The picture above is Suzen’s interpretation of this recipe.
“It’s raining,” she said. “I’m not grilling.”
And so, we did not grill the romaine lettuce but simple served it tossed with bacon, tomatoes and dressing. Either way, this salad is treat, familiar yet dramatically different. This dish easily forms a full meal. Miss the bread of your traditional BLT? How about a warm dinner roll with butter.
Particularly if you do not grill the lettuce, you can create this meal in minutes.
Chilled white wine. You probably want that along with the rolls.
This recipe comes from 365 Comfort Foods from Better Homes and Gardens. Just as that BLT sandwich is something many of us crave [I can do it daily], this is a salad you’d enjoy on a regular basis.
Finally, when baking the bacon, consider topping it with brown sugar or maple syrup. The sweetened bacon will contrast with the buttermilk dressing and give your dish an added lift.
BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 tablespoons crème fraiche or sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
- 1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 head romaine lettuce
- Olive oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the bacon in a shallow baking pan. Bake about 15 minutes or until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Rumble the bacon and set aside.
Meanwhile, for the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the crème fraiche, mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, and garlic. Whisk in the buttermilk. Seaton to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut each head of the lettuce in half lengthwise. Brush lettuce with oil and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. For a charcoal or gas grill, place the lettuce on the rack of a covered grill directly over medium heat. Grill about 2 minutes or until lightly charred, turning one halfway through grilling. For a grill pan, preheat the pan, add the lettuce and cook as above.
Place the lettuce on 4 plates. Sprinkle over the bacon and tomatoes. Pour over the dressing and sprinkle with the Parmesan.
Source: 365 Comfort Foods from Better Homes and Gardens
Photo Information: Canon T2i, 18-55MM Macro lens, F/2.8, 100th second, ISO 1000