apple and bacon jam

The smell of sizzling bacon will get any crowd running into your kitchen! Add in some sweet apples and onions...oh boy. Apple and bacon jam is a favorite party recipe of mine and I think you and

your guests will love it! You can use it on a crostini with a little brie (as pictured below), a cheeseboard, a burger, or right off a spoon! You want to make your crostini with really good olive oil. I use Olinda olive oil! Sometimes I thinly slice brie atop each crostini and bake it until it is melted then top with the bacon jam! Boom.

Ingredients

.75 lb bacon, cut into one-inch pieces

1 medium/large sweet onion, peeled and diced

1 granny smith apple, diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup coffee

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, more or less to taste

1 bay leaf

Red pepper flakes, optional

24 crostini (1-2 baguettes, sliced 1/4 inch thin on the diagonal), optional

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes until the fat has rendered and the bacon is pretty crispy and golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, move the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from the skillet and keep it for another use. Over medium heat, add the onion and apple to the skillet and cook until both are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the coffee, vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaf and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the skillet, for 2 minutes. Add the bacon and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid almost completely evaporates and turns syrupy, 30-45 minutes. Let it cool slightly before transferring it to a food processor and pulsing until coarsely chopped. Once cool, refrigerate. Feel free to rewarm in a pan prior to eating, or atop crostini in the oven!

For crostini, optional

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line 1-2 baking sheet swith foil to make clean up easier! Brush each side of the crostini with olive oil. Place them on the baking sheets in a single layer. Bake the crostini for about 10 minutes (more or less depending of your oven). Remove the crostini, salt the first side, flip and bake the other side of the crostini for 5-7 more minutes. Salt the second side. Remove the crostini from the oven. Set aside.