Salads

BLT Salad

If the BLT ranks as one of the world’s great sandwiches, imagine what the combination can do for a salad. It’s one of the rare occasions when iceberg lettuce works better than a designer green like arugula.

BLT Salad

Recipe Notes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slivers
4 slices French bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or butter (optional)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s
2 tablespoons buttermilk, heavy (whipping) cream, or half-and-half
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar or rice vinegar
1 small or 1/2 large head iceberg lettuce
2 large or 4 medium-size luscious red ripe tomatoes
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

Recipe Steps

Step 1: Place the bacon in a cold heavy large skillet and heat over medium heat. Cook the bacon until it is crisp, browned, and most of the fat has rendered (melted out), 4 to 6 minutes, stirring often. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Leave the bacon fat in the skillet.

Step 2: Add the bread cubes to the bacon fat and cook over medium heat until well browned, stirring often, 5 to 8 minutes. If bacon fat sounds excessive (or there isn’t quite enough, say 1-1/2 tablespoons), wipe out the skillet, add the olive oil or butter and toast the bread cubes in that. Do not let the bread cubes burn. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bread cubes to the plate with the bacon.

Step 3: Place the mayonnaise, buttermilk, and vinegar in a salad bowl and whisk to mix. Set the dressing aside.

Step 4: If you are using a whole head of lettuce, cut it in half. Remove and discard the core and coarsely chop the lettuce. You should have about 4 cups. Remove and discard the stem ends of the tomatoes, then dice the tomatoes. Place the lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, and bacon in a large bowl but don’t toss until serving.

Step 5: Just before serving, gently toss the salad with the dressing (use the slotted spoon or a rubber spatula). Season the salad with salt and lots of pepper to taste; remember, the bacon is salty already.