Darla Pitts' Savory Falafel Steak Doughnut, topped with Goat Cheese Frosting and Bacon Artichoke Jam

Editor's note: Recipes appear as submitted and written by contestants

For the Artichoke Bacon Jam

1 pound of thick cut apple wood smoked bacon

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon of butter

1 can of artichoke hearts (drained and sliced)

2 cups of red onion sliced

3 cloves of garlic minced

1 cup of strong brewed coffee

½ cup balsamic vinaigrette

1/3 cup real maple syrup

½ teaspoon of cracked pepper

Cut bacon slices in half. In a large bowl mix brown sugar, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Place bacon into the mixture and coat well. Bake bacon on a wire rack with drip pan below on 375 for approximately 15 minutes or until slightly crispy. In a large sauce pan heat butter on medium heat, add artichokes and onions. Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes. You may need to add a little water to the mixture if it appears to be getting too dry. Place 2 pieces of the bacon previously baked aside. Dice the remaining bacon and add to the pan approximately 2 minutes before the jam is done and combine well. Place jam into a jar and allow to cool before refrigerating. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

For the Falafel Steak Doughnut

1 cup warm milk

1 package of active dry yeast

2 large eggs, beaten

1 stick of unsalted butter

2 cups of all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup of Falafel dough

Vegetable oil for frying

For the Steak Filling

Tenderloin tail (approximately 1 pound cut into medium-sized chunks)

2 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

¾ cup Au Jus

For the Goat Cheese Frosting

Goat Cheese log (4 ounces)

Cream Cheese (4 ounces whipped)

Leave both cheeses out on counter to soften, roughly 1 hour. Place both cheeses into a mixer and whip on high for 2 minutes. Scrape mixture into a large zip lock bag and seal. Cut off a small corner from the bottom of the bag to use as a frosting piping bag.

Make the dough: Place warm milk and yeast in a mixing bowl and stir. Let sit for 2 minutes. Combine the rest of the ingredients and mix on medium speed in mixer for 2 minutes. Push dough mixture down from sides of bowl to ensure proper mixing. When finished, place into a well greased bowl and cover. Allow dough 2 hours to rise.

Steak Filling: In a sauce pan, heat up butter and cook tenderloin tail chunks on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove meat from pan, set aside, leaving the butter in the pan. Combine flour with the butter in pan on medium to low heat, stirring until golden brown. Add Au Jus a little at a time, whisking to ensure that there are no lumps. Cook on medium until sauce thickens. When done, turn off heat and combine steak into mixture and set aside.

Doughnut: On a well floured surface, roll the dough that has rested until ½ inch thick. Cut dough into 6 inch circles (I used a soup cup to cut the circles). Place ¼ cup of the steak filling in the center of the circles and stretch dough over the top to cover filling. Mold the dough as if you were making a snowball to make sure the filling is sealed inside and is in a nice doughnut shape. In a sauce pan, add vegetable oil to roughly 2 inches in depth and heat. Fry doughnut on medium heat (approximately 375 degrees) for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from oil and let drain on paper towels.

Doughnut Assembly: Place doughnut on a plate while warm. Pipe frosting on top of doughnut and finish with artichoke bacon jam. To top off the doughnut, I like to place a small piece of bacon in the center of the jam from the previously reserved bacon.

Darla Pitts