Tag: blue cheese

Recipe: Bacon & Blue Cheese Brussels Sprouts

Posted on by Sharman
Bacon & Blue Cheese Brussels Sprouts

 

The easiest way, or at least the most delicious, to eat more greens is to add bacon. Roasted Brussels sprouts are a wonderful dish to have in the fall, and pairing them with the saltiness of bacon and blue cheese along with the sweetness of syrupy balsamic vinegar is a simple and easy win in the kitchen.

What you’ll need…

  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half through the core (include any loose leaves that fall off while cutting)
  • 4 thick cut bacon, diced
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar syrup (reduced balsamic glaze)
  • ½ cup blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place the Brussels sprouts in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper; scatter the bacon on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Roast the Brussels sprouts for 30 – 40 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes to help the bacon fat coat the vegetables. * Brussels sprouts brown easiest when cut side is down.
  4. Remove from the oven and transfer to serving plate. Dress sprouts with balsamic vinegar and blue cheese. Dish is best served warm.

Recipe: Chef Darren MacLean’s Pear and Bacon Salad

Posted on by Dan Clapson

pear and bacon salad recipe

Don’t let the pretty picture fool you, this recipe from downtownfood’s chef/owner Darren MacLean is quite simple to put together. If your knife skills aren’t quite up to the task of matchstick-ing and cubing as restaurant-style as above, feel free to cut the components to your liking and plate more casually.

This dish definitely makes a great start to a (romantic, perhaps?) summer dinner for two at home!

What you’ll need…

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 whole vanilla bean

1 Asian pear (cored and cubed)

1 cup cubed thick-cut bacon

1/4 cup candied walnuts

2 tablespoons tiger blue cheese (or other mild Canadian blue cheese)

1/4 cup arugula

1/4 cup of julienned granny smith apple

1 teaspoon good quality liquid honey

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

Combine water, sugar and vanilla bean in a small pot and let boil until dissolves, about 2-3 minutes.

Add cubed Asian pear, cook for 1 minute and then remove from heat to let cool slightly in solution.

Cook bacon slowly on medium heat to gently caramelize, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer to paper towel to absorb any excess grease.

When ready to serve, place cubed pears and bacon in the centre of a plate and top with crumbled blue cheese and candied walnuts.

Top this with arugula, green apple and a drizzle with honey, lemon juice and cayenne and serve immediately.

Serves 2

Total cook time…15 minutes