Ingredients

1 pound Spaghetti
Olive oil
¼ pound bacon or pancetta bacon
2 clove garlic, chopped fine
1 shallot, chopped fine
2 large eggs
1 cup parmesan, shredded
Ground black pepper
¾ cup fresh parsley, chopped fine

Directions

In a large stock pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for about 8 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. While pasta is boiling, set up a sauté pan on medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the bacon/pancetta and sauté (render) until crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and shallot and sauté until soft, under 1 minute. In a small mixing bowl, whisk eggs and parmesan until incorporated well. Once the pasta is done, drain it while reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. While the pasta is hot, toss it in the sauté pan and coat it with the fat for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the egg and cheese mixture quickly, so as not to scramble the eggs. This must be done while the pasta is hot for it to cook the egg mixture, but off the flame. If the sauce is too thick, add in some of the reserved pasta water to reach the desired consistency. Season with ground black pepper and parsley.

Ingredients

2 pounds beets
1 fresh bay leaf
4 spears asparagus, cut into 1-inch spears
1 orange, segmented, juices reserved
1 small red onion, half moons
1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into ¼ inch lardon (optional)
8 ounces baby arugula
½ teaspoon spring garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs thyme

Directions

In a stock pot, place beets, bay leaf and one sprig thyme. Cover with water by at least 1 inch. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender and the beets can slide easily off a knife. Once finished, cool just enough to touch and peel skins off. Cut into ½ inch cubes.

Fill a sauté pan with water, about halfway, bring water up to a simmer, season with a pinch of salt and add the asparagus. Blanch for about one minute, until tender, but with a little “snap” left in the center. Remove asparagus and place into an ice bath (shock).

To make the vinaigrette, take a small bowl, add garlic, reserved orange juice, extra virgin olive oil and 1 sprig of thyme (leaves only). Season to taste and whisk together.

In a medium salad bowl, toss together beets, onions, and asparagus with some of the vinaigrette. Add in baby arugula and the orange segments. Toss together gently, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

If using bacon, you can do this step instead of blanching. Bring a sauté pan up to a medium heat and add the bacon. Render bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and reserve. Using only some of the bacon fat left in the pan, add the asparagus and roast until tender.

Recipe Property of Brendan McDermott

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup buckwheat flour
1 tablespoon powdered milk
2 tablespoons flax seeds
¼ cup wheat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup peanut butter (heated up to soften)
¼ cup bacon, crumbled
2 tablespoons bacon grease
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup water
8 ounces carob

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl sift together the dry ingredients, flours, flax, wheat bran, baking powder and salt. In another mixing bowl whisk together the wet ingredients; peanut butter, bacon, egg, and water. Slowly incorporate the dry goods into the wet a little at a time, stirring as you go. Form the dough into a ball and knead lightly. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface and cut with a dog biscuit cookie cutter. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lines with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and let stand to harden overnight. Dip the cooking in melted carob on one side of the biscuit and let the carob harden. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

INGREDIENTS

1 head of butter leaf lettuce (or mesclun mix), leaves roughly torn
1 to 2 tart apples, seeds removed, chopped medium
2 oz, Oregon sweet blue cheese, crumbled by hand
3 pieces thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
1 medium red onion, sliced in rounds
Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Salt and freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients up through vinaigrette. Next, add just enough vinaigrette to coat lettuce leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix well. Serve immediately.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

Makes ¾ cup

INGREDIENTS

1 shallot, chopped fine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup Pinot Noir red wine vinegar
¼ cup walnut oil
¼ cup olive oil

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, combine shallots, Dijon and red wine vinegar. Next, drizzle in oils until emulsified.

INGREDIENTS

1 large sweet potato, cut into ¾ inch cubes
4 purple potatoes, cut in ¾ inch cubes
2 thick slices of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, cupped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped fine
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

PREPARATION

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skilled has heated, add the bacon. Fry the bacon until all the fat has been rendered and the bacon is fully cooked.

While the bacon is cooking, add the cubed potatoes to a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Add a liberal amount of salt to the water. Place the pot with the potatoes onto the stove over high heat. Bring the pot to a boil. Once the pot has reached a boil, test the doneness of the potatoes: using a fork, stab a couple of different cubes. If the cubes are tender when pierced and easily come off to the fork, the potatoes are done. Strain the parboiled potatoes.

Once the bacon is done, remove it from the pan and drain it on paper towels. Crumble the bacon once it has cooled and set aside.

In the same skillet over medium heat, using the rendered fat, sauté the sliced onion until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the parboiled potatoes, rosemary, and garlic to the pan. Raise the heat to medium high and fry the potatoes for 10-15 minutes. Allow the hash to cook, untouched, for several minutes before stirring or flipping. This will allow proper caramelization. Stir of flip the hash a few times while sautéing. Once the potatoes are browned and crispy on all sides, add the parsley, green onions, and crumbled bacon to the skillet. Toss to combine thoroughly. Taste a bite of the hash then season as necessary with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Serve hot. Goes great with tangy lemon vinaigrette. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

2-3  pounds fresh clams, steamed and opened, and chopped
Olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped medium
2-3  slices of bacon, diced (optional)
¼ cup sherry
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
¼ cup fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh chives, minced fine
4 large yellow potatoes, cubed
Salt/cracked pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 cups half and half

PREPARATION

In a heavy bottom saucepan heat oil and butter and saute onion for a few minutes on medium heat, adding bacon and sautéing until bacon is done, add sherry and all purpose four and stir  well, add herbs and potatoes Worcestershire sauce and pepper and salt.  Add the milk and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Serve garnished with oyster crackers and chopped herbs.