Bistro salad is fully loaded with flavors, textures

It’s crunchy, bright, and ever so flavorful! This bistro salad is fully loaded, featuring so many great flavors and textures, making it the perfect salad for a main meal or an exquisite side. It takes a little extra effort, but it’s well worth your time.

Bistro salad

Serves 6-8. 1 lb bacon, thick-cut 1⁄2 cup brown sugar 1⁄3 cup dark beer 1⁄8 tsp cayenne pepper

Pinch of coarse salt 1⁄2 cup brown sugar 2 tbsp water 2 cups pecans or walnuts 3 tbsp champagne vinegar

2 tbsp honey 1⁄2 tsp Dijon mustard 1⁄2 tsp minced fresh garlic

1 extra-large egg yolk (if you don’t want to use raw egg, leave it out. You can also use extra mustard to help emulsify)

3⁄4

tsp kosher salt 1⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

⁄2 cup good olive oil 1

Spring mix for 8 (lettuce of your choice)

8 slices of beer-candied bacon, (Recipe at right)

2 Honey Crisp apples, skin on, diced

1⁄2 cup dried cranberries, soaked in hot water or brandy for 30 minutes

1⁄2 cup blue cheese crumbles

Salt and pepper to taste to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, beer and cayenne, whisking to form syrup. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire cooling rack or oven rack on top. Arrange bacon on the rack. Cook for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and brush one side of the bacon with the beer syrup. Turn bacon over and brush

Spread pecans/walnuts into a single layer onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, using a fork to separate them. Let stand at room temperature for about an hour until fully cooled and dry.

Break apart any clusters and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic, egg yolk, salt and pepper. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.

Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the spring mix, bacon, apples, cranberries, walnuts and blue cheese. Drizzle dressing over the salad.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.