:: Pretzel Balls & Bacon Jam ::

The theme lately, with me, seems to be salty and sweet (last post).  Salty, fluffy, crispy, and chewy pretzel balls paired with sweet, savory, chewy and flavorful bacon jam. What more could you ask for? Your tastebuds will be dancing once you eat these nuggets dipped in heaven.  This will be a hit at your holiday party, superbowl party, or even just lounging on a lazy Sunday.

I made these recipes for the first time a year ago and it was a hit at our friends superbowl party. I made the jam the day before because it takes almost 4 hours to cook in the crock pot. Our apartment smelled of warm, sweet bacon which kept us salivating for days. The balls are time consuming as well so get ready to wait for the prize!

 May I present you with…

Here’s how I made the Bacon Jam

Here’s how I made the Pretzel Balls

1 hour later

:: The finished product ::

Print Recipe
:: Pretzel Balls & Bacon Jam ::
Pretzel Balls Adapated from Paula Deen and Bacon Jam adapted from Martha Stewart
Servings
Ingredients
Bacon Jam
Pretzel Balls
Servings
Ingredients
Bacon Jam
Pretzel Balls
Instructions
Bacon Jam
  1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet (reserve for another use); add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and stir to combine.
  2. Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until liquid is syrupy, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks.
Pretzel Balls
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and yeast. When the yeast dissolves/activates, add half of the flour, the butter, salt, and sugar and mix for about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining flour. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is no longer sticky. Let the dough rise in a greased, covered bowl until it doubles in size, about 45 to 50 minutes. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each piece of dough into 18-inch long ropes. On a greased cookie sheet, shape each rope into a pretzel shape. Let rise again until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
  3. In a large non-aluminum dutch oven over high heat, bring 4 cups of water and baking soda to a boil. Using a large spoon, gently lower pretzels into water a few at a time and boil until they float. Return the pretzels the sheet pan and brush with an egg wash then sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake until browned, about 12 minutes.

Fava Bean Puree

Fava beans are amazing legumes! They’ve been around for over 5,000 years and are staples in diets around the world. The beans taste meaty in texture yet smooth. They are fantastic for our bodies as they contain L-dopa (dopamine) which aids in memory and prevents Parkinson’s Disease. They are also high in fiber, protein, Vitamins A & C, and low in sodium. They’re pretty much a power bean. 

I was given an assignment in culinary class asking that I choose a vegetable and present it. Fava beans were my choice and that’s where the video came in. I was lucky enough to get my favorite creative people at Cut to Create to make this video of me making the dish.

The Foodie Chef Makes Fava Bean Puree from Cut to Create on Vimeo.

Print Recipe
Fava Bean Puree
Servings
Ingredients
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Shell the fava beans, blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Shock them in cold water then peel the outer shell off. The beans should come out to be about 1 cup (not much compared to the 2 lbs you just bought). Combine the beans, Parmesan, garlic, cilantro, lemon zest & juice, and blend in a food processor. While blending, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. After, add salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Substitutions You can sub cilantro for parsley or basil. Playing with these flavors will give you a tasty results. If using basil, it may taste more like a pesto without nuts or hummus.
  3. Tips These beans are quite labor intensive so get ready to work your hands for a good 30 minutes. I would recommend not using a really flavorful olive oil. The second time I made it, the oil gave it too much of an overpowering fruity flavor. Also, hold the salt until the end, real Parmesan tends to be salty by itself.
  4. Spread this lovely puree over a toasted sliced baguette, it's sure to please your taste buds! If you want to garnish, I recommend using something inside the puree: shaved Parmesan, cilantro leaf, a cooked fava bean, or lemon zest to add color. Enjoy!