From Greg Atkinson

Some of my favorite bacon comes from Niman Ranch, based in Marin County. Originally a single farm that provided meat for Alice Water’s Berkeley restaurant, Chez Panisse, Niman Ranch is now a collective of more than 300 farms committed to raising animals in an ethical, biologically sustainable way where, according to founder Bill Niman, “the pigs have only one bad day.”

The bacon from Niman Ranch is smoked with applewood. Cooking bacon in the oven may seem counter-intuitive, but if more than a few slices are needed, this method is the best way to go. With minimal attention, the strips come out flat and crisp. If you are baking more than one sheet of bacon at a time, rotate the pans in the oven from time to time so that the pans will cook evenly.

Serves 4 to 6

1 pound (about 16 slices) smoked, sliced, grass-fed, organic bacon

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line one rimmed baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil (this saves time on cleanup), and line a second baking sheet with a brown paper bag or paper towels (to drain the finished bacon).

2. Lay the bacon strips out on the foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake until the bacon becomes translucent and the fat in the bacon is beginning to render, about 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and continue baking until the bacon is well browned and crisp about 8 minutes more.

3. Transfer the cooked bacon to the paper-lined baking sheet to drain.
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See also Greg’s Organic Breakfast Eggs Recipes
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Greg Atkinson is author of West Coast Cooking, and The Northwest Essentials Cookbook, and lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Greg is Culinary Director of OrganicToGo.
Image Credit: © Majusc00l | Dreamstime.com
OrganicToBe.org | OrganicToGo.com
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From Greg Atkinson

Before he settled down and became a stockbroker and financial planner, my wife’s cousin Bob, who stood up for me as a groom’s man at our wedding, worked at various odd and colorful jobs. For years he was a house painter. And for a while, during the early 1980s, he used to follow the Grateful Dead concert tours, pulling a trailer equipped with a rudimentary kitchen. In the trailer, he made and sold pad thai, which he served with Bob’s Hot Habanero Shake. Bob’s noodles were my introduction to the phenomenon that is Thai food. I never got his recipe, but after years of carefully dissecting the dish and studying other recipes, I have finally developed one that comes close. I decided to forgo the habanero shake in favor of a few dried red chile flakes. Tamarind purée can be found in many Mexican and Asian markets.

Makes 4 servings

For the Noodles
8 ounces dried rice stick noodles
4 cups hot tap water

For the Sauce
2/3 cup tamarind purée, or 1/3 cup lime juice plus 1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons dried red chile flakes
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil

For the Omelet
3 large organic eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
4 cloves garlic, grated
1-inch piece ginger root, grated

For the Garnish
3 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts
1 bunch green onions, white and green parts only, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

1. Cover the rice sticks with the hot tap water in a large bowl; soak until the noodles are barely tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the noodles and keep them close to the stove.

2. In a measuring cup or small mixing bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce and keep it near the stove.

3. Make the omelet. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the salt. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Put the oil in the pan and swirl the pan to coat it with the oil. Sauté the garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute, then pour in the eggs. When the eggs begin to set, stir gently with a heatproof silicone or wooden spatula until they are cooked through, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the drained noodles to the eggs and toss with a heatproof silicone or wooden spatula until the noodles and eggs are evenly distributed. Pour the sauce mixture over the noodles and eggs, increase the heat to high, and cook, tossing constantly, until the noodles are evenly coated.

5. Add the bean sprouts, half the peanuts, and half the green onions. Continue to cook, tossing constantly, until the sprouts are heated through and the noodles are tender, about 3 minutes.

6. Transfer to a serving platter, and sprinkle with the remaining peanuts and green onions and the cilantro. Serve hot, passing the lime wedges separately.

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See also Greg’s Organic Peanut Noodle Salad Recipes
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Greg Atkinson is author of West Coast Cooking, and The Northwest Essentials Cookbook, and lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Greg is Culinary Director of OrganicToGo.
OrganicToBe.org | OrganicToGo.com
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From Greg Atkinson

In Mexico, hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus sabdariffa) are sold as flores de Jamaica, and they are used as the base of one of the most popular agras fresas, the cool drinks sold on the streets from large glass jars. The dried flowers are also a key ingredient in some popular herbal tea blends, and they can be found in bulk in the tea and herb sections of many grocery stores. They are rich in vitamin C and add not only a brilliant color and piquant flavor to a beverage but also a certain density of texture, rendering it ever so sightly more viscous. This is one of my all-time favorite drinks.

Makes about 2 quarts

2 cups boiling water
½ cup dried organic hibiscus flowers
¾ cup organic sugar
¼ cup freshly squeezed organic lime juice
4 cups chilled water
Ice

1. In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the flowers and steep for 10 minutes.

2. Strain the liquid into a pitcher and discard the flowers.

3. Stir in the sugar and lime juice, add the water, and serve the cooler over ice.
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See also Lisa’s The Heat Is On… Time For Lemonade! (Recipes For Kids)
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Greg Atkinson is author of West Coast Cooking, The Northwest Essentials Cookbook, and lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Greg is Culinary Director of OrganicToGo.
Image Credit: © Alexandra Landa | Dreamstime.com
OrganicToBe.org | OrganicToGo.com
[Permanent Link] [Top]