Although any time of the year is a good time to visit Halcomb’s Knob Bed & Breakfast near Paint Lick, springtime brings the delicate hues of wildflowers and budding trees to the pastoral landscape of the area. Innkeeper and chef Deborah Messenger has chosen to celebrate the season with brunch recipes that spark the flavors and textures her guests appreciate.
Yields 28
14 slices center-cut bacon, cut in half (do not use thick-cut bacon)
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground red pepper
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
28 large deveined shrimp
Toothpicks
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange bacon in a single layer on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until partially cooked but still flexible, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
2. While bacon cooks, mix together sugar, red pepper, paprika and salt in a shallow dish with a fork until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. Wrap each shrimp in 1 half-slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Roll bacon-wrapped shrimp in brown sugar mixture and return to the same parchment paper-lined sheet pan used for cooking the bacon. Repeat with remaining shrimp and bacon.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Recipes provided by Deborah Messenger of Halcomb’s Knob Bed & Breakfast and prepared at Sullivan University by Ann Currie.