Saturday, March 29, 2008

Warm Bacon Salad Dressing-Vinaigrette

Who doesn't love bacon? Ok there are a few of you out there, but for so many of us, it's a delectable tidbit we indulge in every so often.

This easy to make and oh so delicious warm bacon salad dressing I perfected after craving and recreating it from a local fave restaurant. This one does not call for cornstarch as I have seen elsewhere - I have made this one for years...It's a simple twist on my Balsamic Salad Dressing - this one obviously goes great over spinach salad...but any fresh looking salad greens will do.

Remember to allow the dressing to cool slightly, so that you don't unintentionally wilt your salad greens.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound bacon - thick sliced is best

  • 1 small onion-diced or minced/or three shallots minced

  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard

  • 1 tablespoon grainy dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  • 1 cup olive oil

  • 1/3-1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

  • Juice of one lemon (2-3 tablespoons)

  • 3 cloves garlic - minced

  • 3 tablespoons honey

  • 5 tablespoons mayonnaise

  • ****Equipment Needed:

  • Skillet, bowls, whisk, slotted spoon, One naked salad needing awesomely homemade warm bacon salad dressing

Directions:

  1. The first trick when making this salad dressing dish, is not to overcook your bacon nor cook it too fast.

  2. Slice up bacon into 3/4" inch pieces

  3. In skillet, and add one tablespoon of olive oil into cold skillet.

  4. Place cold bacon in cold skillet.

  5. Turn on heat to medium - and let bacon slowly crisp on.

  6. If bacon fat, while cooking, is spattering onto your stove top, you are cooking the bacon too fast. Cooking bacon on medium and not high heat is best.

  7. Stir on occasion to turn bacon pieces over so they can brown evenly.

  8. While bacon is cooking, dice up onions and mince garlic.

  9. In separate bowl, add minced garlic, mayonnaise, mustard, honey and salt and pepper. Measure vinegars and add to bowl.

  10. With whisk, stir to incorporate well.

  11. Slowly with stirring with whisk, add olive oil very slowly stirring all the while to make an emulsion. Using a blender might make this step easier for some.

  12. Once bacon is crisp and cooked, using a slotted spoon, remove bacon and set aside allowing it to drain over some paper towels placed on top of a bowl.

  13. Remove most of bacon fat, reserving roughly three tablespoons of bacon in skillet.

  14. Wipe sides of skillet of any dripped bacon fat before returning to stove.

  15. Keeping heat on a medium to medium-low, add onions and let become translucent - maybe five minutes time.

  16. Turn heat off. Slowly add vinegar and oil mixture, the skillet will still be hot and mixture may bubble on you.

  17. Turn heat back on and let simmer (not boil) for three minutes.

  18. Let hot dressing cool 5-10 minutes before adding to salads, in case you do not wish to "cook" or wilt your salad greens - it will still be warm.

  19. Right before using salad dressing, add your bacon back to the salad dressing. And voila, add over your favorite salad.

Enjoy!

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