Blueberry Bacon Jam

Although only recently has such a recipe become fashionable again, meat and fruit presented as a sweet dish has ancient roots.  A few Egyptian texts referred to meat preserved with honey. Then during the Victorian Era, mincemeat was all the rage. Grinding bits of beef or venison with dried fruits and strong spirits to create a pastry filling.  Over the years, such labor intensive recipes fell out of favor when people began to consume more ready made products.  A relatively new growing interest in more traditional foods has sparked a creative revival.  This blueberry bacon jam recipe is my contribution to that revival.

Blueberry Bacon Jam

2 lbs. Bacon

2 Large Yellow Onions

1 Bulb of Garlic

1 1/2 C. Dried Blueberries

1/2 C. White Wine Vinegar

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1 C. Strong Coffee

1 C. Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey

3/4 C. Maple Syrup

Use a medium sauce pan.

Chop the bacon finely. Slightly frozen helps.

Start Rendering the bacon until browned, and just starting to crisp.

Reduce the heat, and discard all but 1/4 C. of fat.

Finely chop the onions and add to the pan with the bacon.

Crush the garlic and add it.

Caramelize the onions, garlic, and bacon over medium low heat.

Occasionally add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze and promote color development.  Allow it to reduce out.

When caramelized, reduce heat to low.

Add the brown sugar, and blueberries.

Add the coffee, syrup, and vinegar stirring slowly.

Carefully add the whiskey to avoid flare up.

Simmer on low heat reducing nearly all the liquid out.

It should be thick, but not entirely dried out.

Not to sound obvious, but jam like.

Cool completely and store in the food safe container of your choice.

This is a super fun recipe to play with.  You could change the fruit, or the alcohol.

You could take this bit of culinary decadence a step further with bear bacon.

This jam is a fun multiuse condiment. Enjoy with biscuits, or on a burger.

I have not been paid by Rogue Spirits to endorse their brand.

They are just a cool Oregon distillery that makes a quality product.

I'm not saying I'd turn down a bottle or ten if it showed up.

Check with your local liquor merchant for availability.

http://www.rogue.com/rogue_spirits/dead-guy-whiskey/

Blueberry Lemon Cookies

   When I start working on cookie recipes, I think about how the finished cookie will look, taste, and even smell while baking.  I've given this recipe to a few realtors over the years.  Seal up the house and bake off a few dozen of these before a showing.   Sounds crazy, but it helped get offers on hard to sell properties.  I wrote this small batch recipe based on one of my production recipes.  Not much different than my original recipe except that it doesn't start with 15 pounds of butter.

Blueberry Lemon Cookies

1/2 C. Butter

1 C. Sugar

2 Eggs

1 C. Dried Blueberries

Zest of 1 Lemon

1t. Vanilla

2 1/2 C. Flour

1/2 t. Baking Soda

1/2 t. Baking Powder

1/8 t. Salt

Cream the butter and sugar.

Mix in the eggs, zest and extract.

Blend dry ingredients in a separate bowl then add to the wet ingredients mixing until a dough starts to form. 

Add the blueberries and mix until incorporated.

Form the dough into logs and wrap with wax paper or plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Slice dough into 1/4 inch or so discs.

Lightly press one side of the dough into a dish of pearized casting sugar. You don't want to overload it. just get a nice spread of grains across the face of the cookie.

Place sugar side up on a baking sheet.  There will be a small amount of spread, so not very close.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

This recipe can be frozen. Just make sure it is well wrapped. May be frozen for up to 6 months.