Name: Apples Fried with Bacon
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 Fuji, Gala, or Braeburn apples , cored and quartered; 1 tablespoon sugar; Salt and pepper; 3 slices bacon , cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage; 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Why This Recipe Works

This old-fashioned, sweet-and-savory dish is sometimes served for breakfast and sometimes as a side at lunch or dinner. Microwaving the apples helps jump-start their cooking. Then after cooking the bacon in a skillet until crisp, we use the rendered bacon fat to brown the apple slices—infusing the smoky bacon flavor throughout the dish. Be sure to thoroughly dry the microwaved apples before adding them to the skillet to make sure they caramelize evenly. Sage, stirred in at the end, adds a subtle herby note.

Before You Begin

Be sure to thoroughly dry the apples after draining them in step 1 so they caramelize. Depending on how your apples are cut, it may be necessary to prop them up against one another as they cook.

Instructions

Microwave apples in covered bowl until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain apples in colander, then pat dry with paper towels. Toss apples, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in bowl until apples are evenly coated.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate, leaving fat in skillet.

Arrange apples in skillet, with 1 cut side down, and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip apples to second cut side and continue to cook until well browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Off heat, stir in sage, lemon juice, and bacon until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.