Bacon Blue Cheese And Tomato Bread Recipes

BLUE CHEESE AND BACON BREAD TWIST

Steps:

• The day before you want the bread, make a sticky paste by mixing together 1/2 cup of the flour, 1/2 cup of the water and two teaspoons of yeast in a bowl.
• When the ingredients are combined, cover the bowl with cling film and leave in the fridge overnight.
• The next day, the mixture will have bubbles on top and smell fermented.
• Add remaining flour, yeast and salt to the bowl, and start adding the remaining water a bit at a time, until you get a sticky consistency.
• Flop the dough onto a floured work surface, sprinkle more flour on the dough and knead for 3-5 minutes or until smooth.
• Put the dough in a large bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled, between 1-2 hours.
• Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crispy and then cut into small pieces.
• Crumble the cheese into a small bowl and mix with bacon.
• Take dough and turn onto a floured work surface again, working bacon and cheese into the dough this time and kneading for another 3-5 minutes until smooth.
• Put back in bowl and leave for another hour to rise by about a third to a half.
• Take dough and split into three equal pieces.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a sausage shape, about 20 inches long.
• Take the three "sausages" and lay them out in front of you, each at a slight angle to the other.
• This part is hard to describe, but just imagine you are braiding hair.
• You will need to pinch the three pieces together at one end and then, once they are attached, take the piece on the left side and bring it over the centre piece.
• Then take the right piece and bring it over the centre piece.
• Repeat until all the dough is braided and pinch together at the end.
• Lay bread on a greased and floured baking sheet, cover with cling film and let rise for one final hour.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes in an oven at 200°C or about 350°F.

TOMATO AND BLUE CHEESE SOUP WITH BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Spread the tomatoes out in an oven-proof dish. Sprinkle with the garlic and some salt and pepper. Place in oven and bake for 35 minutes.
• Heat the butter in a large pan. Add the leek and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until softened.
• Stir in the broth and baked tomatoes. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the blue cheese, cream and parsley. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and process until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Ladel into warmed bowls and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES WITH BACON, BLUE CHEESE, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Cut 1 round from each bread slice with cookie cutter.
• Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until crisp, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off bacon fat from skillet and reserve fat (do not clean skillet).
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then toast 3 bread rounds, turning over once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes total. Transfer toasts to a rack to cool and season with salt and pepper. Toast remaining 3 bread rounds in 1 1/2 tablespoons more oil in same manner.
• Cook shallot in 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat and remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and simmer, whisking, until emulsified, about 1 minute. Season dressing with salt and pepper and keep warm, covered.
• Crumble bacon. Arrange bread rounds on 6 plates and divide tomato slices among them, stacking slices and sprinkling some basil and bacon between slices. Sprinkle cheese and remaining basil and bacon over and around tomatoes. Spoon some of warm bacon dressing over and around tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

BACON, CHEESE AND TOMATO STRATA

Steps:

• Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread bread in baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 cups of the cheese; mix lightly with bread. Sprinkle with tomatoes.
• In medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, mustard, basil and salt with fork or wire whisk; pour over bread mixture. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp; drain on paper towel.
• Crumble bacon. Sprinkle bacon and remaining 1/2 cup cheese over strata. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

BROILED BLUE CHEESE AND BACON TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500. Line a small rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs, blue cheese, bacon, and green onion. Add butter, stirring to mix well. Place tomatoes, cut sides up, on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle tomato halves evenly with salt and pepper. Divide cracker mixture evenly amoung tomato halves.
• Broil, 5 inches from heat, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned.

BACON CHEESE & TOMATO - BROILED OPEN FACE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Pre-heat broiler.
• Place bread on a broiler safe pan. Top each slice of bread with a slice of cheese then a slice of tomato. Depending on how big your tomato slice is you may want to put on two but keep it a single layer of tomato. Cut each slice of bacon into 2 pieces. Then lay 3 of the pieces on each sandwich. Broil until bacon is crisp and cheese melted. Bread and cheese may get a little burnt. That makes it better!
• Note: Originally I put raw bacon on the sandwich and cooked it all the way under the broiler. Now I cut the strips in half and partiality cook in micro-wave and then put on sandwich and broil to finish cooking.

BACON-TOMATO CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Core the tomatoes and thinly slice. Place in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let drain for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off and reserve the drippings, leaving 1 tablespoon in the skillet; toast the bread on one side in the drippings until golden (do this in batches, adding more drippings as needed). Place the bread, toasted-side down, on a baking sheet.
• Combine the cheeses with the mayonnaise, scallions and parsley in a bowl. Spread the cheese mixture on the toasts, reserving about 1/3 cup. Crumble the bacon on top. Shake any excess liquid from the tomatoes; distribute the zucchini and tomatoes among the toasts. Dot with the reserved cheese mixture and season with pepper. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.