Bibb and Radish Salad with Bacon Dressing
- 6 ounces slab bacon, trimmed and cut into thin, bite-size pieces 1/2 cup water
- 2 shallots, peeled
- Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 8 radishes, tops trimmed down to 1/2-inch, thoroughly washed and dried
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 heads Bibb lettuce, removed, cut in 1/2, washed and dried
- This is a simple combination of ingredients that I find refreshing.
- When I was growing up, my father would always serve a huge salad and say "You always need a few leaves to feel good".
- It is his salads that I carried with me throughout my career as a chef and mother.
- Cook's Note: For optimum results, chill the lettuce and radishes before tossing and serving.
- This salad is so refreshing when eaten cold!
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the bacon and 1/2 cup water.
- Bring the water to a boil and reduce until it evaporates.
- The bacon will start to render its fat and brown.
- Lower the heat and allow to cook at a slow, steady pace.
- When the bacon is crispy and light brown, drain the fat into a medium-size bowl and set the bacon aside.
- Put the shallots on a flat surface and cut them into thin rounds.
- Transfer to a large salad bowl and season them with salt, to taste.
- Add the red wine vinegar and mustard and stir to blend.
- Stir in the bacon fat, tasting as you go.
- Start with about 1/4 cup of the fat and taste as you add the rest.
- There should be a good balance between the bacon flavor and the acidity of the red wine vinegar.
- Set aside.
- Put the radishes on a cutting board and, using a small, sharp knife, slice them into 1/4-inch rounds (with the bit of the tops still attached).
- Add them to a small bowl and stir in the mustard.
- Add the Bibb lettuce to the bowl with the bacon dressing.
- Toss to blend.
- Taste for seasoning, then stir in the radishes and the cooked bacon.
- Serve immediately.
bacon, shallots, kosher salt, red wine vinegar, thoroughly washed, mustard, bibb lettuce
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/bibb-and-radish-salad-with-bacon-dressing-recipe.html (may not work)