bacon & fig dip

mmmm… bacon… 

here’s another recipe in ode to bacon. this gluten-free, creamy dip is surprisingly easy to prepare and makes for a great appetizer for your next dinner party, gameday or — you guessed it — baconpalooza!

the bacon:
- heat up 1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in large saucepan on medium heat
- add 5-6 strips of country-style bacon to pan
- fry bacon in pan for a few min until slightly crispy on both sides
- remove from heat & set aside bacon on plate to cool
- pat bacon w/ papertowels to remove excess fat & oil
- reserve bacon fat in pan to add to dip mixture

the dip:
in a small mixing bowl, mix & fold together the following ingredients together until well-combined:
- 1/4 cup low-fat, plain greek yogurt
- 100g chevre frais
- crispy-fried bacon (rough chop into bacon bits)
- 5-6 small dried figs (rough chop into small pieces)
- season w/ ground black peppercorns
- drizzle bacon fat leftover from pan

food styling:
- serve immediately, best served warm
- pairs well w/ gluten-free chips or your fave crackers
- store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge

wonton dumplings (siomai)

do you have one of those fave, homecooked dishes that you’ve loved ever since childhood? well, this is that dish for me. siomai, or wonton dumplings, is one of my fave things to eat — and my mom’s recipe is the best, in my opinion. :)

this weekend in honour of heritage day (an awesome civic holiday celebrating multiculturalism), i visited my parents’ home and we enjoyed a filipino feast on the patio. my special request was siomai. not only is it a great appetizer for sharing, but it’s also fun cooking together with mom & dad. what a fantastic way to enjoy sunday dinner…

typically made with pork, wonton dumplings are a staple on chinese dimsum menus. there are many different variations on this popular dumpling recipe from several countries throughout asia (check out more details on wikipedia). here’s my mom’s version of the filipino recipe for siomai…

prep wonton stuffing:
combine the following ingredients well in large prep bowl:
- 500g ground lean pork
- 2-3 green onion stalks (rooted stems removed, diced)
- 2-3 chinese sausages (finely chopped)
- 2 medium eggs
- season w/ salt & ground black peppercorns to taste

(tip: you can substitute chinese sausage for ham or shrimp. for extra texture & flavour, you can also add green peas, carrots, dried mushrooms or water chestnuts to the wonton stuffing.)

prosciutto & melon bites

you don’t even need to twist my rubber arm to eat prosciutto… i love, love, love prosciutto. which is surprising, since i’m not a huge fan of salty food. perhaps that’s why i love this simple summer appy so much. it strikes a good balance of sweet & salty with the fresh cantaloupe & the smoked prosciutto. delish.

the dish is easypeasy…

- 1/2 small cantaloupe (peeled, seeded, cut into bite-sized chunks)
- 3-4 strips of smoked prosciutto (torn into small pieces)
- wrap melon chunks w/ smoked prosciutto
- season w/ ground black peppercorns
- pairs well w/ freshly-squeezed orange juice and/or your fave bubbly… and, of course, a sunny patio!

this summer dish reminds me of vacationing in bella italia a few years ago and all the wonderful, fresh food there. grazie to fellow blogger greg at rufus’ food and spirits guide for the foodie inspiration from a truly fruitastic post.