Turnips with Candied Bacon

Name: Turnips with Candied Bacon
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 1 ⁄ 2 cup packed light brown sugar; 8 slices thick-cut bacon; 3 lb. plum tomatoes, cored; 2 tbsp. olive oil; 2 1 ⁄ 3 cups chicken stock; 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 3 large shallots, thinly sliced; 1 cup packed basil leaves; 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce; Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste; 1 cup rendered goose fat (see The Whole Goose ); 2 lb. turnips, peeled and cut into 1 ½″ chunks; 4 cloves garlic, crushed; 4 sprigs thyme

Serves
serves 4

TODD COLEMAN

Bacon and charred tomatoes bring smoky sweetness to turnips cooked in goose fat. This recipe comes from chef Brian Alberg of the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and first appeared in our December 2011 issue along with Francine Prose's story The Glories of Goose.

Ingredients

¹⁄₂ cup packed light brown sugar
8 slices thick-cut bacon
3 lb. plum tomatoes, cored
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 ¹⁄₃ cups chicken stock
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 cup packed basil leaves
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup rendered goose fat (see The Whole Goose)
2 lb. turnips, peeled and cut into 1 ½″ chunks
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 sprigs thyme

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Instructions

Step 1

Heat oven to 425°. Sprinkle sugar over bacon on a baking sheet; bake until crisp and glazed, about 16 minutes. Cool, cut into 1″ pieces, and set aside. Heat oven to broil. Broil tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet until charred all over, about 20 minutes. Heat oil in a 10″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, ⅓ cup stock, garlic, and shallots; cook until tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes. Purée with basil, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper; set aside.

Step 2

Heat fat in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add turnips; cook until starting to soften, about 20 minutes. Add remaining stock, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Serve turnips atop tomato sauce and garnished with bacon.

Heat oven to 425°. Sprinkle sugar over bacon on a baking sheet; bake until crisp and glazed, about 16 minutes. Cool, cut into 1″ pieces, and set aside. Heat oven to broil. Broil tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet until charred all over, about 20 minutes. Heat oil in a 10″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, ⅓ cup stock, garlic, and shallots; cook until tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes. Purée with basil, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper; set aside.
Heat fat in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add turnips; cook until starting to soften, about 20 minutes. Add remaining stock, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Serve turnips atop tomato sauce and garnished with bacon.