Black Label BBQ Sauce

1 tb EVOO
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs Johnnie Walker Black Label
2 tbs BBQ sauce
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp dried herbs
Pinch of black & red peppers

Bacon-Cheddar Biscuits

Recipe adapted from Pig: King of the Southern Table (Wiley)

Yield: About 18 biscuits

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
⅓ cup chilled lard, cut into small cubes, plus more for greasing baking sheet
½ pound sliced applewood-smoked bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
½ pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Add the lard by cutting it into the flour with a pastry blender (or two knives) until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the bacon, cheese and milk and stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened.

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead 4 to 5 times--no more or the biscuits will become tough. Gently pat the dough into a round about ½ inch thick, and cut out rounds with a 2-inch-round biscuit cutter. Pat the scraps together and repeat.

4. Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet about ½ inch apart and bake in the upper third of the oven until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm, or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Mangoes and Raspberries in Prosecco Syrup

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis


Ingredients

Syrup:

1 (750-ml) bottle Prosecco
1/2 cup sugar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 large, ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces or 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen mango, thawed
2 cups (8 ounces) raspberries

Whipped cream:

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 lemon, zested

Preparation

For the syrup:  In a medium saucepan, bring the Prosecco, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, star anise, and cinnamon stick to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat, until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes until the mixture has reduced by half. Add the mangoes and raspberries to the syrup and allow the mixture to cool for 1 1/2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove the fruit and spoon into serving bowls. Discard the cinnamon stick and star anise. Pour the syrup into a pitcher. Refrigerate the fruit and syrup until ready to serve.

For the cream:  In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream at high speed until thick. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. Add the lemon zest and mix until just combined.

To serve:  Put a dollop of cream on top of the fruit and drizzle each dish with the Prosecco syrup.