Prunes Wrapped in Bacon

This sweet and savory appetizer will delight your taste buds. The sweetness of the prune and the smokiness and saltiness of the bacon make a delicious combination. And let's not forget the meltingly soft texture of the prune and the crispiness of the grilled bacon. And the icing on the cake is the fact that the preparation of your appetizer will be wrapped up in no time.

Just a piece of advice before starting: These appetizers have to be eaten hot or warm.*

The following quantities are for 33 prunes wrapped in bacon, so feel free to adjust the quantities if you are cooking for more or fewer guests (I counted about 5 prunes wrapped in bacon per person).

You will need:

• 33 pitted ready-to-eat prunes
• 11 slices of bacon
• 33 toothpicks

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Start by pre-heating your oven at 200 C (392 F).*

Cut the bacon slices into the right length (the right length should be one and a quarter times the diameter of the prune).

While your oven is pre-heating, prepare your appetizer by rolling each prune in a slice of bacon.

Place the prunes wrapped in bacon on a parchment paper sheet, on an oven tray.

Place the tray in the pre-heated oven and cook for about 10 minutes, then place them under the grill for about 2 minutes, or until the bacon is grilled.

Insert a toothpick into each prune.

Serve hot or warm.

Enjoy!


*Note: You can prepare your prunes wrapped in bacon per advance, leave them in the fridge, and heat them just before serving.

As with all the other recipes we put on this site, this is meant to be easy to follow. We are hobby chefs who love to cook, and we are always up for learning new techniques. If you know of anything in this recipe which can be done a different way, whether for increased ease of preparation or better taste, please add a comment below!

Pineapple and Shrimp Verrines

These verrines are easy to make and, aside from the fact you have to do it in two steps (the marinade taking the longest time), quite fast. They are refreshing and will be ideal either for a light starter or an appetizer.

For 4 verrines, you will need the following ingredients:

• About 20 shrimp
• One tablespoon of curry powder
• A good-size handful of coriander leaves
• A can of 550 grams of cut or sliced pineapple
• The pineapple juice of the same 550 grams of cut or sliced pineapple

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Marinating time: 4 to 8 hours


Start by your marinade, as it will have to rest for a few hours.

Cut the head of your shrimp and peel them.

Roughly chop the coriander.

In a container, pour the pineapple juice, then add the curry powder. Add the chopped coriander, and mix a bit.

Add your peeled shrimp.

Cover with a plastic film, and place in the fridge for 4 to 8 hours to let the marinade infuse the shrimp.

Place your pineapple pieces in a blender and mash them into a puree. It is your choice whether or not to leave pieces, my preference being having a few half-mashed pieces here and there.

Cover with a plastic film, and place in the fridge.

Hours after the marinade has been in the fridge, and just before your dinner starts, cut the marinated shrimp into pieces, but don't forget to keep 4 whole shrimp for the decoration.

It is now time to assemble your verrines.

To do so, it will take you only four simple steps.

The first step is to pour the mashed/pineapple purée as the bottom layer.

The second step is to add the marinated cut shrimp pieces as the second layer.

The third step is to place a shrimp on the side of your verrine. You can cut a little notch into your shrimp to help it hold on to the edge of the verrine.

The four step is to add few pieces of chopped coriander on top of the marinated cut shrimp pieces.

The final step is to serve and enjoy!

*Tip: Don't throw away your leftover pineapple pieces, refer to our "Let's not waste anything!" page, and check out few ideas on how to use them.

As with all the other recipes we put on this site, this is meant to be easy to follow. We are hobby chefs who love to cook, and we are always up for learning new techniques. If you know of anything in this recipe which can be done a different way, whether for increased ease of preparation or better taste, please add a comment below!

Whipped up by Charline Leblond