One of my favorite kitchen games (yes, I have kitchen games) is making a recipe in order to use up something I have too much of. For example, this week it has been getting to the bottom of a large container of ricotta cheese (3 recipes later and I’ve just declared victory). Last week, things got a little…tricky…with about 2 pounds of bacon. Don’t judge, but I really wanted to fry some cornmeal-crusted catfish pieces in bacon fat, but I was missing a key ingredient, namely about 1/3 cup of bacon fat. So, I got to making bacon.
Several hours, a change of clothes and a bacon facial later, I had rendered enough fat out of an unnatural amount of bacon to fry fish in. But I was also left with an utterly overwhelming amount of bacon. I froze some of it (it’s going to be bacon marmalade for a fall tart I have my eye on) and then got to looking for quick ways to use up some of the rest. I came across this recipe for quick bread in an old Food & Wine and it just seemed like a very easy way to use up a good amount of bacon, and also buy some stuff I really like to eat, like olives and goat cheese.
I guess it should go without saying that combining bacon, olives, goat cheese, scallions and Parmesan with a kick of cayenne and a splash of buttermilk is going to taste good. But I wasn’t quite prepared for just how good. Partially because I’d made the loaf for no reason in particular, I could not stop myself from continually sawing off “just a sliver” and marveling over how delicious it was. I ate half the loaf this way.
The unsolicited feedback I received on this bread, eaten toasted and with a fried egg, was that it is “IN-SANE.” That’s a direct quote. If you’re wondering what you might do with bacon-goat cheese-olive quickbread hanging out in your fridge, the answer is “whatever you want.” It’s really quite versatile. As I mentioned earlier, it’s great for aimless snacking. It’s great on a brunch table and a killer companion for eggs. It’s good as a replacement for a biscuit or cornbread with any vaguely southern dinner you’re having. Basically, you’re resourceful and I’m sure you can “find a way” to incorporate this into your diet. It will be one of the best decisions you’ve made.
Ingredients
- 6 slices of thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 6 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 red serrano chile, seeded and minced
- 2 teaspoons minced thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; line the bottom with parchment paper. In a skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- In a bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, cayenne and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk, olive oil and mustard. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the egg mixture until just combined. Fold in the goat cheese, Parmigiano, olives, bacon, scallions, chile and thyme. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface.
- Bake the bread until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the loaf to loosen it from the pan. Invert onto a plate and let cool completely. Cut the loaf into thick slices and serve.
Notes
https://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2017/08/28/goat-cheese-bacon-and-olive-quick-bread/
