The Francis House, a small luxury hotel in Calistoga, is also a landmark for the city. Originally built as a family home for prominent local merchant, James H. Francis, the home, built in 1886, is the only stone building with authentic French Second Empire architecture in Napa County. Owned by Dina and Richard Dwyer since 2015, the property has been carefully restored and redesigned to its former glory and now welcomes guests to their 5 guest rooms.
Dina loves to cook and often prepares special treats for guests, including this 2-ingredient winner, that is also Paleo-Keto diet friendly.
Bacon Wrapped Avocado, The Francis House
8 strips of precooked packaged bacon (see note)
1 large avocado (slice each avocado half into 4 slices to make a total of 8)
Preheat oven to 425°F (oven temperatures vary so if you are doing this for the first time, watch it carefully. The bacon must be cooked.)
Take 1 strip of precooked bacon and try to gently stretch it a little longer without it breaking (especially near the lighter pink and white parts.). Carefully wrap the bacon around an avocado slice, starting at one end and twisting it to the other end. Tuck the end piece of the bacon with a toothpick so it does not unravel.
Repeat with remaining slices and place onto a silpat baking sheet. Bake for 7-12 minutes or until bacon becomes crisp. There will be fat rendered so be conscious of that when removing from the oven. Let stand for 3-5 minutes to allow the bacon to cool and crisp.
Serve with sourdough toast. The avocado will be soft and will spread like room temperature butter. Serve with lightly dressed maché rosettes or butter lettuce with a citrus vinaigrette of your choice. Finish with a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt and sweet pimenton.
Note: Dina uses precooked bacon instead of raw. If the avocado cooks too long in the oven it becomes bitter and mushy. Using precooked bacon cuts the cook time down so that the bacon is crispy and the avocado is not overcooked.
Makes 8.
