4 to 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator.
Knead dough to bring it up to room temperature. Roll dough until quite thin. Sprinkle with green onion. Roll dough into a cigar shape so that layer of green onion run throughout dough. Then wrap dough into a circle and compress. Roll dough again until thin and then cut dough circles using round cookie cutter.
Filling:
Dice 2 cups bacon until quite small. Place in frying pan and cook until slightly crispy. Then add diced fennel brown sugar and olive oil salt and pepper. Continue to cook until fennel is caramelized and soft. Reserve mixture in bowl until cool enough to handle.
Place fennel bacon mixture inside dough circles and pinch shut with dumpling press; repeat until all dumplings have been formed.
To prepare:
Heat frying pan of canola oil until it bubbles when dough is placed inside of it. Place dumplings five at a time in oil and cook until golden brown.
Dice remaining 2 cups bacon and 2 cups Brussel sprouts. Place bacon in frying pan and fry until slightly crispy, reserving half the bacon fat in the pan. Place diced Brussel sprouts in pan and fry until soft, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Place Brussel sprout bacon mixture on service plate and then place dumplings on top. Drizzle with Hoisin and sriracha sauces mixed together.