BLT - BRAISED BACON, COLLARDS AND TOMATO JAM

BLT - Braised Bacon, Collards and Tomato Jam image

Provided by Robert Irvine : Food Network

Time 2h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

12 ounces pork bacon slab
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup small dice mirepoix (celery, carrot and onion)
12 cups chicken stock
4 cups apple juice
1/2 cup diced bacon
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon Cajun spice
1 head collard greens, deveined and chopped into 1-inch wide ribbons
2 cups diced red tomato
1/2 cup julienned red onion
2 tablespoons horseradish
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon curry spice
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric

Steps:

For the bacon: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the bacon, stock and mirepoix to an oven-safe pan, cover with foil and roast for 90 minutes. Then remove the bacon from the stock and allow to cool. Once cooled, portion into 4 portions and hold until re-cooking.
For the collards: Add the stock, apple juice, bacon, onions, Cajun spice and collards to a stockpot and cook over medium-high heat until simmering. Then reduce the heat to low and cook until the greens are softened and the liquid has reduced to 2 cups, about 1 hour. After cooking, remove from the heat and hold warm.
For the tomato jam: During the collard process, in a small saucepot over medium heat, add the tomatoes, onions, horseradish, thyme, salt, cayenne, curry, white pepper and turmeric, and allow to cook for 75 minutes, stirring during the process. Once cooked, keep warm and tighten with a slurry if needed.
Once all three items are cooked, on an oven-safe pan, add the braised bacon pieces, top with tomato jam and heat under the broiler lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Once browned, portion the collards in a centered pile in a bowl, then top with the relish-broiled bacon and serve.