Crostini of Arugula, Thick Cut Bacon, Red Anjou Pear, Mostarda & Goat Cheese

SERVES 4

For the Crostini

2c. Pear Mostarda
4 halved Pieces of Thick Sliced Bread
4 Pieces of Thick Sliced Bacon
1 bunch Arugula leaves, washed and dried and kept cold
Medium Aged Goat Cheese
Juice of half a lemon
Maldon Sea Salt

For the Mostarda

1/2 c. Olive oil
1 large Yellow Onion, peeled and diced
1 knob Ginger, roughly the size of a thumb
1T ea Brown/yellow mustard seed
2t Fennel seed
1t Fenugreek
3 ea Red Anjou Pear, cored and cut into medium dice
1c Brown Sugar
1c Apple cider vinegar
2c White Wine
Salt and Pepper

PREPARE Mostarda

Heat a sauce pan over medium heat and add the olive oil, onion and ginger and cook for three to four minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the spices and increase the heat. Continue to cook for another three to four minutes, stirring as needed. Add the pear and brown sugar and cook anther three to four minutes. Deglaze with the apple cider vinegar and wine and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer the mostarda for an hour or until the liquid evaporates and the texture is like loose jam. This should be made ahead and will keep in your fridge for several weeks if not months. Make a big batch and use on pork loin, on a cheese board or on a delicious gingerbread cake with cream cheese.

PREPARE Crostini

Cook the bacon over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Place the arugula in a mixing bowl. While the bacon cooks, preheat a broiler to high and brush the bread with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toast both sides of bread under the broiler. Transfer the toast to individual plates or platters. Remove the bacon from the pan, reserving the fat. Cut the bacon into two or three pieces. Squeeze the half lemon over the arugula and spoon some of the bacon fat from the skillet over the arugula as well. Grate some goat cheese over each slice of toast and top with the bacon. Toss the arugula to dress and season with sea salt. Divide evenly over the bacon. Spoon the pear mostarda over the arugula and grate some more cheese over the top. Serve with a knife and fork and a crisp white wine, like NW Riesling or soft lush red lie Gamay Noir.