brown-butter bacon shortbread with bourbon-maple glaze

at a recent food-swap

i traded jam for 

browned butter shortbread 

it was
out of this world

within minutes 

of finishing the very last crumb

i was conspiring to make my own

the gal with whom i swapped

was kind enough to share the recipe 

from gourmet magazine

(insert long sigh and whimper mourning the loss of this fabulous magazine)

while browning the butter

i was reminded a bit of the smell

of bacon

caveat

i have been know to swear
that i smell bacon

at a kosher deli

i'm only slightly obsessed

i do draw the line

at

chocolate covered bacon

don't love it

but

here is what i do love

these 

crispy, nutty, salty 

with a throat warming

bourbon glaze

 brown-butter bacon shortbread

with bourbon-maple glaze
*this recipe only slightly resembles its inspiration. the addition of bacon, bacon fat, nuts, and glaze are all mine
original recipe here
(printable recipe)

shortbread

4 oz browned butter-cooled to solid in fridge

2 oz bacon grease--cooled to solid in fridge

1/2 tsp grey sea salt (kosher is fine)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup bacon--cooked crispy and finely chopped

1 1/3 cup+ 3 Tbs all purpose flour

1 cup toasted and chopped pecans

in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cooled butter, cooled bacon grease and brown sugar. add the salt and vanilla and stir to mix.  mix in the bacon bits, then the flour. mix only to fully incorporate the flour, do not over mix. 

remove the dough from mixer and form into a cylinder on plastic wrap

roll the dough into the chopped nuts, cover and place in refrigerator.  let rest in fridge for an hour.

when ready to bake, heat oven to 350f. slice the roll into 1/4" slices and place on lined cookie sheet, leaving about 1/2" between each cookie. these will spread a bit.

allow to bake about 10-12 minutes or until they start to brown on the bottom. remove from oven and let cool.  

once cool, drizzle with glaze.

bourbon maple glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp maple syrup

up to 1 Tbs bourbon

place powdered sugar in a bowl. stir in the maple syrup.  add bourbon 1 tsp at a time until it reaches a nice runny consistency, that will barely hold its shape.  pour into a piping bag or use a spoon to decoratively drizzle over the cookies.  allow to sit until the glaze has firmed up.

i am parading this recipe

is if it is a

pig at the county fair

at foodbuzz' baconalia

with 

fingers crossed

that it is blue ribbon worthy

iced and snowy stars

i love this shortbread recipe

and use it shamelessly

whenever i can

it is seen here

rolled into a rainbow of happiness

every christmas

mom would bring out

special cookie cutters

the ones she used for

shortbread 

the mystery still remains

why

they were 

shaped like playing card suits

and how

"spades" and "diamonds"

scream christmas

i never thought to ask

perhaps i should

she rolled the dough out thicker than usual 

slightly underbaked them

and half dipped them in chocolate

and they are perfect that way

still 

my favorite way of eating them

but they are also delightful

rolled a bit thinner

baked a bit crispier 

and

glazed with

ivory tinted

royal icing, 

flavored with a bit of almond

and 

finished with sugar

i make these

and 

mom still makes 

chocolate dipped

and it is hard to imagine

that we both use 

the same dough

shortbread cookies
(printable recipe)

(the original recipe has been passed down through my family, but came-i think-from Paula Peck)

1 cup butter-room temperature

3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Beat sugar and butter until completely mixed together, but not light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and salt and mix until just incorporated. Slowly stir in flour and only mix until just incorporated.  Divide dough in 2 portions, wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.  When ready to bake, roll out and bake on parchment paper.  top with sprinkles or leave plain and bake at 325 until just starting to brown on the bottom.

once cooled you can dip in tempered chocolate or glaze with royal icing (alton brown recipe here), flavored as you choose

just a simple tip.  i glaze the cookies using a pastry bag and let them dry.  i then dip a small paint brush in a bit of everclear or vodka (or you can use extract) and gently swipe it across the top. i then immediately sprinkle the sugar on top. the liquid will evaporate almost immediately--but it will allow your sugar to stick without sinking into the icing.

The End of a Season

I had such a great time at the Hollywood Bowl last night. We were treated to an evening of the ever charming composer John Williams and the LA Philarmonic. We were lucky enough to be sitting in amazing seats...seats that actually let you see emotion on a musician's face. Let me just say this...The Holllywood Bowl is the single best venue in all of Southern California. My opinion, certainly...but trust me, I am right.

One of the best things about "the bowl" is the picnicking. Picnicking rocks! While there is restaurant service, decent restaurant service at the bowl, I always pack a picnic. It usually gives me an opportunity to plan a really fun meal, and it always challenges me to come up with recipes that can be served cold or room temperature.

