Baconnaise Copycat Food

BACONNAISE (COPYCAT)

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together in a mini food processor until smooth.
• Refrigerate for 2 hrs before using to allow flavors to blend. Keeps up to a week.

ASPARAGUS FRIES & BACONNAISE

Steps:

• Separate one of the three eggs for the asparagus. Put the white in a bowl with the remaining two eggs, beat with a fork and set aside until needed. Now, make the baconnaise. Chop the bacon as finely as possible. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the bacon and stir over a low heat for 15 mins, so it ends up sizzling in its own fat and becomes brown and crisp. Sit a metal sieve over a jug and tip the bacon into the sieve - you need about 200ml of fat in total, so top up the bacon fat with extra oil as necessary. Leave to cool for 10 mins.
• Tip the egg, egg yolk and mustard into a bowl, whisk to combine, then slowly add the bacon fat and oil mixture - first a drop at a time, then gradually quicker when it starts to come together. (You can also make this in a mini chopper, by blitzing the egg and mustard then slowly adding the oil with the blade running.) Once you have a thick mayonnaise, add the vinegar and chopped bacon, and season to taste. Can be made up to three days ahead and kept in the fridge.
• For the asparagus, snap off or trim the woody ends (save for making stock or soup). Get out three shallow dishes and tip the flour into one, the reserved beaten eggs into another, and the parmesan and breadcrumbs into the third. Dip the asparagus in the flour, then the egg, then the cheesy breadcrumbs, and put on a plate. Can be prepared the day before, covered and kept in the fridge.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Drizzle the oil over a baking tray (a sturdy Swiss roll tin is ideal) and heat in the oven. Once the oil is hot, carefully lay the asparagus spears in it, then turn them. Make sure they are in one layer, then roast for 20 mins, turning halfway through, until the crumbs have browned to a crisp coating. Leave until just cool enough to pick up, then serve with the baconnaise for dipping.

VEGETARIAN FRESH SPRING ROLLS (P.F. CHANG'S COPYCAT)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the carrots, green onions, cabbage, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper: toss well. Let marinate at room temp for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, place the noodles in a medium bowl. Cover with boiling water and soak for 10 minutes, or until the noodles are softened. Drain well and snip into 2-inch pieces. Set aside. Place about 2 Tablespoons of the noodles and about 2 Tablespoons of the vegetable mixture about 1-inch from the lower edge of each rice paper round. Sprinkle with basil/mint leaves. Fold the bottom edge over the filling; fold in both sides and roll up tightly. Press to seal. Place on a plate seam side down; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 10 minutes (you may also make these ahead of time and refrigerate for several hours). Two quick sauces (or use hoisin, hot mustard, etc): In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and sesame oil. In a separate bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, peanut oil, hot sesame oil, garlic and sugar. Serve as a dipping sauce with the spring rolls. NOTE: To soften the rice-paper rounds before rolling them, fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip each rice-paper round into the water for 10 seconds, or until softened and transluceent. Remove and let drain on a clean dish towel. Do not stack the rice papers; they will stick together.

BACONNAISE

Steps:

• Place the yolks in a small food processor with 1 tsp lemon juice and mix until well combined.
• Turn the food processor on low and slowly drizzle the liquid bacon fat into the yolk mixture, drop by drop in the beginning. If you put too much oil at once, it will separate.
• As you add more bacon fat, the emulsion will form and the mayonnaise will start to thicken and you can pour the fat in faster.
• Once you add all the bacon fat, mustard and add the rest of the lemon juice and taste your creation. Add salt to taste if needed.
• Store in the refrigerator.