Bacon/7 recipes

Irish-style baked parsnips parboiled then slow-baked in stock with butter and nutmeg. A simple, traditional side dish that draws out the natural sweetness of the root vegetable.

Homemade refried beans fried in lard or bacon drippings with melted longhorn cheese on top. Three ingredients, 10 minutes, and all the smoky flavor of a real taqueria.

French farmhouse chicken braised on a bed of leeks and garlic in apple juice, white wine, and brandy. The pan juices reduce into a concentrated cream sauce that's worth every minute.

Kalakukko: a traditional Finnish rye-crusted fish pie with pork and small whole fish sealed inside a dense rye dough, slow-baked for hours. A Savonian heirloom and Easter specialty.

Baked barbecued oysters in a tangy sauce of tomato paste, chili sauce, horseradish, and Worcestershire, topped with cracker crumbs. A retro seafood appetizer.

Caribou roast larded with salt pork, marinated in port wine with cloves and bay leaves, then slow-braised with cranberry juice and onions. A Northern wild game classic for hearty appetites.

Bacon and cheddar beer soup with sauteed potatoes, carrots, celery and onions, simmered in chicken broth with a can of bacon-cheddar cheese sauce, beer, paprika and a hint of liquid smoke. A hearty pub-style chowder.

Quinoa corn bread made with ground quinoa meal and buttermilk for extra protein and a tender crumb. Wheat-free cornbread with a nutty flavor that bakes up golden in under 30 minutes.

Authentic frijoles refritos made with cooked beans mashed in lard or bacon drippings and topped with melted longhorn cheese. Three ingredients, 15 minutes, real Mexican flavor.

Spinach alla Romana with pine nuts, raisins, and lard in the traditional Roman style. A classic Italian side dish of wilted spinach with sweet-savory contrasts ready in 25 minutes.

Traditional New Mexico pinto beans slow-cooked with a meaty ham bone. Just 4 ingredients and old-school technique for creamy, unbroken beans in rich pot liquor.

Easy quiche with a pre-baked pie crust, eggs, half-and-half, cheese, and your choice of ham, bacon, or fish. A versatile brunch centerpiece ready in one hour.

Southern corn lightbread made with cornmeal, buttermilk, and a touch of sugar. A dense, slightly sweet cornbread loaf baked in a loaf pan, just like they make it down South.

Tex-Mex double-crust beef and bean pie stuffed with ground beef, kidney beans, black beans, cheddar cheese, and chunky picante sauce. Topped with sour cream and olives for the ultimate taco night twist.

Cornbread chili is a one-skillet tamale-pie cousin: ground beef simmered with cumin, oregano, and tomato concasse, then crowned with a buttermilk cornmeal crust and baked golden.

Macaroni and bean soup with white beans, salt pork, elbow pasta, and a tomato-beef broth base. An Italian-American pasta e fagioli cousin with a hearty two-hour simmer for deep flavor.