blue cheese and bacon jam recipe

Blue Cheese And Bacon Jam

Prep Time 25 minutes
Course Appetizer

Ingredients
  

  • 12-13 ounces bacon diced into 1/4-inch (1cm) pieces
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup sorghum syrup
  • 1/2 cup water or chicken stock plus 2 tbsp
  • 1/4 cup Somerset Ridge Tawny Port
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 - 4 heads of Belgian Endive leaves separated and washed, patted dry
  • Your favorite Blue Cheese

Instructions
 

  • Put half the bacon in a skillet and cook it over medium-to-low heat, stirring, until the bacon pieces are crisp. Depending on the bacon you use, you may need to add a drizzle of oil to the pan at the beginning to get things going.
  • Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the bacon pieces and drain them on a paper towel.
  • Drain off excess oil from the pan, and fry the rest of the bacon the same way.
  • In a heavy-duty medium saucepan, heat the brown sugar and sorghum syrup, cook over medium heat, stirring only enough to make sure the ingredients are well-mixed. (Otherwise, you can swirl the pan.)
  • Cook until the mixture darkens and thickens a bit, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and add the water or stock and the Tawny Port. The mixture may steam and bubble up a bit, so be careful.
  • Place the pan back on the heat and simmer until the syrup has been reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the bacon and the soy sauce to the saucepan and bring the jam mixture to a simmer again, until the mixture is thick and sticky.
  • Remove from heat, add a few turns of black pepper, let cool to room temperature.
    **Jam may be refrigerated for 3 days.**

Assemble

  • Place one teaspoon of the Blue Cheese on the Endive leaf.
  • Top with a teaspoonful of the cooled Bacon Jam.
  • Arrange on serving tray.