Both the cooked bacon and the rendered bacon fat (not to mention the pan drippings) are used in this dressing, harnessing as much of the bacon flavor as possible. It's delicious on escarole, endive, kale, and other hearty winter greens.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: About 1/4 cup Dressing
Ingredients:
- 4 strips bacon
- 1 shallot
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
- Cut the bacon into small pieces. Peel and mince the shallot and set it aside. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook the bacon, stirring now and again, until it is browning but still a bit tender. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels, leaving as much of the rendered bacon fat in the pan as possible.
- Add the olive oil to the pan then add the vinegar and shallots, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bit from the bottom of the pan as you do so. Pour everything into a large salad bowl. Whisk in the mustard, if you're using it. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use to dress a salad and garnish said salad with the bacon.
