Texas Monthly: Multimedia

Smoked-Bacon Compote (December 1992)

Recipe from Dean Fearing of Dallas’ Mansion on Turtle Creek.

1/2 cup marinade reserved from previous recipe
1 cup veal demiglace
1 cup smoked slab bacon cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups wild mushrooms, such as brown Italian or shiitake, cut to about size of pearl onions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sweet-potato balls (prepare with melon baller before cooking)
1/2-3/4 cup pearl onions, peeled
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup glazed pecans (see recipe, below)
Salt to taste
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Place marinade in saucepan over medium heat and reduce by half. Add demiglace and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, or until sauce coats back of spoon. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Render bacon in sauté pan over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain and set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in sauté pan over medium heat and cook mushrooms 3 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in medium ovenproof saute pan over medium heat. Add sweet-potato balls and pearl onions and cook 3 minutes. Stir in sugar and vinegar and cook another 2 minutes, then put pan in oven and cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from oven and add reduced marinade mixture, bacon, mushrooms, and glazed pecans. Stir and season with salt and lemon juice; serve with beef tenderloin.

Recipe from A Texas Style Christmas Feast Meets West. Texas Monthly, December 1992.