I wasn't really a lover of bacon until very, very recently. Now I'm a full-fledged convert and I'm here to congratulate the delicious food on International Bacon Day.
Now, what exactly is International Bacon Day? As if you couldn't guess, it's a day to eat bacon. Lots and lots of bacon. Okay, I know that I typically strive for healthier meals and I very much believe in a balanced diet—but sometimes a girl just needs some bacon, okay? Which is why I'm sharing these 5 Latin recipes because I know that YOU love to indulge in some bacon occasionally, too. Some are easy, some are complicated. Some are a great snack, others a great lunch or dinner. And, as always, all of them are incredibly delicious, so don't miss out!
Read more ¿Que Mas? Pork cooking tips from Chef Floyd Cardoz, plus how to make the perfect pork tostadas! (RECIPE)
What is your favorite Latin recipe with bacon? Share with us in the comments below!
Bacon Cheeseburger Quesadillas
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef, 1/4 cup No-Stick Grilling Marinade for Beef (find recipe here), 1 tablespoon Steak Seasoning (find recipe here), 1/2 bacon, small dice, 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, small dice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 1/2 cups shredded pepperjack cheese, Eight 10-inch flour tortillas, 1/4 cup olive oil, Sour cream and salsa for serving, 4 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 cup canola oil, 1 cup light olive oil, 2 tablespoons Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper, 2 Tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 cup Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, 3/4 cup freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 cup lemon pepper seasoning, 2 tablespoons garlic salt, 2 tablespoons granulated garlic, 1 tablespoon onion powder
Directions:
1. Make four hamburger patties using the ground beef. Brush each patty with the No-Stick Marinade and allow to marinate 30 minutes. Sprinkle each patty with the Steak Seasoning.
2. Prepare the grill. Cook the burgers on direct high heat to medium-well, approximately 14 minutes.
3. While burgers are cooking, place the diced bacon in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon until it becomes brown and crispy, stirring often. Once the bacon is crisp, use a slotted spoon to remove from pan. Pour off most of the bacon fat, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Place the diced onions, salt, and pepper in the hot bacon fat. Cook 6-7 minutes, stirring often.
4. Allow the bacon, onions, and hamburgers to cool completely.
5. Place the cooked burgers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 6-7 times. The meat should be broken up but not ground fine.
6. Place the ground hamburger, onions, and bacon in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Blend in the shredded cheeses.
7. Lay the flour tortillas on a flat surface and divide the filling evenly among them. Spread the filling so that it covers one half of each tortilla. Fold the filled tortillas in half to form a semicircle.
8. Prepare the grill. Brush the tortillas with olive oil. Grill the quesadillas over direct medium heat until well marked, about 4-6 minutes on each side. Rotate the quesadillas while cooking to prevent burning. Remove the quesadillas from the grill and cut into 4-6 triangles. Serve with sour cream and salsa.
Recipe courtesy of Serious Eats.
Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Manchego
Ingredients: 15 Medjool pitted dates, 1 pound aged Manchego, cut into 15 blocks, 5 slices bacon, cut into thirds, 1/2 cup maple syrup
__Directions:
__1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Make an incision on one side of each date and insert a block of Manchego. Squeeze the date shut in your hand to secure. Wrap each date with a bacon strip and secure with a toothpick. Place all the dates on a sheet tray lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Roast the dates in the oven until the bacon on top is starting to crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the dates over and cook the other side until the bacon crisps.
3. Remove the dates from the oven and brush both sides with maple syrup. Return the dates to the oven until they are really crackly and sticky, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot.
Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com.
Chicken, Avocado, and Bacon Sandwich
Ingredients: 2 slices bacon,1/3 cup shredded rotisserie chicken, coarse salt and ground pepper, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 garlic clove, minced, 2 slices toasted bread, sliced avocado, lettuce
Directions:
In a small skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 10 minutes. With tongs, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add chicken to skillet and stir to coat with drippings. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Spread mayonnaise on bread and layer with bacon, chicken, avocado, and lettuce. Top with the other slice of bread.
Recipe courtesy of MarthaStewart.com.
Spicy Bean with Bacon Soup
Ingredients: 2 lbs pinto beans (dried, washed), 1 lb bacon (cut into small pieces), 1 cup diced onion, 6 jalapeño peppers (seeded and diced), 3 carrots (minced), 1 gal chicken stock, 15 ozs tomato sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 bunch fresh cilantro (chopped), salt, black pepper
Directions:
1.Place the pinto beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 4 hours. Drain and rinse.
2. Place the bacon in a large stock pot and cook and stir over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, jalapeno peppers, and carrots; cook and stir until the carrots are soft. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the drained beans, tomato sauce, garlic powder, cilantro, salt, and pepper; simmer until the beans are tender, 3 to 4 hours.
Recipe courtesy of Yummly.com.
Grilled Pork, Chorizo & Applewood Smoked Bacon Burgers
Ingredients (for the burger patties): 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and crushed, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive, plus more for grilling, 1/2 cup diced shallots, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, 2 chiles de arbol, thinly sliced on the bias (we used about a teaspoon of chile de arbol powder), 2 pounds ground pork, 1/4 pound fresh Mexican Chorizo, casing removed, 3 ounces bacon (preferably applewood smoked), finely diced, 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper__. Ingredients (for the burgers):__ 6 slices Manchego cheese, 6 brioche or other good, soft hamburger buns
sliced tomato, preferably heirloom, aioli (see the recipe below), 2 ounces arugula. Ingredients (for the aioli): 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 lemon, for juicing
a pinch of cayenne pepper, Kosher salt
Directions:
1. First the aioli. Place the clove of garlic on your chopping board and crush with the side of your knife. Sprinkle a little salt over the crushed garlic and proceed to smash the garlic and salt into the board, until it has formed into a paste. Add the garlic paste into a small bowl along with the mayonnaise and whisk to combine. Season with another pinch of salt, a squeeze of the lemon juice and the cayenne and give it another whisk. Taste for balance and seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
2. Next, make the burgers.Heat a medium skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Add the olive oil and shallots. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for several minutes, stirring every once in a while, until the shallots start to soften. Add the garlic, thyme, cumin, and chile de arbol. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grindings of black pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the shallots become translucent. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the ground pork, chorizo, bacon, shallot mixture and parsley, being careful not to overwork the meat. Season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. The meat mixture will probably feel pretty loose. Shape the meat into six 6-ounce pattys. Since I was making so many burgers, I found that using a kitchen scale was extremely helpful in getting them all the same size. Although we doubled the recipe, I was able to get 14 burgers.
4. Refrigerate the pattys for an hour or so. This lets the flavors meld and makes the burgers easier to handle.
5. Preheat your grill for several minutes on medium-high. Brush the burgers with olive oil and place oil side down on the grill and cook turn the heat down to medium. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes for the first side. Once the burgers are on the grill, don't touch them and definitely don't smoosh them with the