I must confess. I love fried chicken. I don't know what all the components of my last meal would be, but I know that fried chicken would be in there. I could eat it day after day and never get sick of it. Get sick, pretty much a guarantee, but not get sick of it.
I make fried chicken. I make pretty good fried chicken. But I gotta say...I prefer to buy it.
Gasp
it's true
Especially if we are talkin' broasted chicken. Is it right for me to insist..no matter what your dietary restrictions, goals, obsessions, peculiarities are...that if you have the chance to have broasted chicken, take it. TAKE IT!
My husband is from Wisconsin, and they have great broasted chicken...but sadly, it is really difficult to find in Los Angeles. So, I settle for fried. Still a good alternative, but it is not the same, lest you be fooled.
...I brought you on this culinary round-about because last night I served fried chicken. Popeyes fried chicken as our main course. Yes, I did..and I am not embarrased about it at all. As a matter of fact, I also served the biscuits. Although, I think I might like KFC's biscuits a little better than Popeyes...but I served them none-the-less and they were popular.
But
if you think I am lazy and taking the easy way out...let me stop you right there. I also put together a nice selection of appetizers, sides and dessert all by myself. I cooked em, packed em, served em and ate em. And they were pretty good. Should I put them on the scoring system I utilized for Sona? What is good for the goose, is good for the gander...so I shall.

Summer is ending and so is the season at the bowl...but picnic season is forever....

0-5 stars

Appetizers

blt devilled eggs 2 stars

to be fair, to myself, i don't really like devilled eggs and didn't eat them. I give the whole concept 2 stars

andouille-red beet-green apple-chevre compote w/apple cider reduction

4 stars

You can use andouille or chorizo for this. Cut 4 sausage links into rounds. Cook in large skillet with a bit of olive oil, just a bit. Cook until nicely browned. Add about 3 Tbs cider vinegar, reduce heat and cook until absorbed. While it is cooking add 1 garlic clove--finely chopped and 1 shallot--finely chopped. When the vinegar is just about absorbed, remove sausage and set aside. Toss about 3/4 cup of apple cider or unfiltered apple juice into the pan and let simmer until it reduces to a nice syrup. Throw the sausage back in and toss to glaze. Remove the sausage again, and set the reduction aside to use as a dressing. Meanwhile, chop 1 granny smith apple and 2 medium (cooked) beets to dice. They should be a bit smaller than the sausage slices, but not too small. Toss with about 2 ounces of crumbled chevre. Once the sausage is cooled, add to the compote and gently toss. You can also layer in a small glass. Drizzle a bit of the reduction on top and enjoy.

prosciutto-marscapone-walnut figs w/balsamic-medjool date glaze

3 1/2 stars

they tasted a lot better than they looked. Might have been a bit too big--if presented as 1/2 a fig, would give a higher rating

Main Course

popeye's fried chicken

absolutely 5 stars

if only for convenience sake

watermelon, feta and mint salad

3 stars

uninspired, but always refreshing

I like to use a small watermelon for this salad. I also like to cut it into brunoise, but that isn't necessary. Just make sure that your watermelon pieces match the size of your feta pieces. This is really a taste and add type of recipe. I used 1/2 watermelon to 4 oz of feta and about 6 mint leaves-chiffonade. I let that sit together, then take drain off some of the watermelon juice. I then make a dressing of rice wine vinegar and olive oil...taste to see what you like, but I like to use 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. I also use a lightly flavored olive oil on this. You can substitute any unflavored oil you like. Mix in the dressing, use a light hand and be careful not to break up the cheese. Chill and serve.

puy lentil salad 3 1/2 stars

i love it, it's my favorite--simple and clean flavors

Take about 3 cups cooked puy lentils...trader joe's sells them already cooked. Plop into a bowl and add 1 carrot-finely chopped, 1/4 red onion-finely chopped, 1 red pepper--finely chopped, microplaned zest of 1 orange, juice of 1/2 orange, salt pepper, oil, vinegar and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of ground cumin. Stir, chill and eat. It is also good warmed as a bed for roasted halibut or any fish for that matter. Or bulk with some butter lettuce and serve with a bit of chicken as a nice salad.

KFC Mashed Potatoes 0 stars

please...my husband loves em. So i picked them up specially for him, but only him

Dessert

fallen chocolate souffle cake w/fresh whipped cream and spice poached pears 4 1/2 stars

4 ingredients never tasted this good. it's ugly but oh so silky and delicious.

homemade caramels

favorite shortbread cookies w/honey almond glaze

okay i am bored with the scoring system...i'm done