Blue cheese and bacon put the savor in this salad
The pairing of crisp bacon and blue cheese is such an alluring duo. In this robust salad, the two team with Belgian endive leaves, hazelnuts or pecans, fruit, celery and dill. It's napped with a simple oil-and-lemon-juice vinaigrette.
I like the way cookbook author Elena Silcock nestles the bacon, left whole and crisp, into the finished salad. She suggests serving the salad with steak and French fries. Oh boy.
Blue cheese, bacon and celery salad INGREDIENTS
8 ounces thick-cut bacon Dressing: 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste), salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
4stalks celery, sliced on the diagonal 2 heads Belgian endive, leaves separated 2 pears or apples, cored, unpeeled, cut into thin slices top to bottom 5 ounces blue cheese
3ounces whole roasted, blanched hazelnuts; see cook's notes
1 small bunch fresh dill
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook's notes: Trader Joe's sells roasted hazelnuts; generally, most of the nuts have their skins removed, so I don't blanch them. I use them as is, whether they are salted or unsalted. If you prefer, substitute toasted
PROCEDURE
1. Cook bacon one of two ways, in skillet or oven. For skillet method, cook over medium heat until it starts to brown on one side. Use tongs to flip the bacon; cook, flipping occasionally to prevent burning, until crisp, and drain on paper towels. For oven method, place on a parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet in a single layer in a preheated 400-degree oven, then bake for about 15minutes or until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
2. Place dressing in large bowl and whisk to combine. Start with smaller amount of lemon juice; taste and adjust juice to make it perky but not overly sour. Add celery and endive leaves; gently toss. Add sliced pears or apples. Crumble blue cheese on top. Coarsely chop hazelnuts and add, reserving some to use as garnish. Pull dill leaves off stems and add most of them, reserving some to use as garnish.
3. Toss and taste; season with more salt and pepper if needed. Transfer to platter. Nestle in the bacon and scatter on reserved nuts and dill.
Source: Adapted from “Salads Are More Than Leaves,” by Elena Silcock (Hamlyn, $24.99)
Yield: 4servings
to taste
pecans.