128. BREAD SALAD with BACON, TOMATOES, ONIONS, and OLIVES

serves 4 to 6


6 slices bacon
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 6 percent acidity
Juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
Black pepper in a mill
4 cups stale Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, diced
3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
1 quart fresh salad greens

In a heavy skillet, fry the bacon until it is just crisp. Transfer the bacon onto a brown paper bag to drain. Pour the bacon drippings into a small mixing bowl and whisk in the olive oil. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and add more vinegar if needed for balance. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the bread and all but 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Let sit for 30 minutes.

To serve, toss the bread with the tomatoes, onion, parsley, and olives. Spread the salad greens over a serving platter, put the bread salad on top, and drizzle the remaining dressing over all. Crumble the bacon on top and serve immediately.


courtesy of: The BLT Cookbook, by Michele Anna Jordan. New York: Harper Collins, 2003, pp. 94-95. (HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, NYC, 10022)