February 2022 - Cooking with Rum

by ,

                                    Rum Bacon Balls

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. Ground Chicken
  • 2 C. All-Purpose Flour
  • 4 ½ tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • ½ tsp. Cayenne Pepper, add more if you like them spicy 
  • 3 Tbsp. Butter, melted
  • 8 oz. Cheddar Cheese, grated 
  • 4 oz. Pecans, chopped
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
  • 1 C. Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 2 pkgs. Bacon
  • 1 C. Dark Rum
  • ½ C. Brown Sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper and butter.  Add the grated cheese and toss to coat cheese. Crumble chicken into bowl with clean hands.  Squeeze mixture through your fingers and knead the mixture to make sure everything has been mixed well together. After of few minutes of mixing, add nuts and mix well.
  2. Firmly roll the mixture into 1 ½ inch balls.
  3. Place bacon strips (cut in half) in a pan.  Pour the rum over the bacon and add brown sugar. Let soak for about 5 minutes.
  4. In a separate bowl, crack the 2 eggs and beat thoroughly.  Take each chicken ball and dip into bowl to completely cover with egg mixture. Then roll each of the chicken balls in the Panko bread crumbs until covered completely. 
  5. Wrap each bacons trip around chicken balls and use toothpicks to hold it in place.
  6. Place balls on a sheet pan that has non-stick cooking spray (or use foil).
  7. Bake chicken balls for 15 minutes.  The flip the balls and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes (or until bacon is completely cooked).
  8. Remove from oven and ready to serve.  See recipe on next page for an excellent dipping sauce for your Rum Bacon Balls.

                                    Rum Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

  • 2 Egg Yolks, raw
  • ½ tsp. Salt
  • ½ tsp. Dry Mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. Tarragon Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. Dark Rum, same rum used for the Rum Bacon Balls
  • 1 C. Olive Oil

Directions:

  1. In a blender, mix the first five ingredients at high speed for 30 seconds.  
  2. Turn to slow speed and slowly start adding the olive oil through the small opening in the lid of the blender.  
  3. Blend until entire mixture is smooth and thick.

This recipes makes about 1 ½ cups of mayonnaise.