Bacon Pork Pops On Lemongrass Sticks Recipes

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add saffron and boil 2 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Use a sharp knife to cut Parmigiano-Reggiano into thin slices. Cheese will not cut evenly, but any shape 2 to 3 inches long and no more than 1/4 inch thick will work well. In a small bowl combine cheese with saffron liquid and marinate 6 hours.
• In a deep-fryer heat oil to 365 degrees. In a bowl beat egg yolk; add water, stirring lightly to blend. Add 1 1/2 cups flour all at once and stir gently with a fork or chopstick until just blended. Do not overblend; batter will be lumpy. Piece by piece, coat cheese pieces with extra flour; dip pieces thoroughly in batter, then quickly toss in hot oil (don't wait for extra batter to drip off). Cook 2 to 3 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, scoop up cheese and drain on paper towels. Keep warm while you fry remainder. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place two 7-stick cast-iron corn stick molds in the oven to heat at least 15 minutes. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat until it foams. Toss in the jalapeno, scallions and garlic. Saute until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with a little salt. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and egg lightly in a small bowl until combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture all at once. Stir the two mixtures together just until combined. Add the jalapeno mixture to the bowl along with any butter in the pan. Add the cheddar cheese and stir to combine (the batter will be thick).
• Remove the hot pans from the oven and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Divide the batter among the molds, then place back into the oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden and springy to the touch.

Steps:

• Toast the bread crumbs in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Mix in the oregano, thyme, salt and pepper.
• Cut the block of tofu horizontally in half. Then cut it in half the long way. Make 5 cuts perpendicular to the long cut, creating 24 pieces. Cover a sheet pan with paper towels. Place the tofu in one layer on the towels. Blot the tofu, pressing it gently with additional towels to remove excess moisture.
• Heat the oil in a deep skillet to 375 degrees F. Cover a second baking sheet with more paper towels. Place the beaten eggs in a wide, shallow dish.
• Dip the tofu in the egg. Dredge the pieces in the bread crumb mixture until completely coated. Slip the breaded tofu into the hot oil, 3 or 4 pieces at a time. Fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from pan using a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels.
• Serve immediately, accompanied by the Honey Mustard for dipping. Or, let the sticks cool and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Before serving, recrisp by baking in a 350 degree F oven for about 12 minutes.
• Puree the tofu in a food processor. Add the mustard, honey, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, dry mustard, and salt. Process until well blended. The finished dipping sauce will have the texture of runny mayonnaise.
• Turn the sauce into a container, cover, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. This gives the ingredients time to meld and their flavors to develop. Chilling thickens the sauce to a spreadable texture. Stirring brings it back to the texture of a dip or a thick sauce. (This condiment will keep for up to 1 week, tightly covered and refrigerated.)

Steps:

• Measure the bacon grease into a 6 quart pot and place over high heat. Add one or two popcorn kernels as testers. When the test kernels pop, add the rest of the popcorn and cover with a lid. As the popcorn starts to pop, shake the pan back and forth constantly to keep the unpopped kernels on the bottom where they can pop. When the popping slows down, remove the pan from the heat and let it finish popping.
• Pour the popcorn into a large bowl or paper sack. Season with half of the seasoned salt and stir. Taste before adding more salt if desired. Toss with bacon bits and shredded Cheddar cheese for an extra special treat. Store leftovers in lunch sacks or sandwich bags.