Everything's better with bacon

Bacon has been a food trend for some time now...it pops up in the expected places (with fish, for example) as well as the unexpected ones (candied...or in a brownie).

So what's the big deal?  Why is everything better with bacon?  The answer is surprisingly straightforward: bacon contains both salt and fat, and these both make food taste better.

The reasons for the role of fat in this are fairly simple: things that are fatty contain many calories, and we need calories to survive.  Therefore we are, in essence, biologically programmed to enjoy fatty foods (much to the chagrin of anyone attempting to diet).  This also explains why, as Julia Child famously said, everything is better with butter (again....fat).

The deliciousness of salt is a slightly more complicated matter...because it's not simply that salt itself is delicious, but rather that it makes other things taste better.  The reasons for this are varied and complicated, but the gist of the idea is that salt "wakes up" our tastebuds and helps us experience the full flavours of food.

(For those of you, like me, who may like to watch the odd cooking show or six...this is why the word "underseasoned" is the kiss of death: when something is underseasoned it usually means that there is not enough salt, meaning that the flavours just don't pop as much as they should.)

(If you want to know more about why salt does the things that it does, check out this link...)

All that being said...there's a good reason why people love bacon as much as they do.  It adds salt and fat to the meal...as well as that undeniable "cured pork" flavour, with just a hint of smokiness.  

Here are two ways that you can put more bacon on your plate.....

#1- Prosciutto wrapped chicken

Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured pork product similar in nature to bacon, but not as fatty...which makes it perfect for wrapping around things.

(The problem with wrapping other meats in bacon being that the meat on the inside often overcooks before the bacon has become beautifully crispy...making the timing difficult.)

It's a super easy process: simply take the chicken, and wrap some prosciutto around it.  Then bake in a 400 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes (or until the chicken is done).  Or, for something a little fancier, wrap the prosciutto around a stuffed chicken breast...

This chicken breasts were stuffed with provolone cheese and just a little bit of pesto...makes it a bit of an inside out chicken cordon blue.  Yum.....

#2- Bacon and Egg Udon 

The original recipe that I used for this (from Fine Cooking) called for 225g of bacon...but I find that you don't need that much.  Adding some chicken would be a great way to bulk up this soup if you don't find it filling...you could cut the chicken into strips and poach it in the broth before adding the noodles.

You will need...

-eggs (1 or 2 per bowl of soup, really depends on your personal preference)

-4 to 6 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

-a bunch of green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-1 tsp chili garlic sauce (or Sriracha...something to give the broth some heat)

-1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

-4 cups chicken broth

-1 cup water

-2 tbsp soy sauce

-udon noodles or, as the original recipe suggested, ramen noodles (discard the flavour packs if using the Sapporo Ichiban or Mr. Noodles variety)

-baby spinach (as much as you want...kale would also be delicious)

First: poach the eggs and transfer them to a plate (set aside for later).

Cook the bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until just browned and crispy.  Carefully pour off most of the bacon grease, reserving about 2tsp (and leaving all of the bacon in the pan).  Add the green onions, garlic, ginger, and chili sauce.  Cook, stirring constantly, for -2 minutes (until the garlic begins to brown).  Add the chicken broth, water, and soy sauce; bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan (where are the salty bacon flavour is).  Add the noodles and cook until they are done (2-3 minutes).

Put some baby spinach in the bottom of two deep soup bowls.  Divide the udon and broth among the bowls, and top with the poached eggs.