Cooking with Bourbon - Sweet Nothings

As we continue with our cooking with Bourbon fest (in an attempt to finish an ancient bottle given to us by my mother-in-law) I wanted to create a confection to have on hand during the holiday season – something to nibble on in small bites or give as a hostess gift. A little something sweet and salty with a dash of the unexpected; a combination of chocolate, toasted pecans, caramel and bourbon. Enjoy this easy DIY chocolate, pecan and bourbon turtle recipe.

Chocolate, Pecans, Caramel & Bourbon Turtles

Yield: About 70 pieces

4 cups pecan halves

2 cup caramel candies, (about 50 unwrapped candies)

2 tablespoons bourbon

3 teaspoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 pounds semisweet chocolate, finely chopped or grated

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread pecans on large shallow baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to large plate to cool. Line baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
2. In medium bowl set over saucepan of simmering water, melt half chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add remaining chocolate, and stir until smooth. Pour half melted chocolate into small bowl and reserve.
3. Spread half the chocolate in an even layer in the lined baking sheet (1/4  – to 1/2  inch thickness). Sprinkle the pecans over the chocolate layer.
   
   
4. In small microwaveable bowl, combine caramels, liquor, cream, and salt. Microwave uncovered at medium power for 2 minutes. Stir with fork. Microwave at medium power for 1 additional minute. Stir until smooth and set aside.
5. Pour and spoon caramel over chocolate/pecan layers. Drizzle with reserved chocolate. Let cool at room temperature until set, about 2 hours. Do not chill.
   
   
6. Chop finished bark into irregular 1 1/2-inch chunks.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to one month, with wax paper separating the layers to prevent sticking.

Inspiration: epicurious.com and myrecipes.com

Other recipes in the Mama Says cooking with bourbon series:

1. Bourbon-glazed salmon
2. Bourbon-glazed duck

Note from the Cook: I wish I could report that we’ve finished the ancient bottle of bourbon – but that is not the case. Stay tuned for another bourbon recipe in the future. I foresee a bourbon bundt cake or a decadent cake/pie.

Bourbon-Glazed Duck

Continuing with the weekend cooking theme of finishing an ancient bottle of bourbon that my mother-in-law gave us when she purged her cupboards…here’s a simple bourbon-glaze to baste chicken, salmon, duck and more. This sauce has a picante tang from the bourbon and a slight sweetness.  During the fall, Costco carries a roast half duck from Maple Leaf Farms for about $14.99, which serves four.  The duck comes with an orange sauce packet. Discard the sauce packet and make your own bourbon glaze for a quick and savory meal.

Follow the directions on the package for grilling the duck.  Prepare the glaze and baste as you grill the duck.

Bourbon Glaze

Makes 1/2 cup

1/4 cup bourbon whiskey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a small sauce pan, combine bourbon, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and mustard; whisk over low heat to warm through (about 10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
2. Use to baste meat.
   

Serving suggestions: coleslaw, steamed broccoli and cauliflower and a baked potato. Use the remaining glaze as a dip for the stemmed veggies. Delish!

Also checkout our bourbon-glazed salmon recipe.

Any suggestions for a dessert with bourbon? Leave a comment below.

Simple weeknight dinner with a touch of bourbon

Continuing my quest to cook through the items in my pantry I expanded by sights to include an ancient bottle of bourbon we inherited from my mother-in-law when she purged her cupboards. Since many bourbon recipes call for large quantities of sugar, I searched myrecipes.com for a sauce/marinade with minimal sugar and found this delicious bourbon-glazed salmon. To make this a week night meal, prepare the glaze the night before or in the morning and allow the fish to marinade until you are ready to cook.

Bourbon-Glazed Salmon

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons bourbon
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon fresh limejuice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4  (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
Cooking spray
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 1/2 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish and marinade to pan; cook fish 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place 1 fillet on each of 4 plates; drizzle each serving with about 2 teaspoons sauce. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon green onions and 3/4 teaspoon sesame seeds.

Source: www.myrecipes.com Esther Maples, Harlem, Georgia, Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Do you have a favorite recipe that calls for bourbon? Please share! Just leave a comment below.