1857. ROMAINE SALAD with BLUE CHEESE, BACON and RADISHES

makes 6 servings


1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 strips thick sliced bacon
3 (6-ounce) hearts of romaine
3 to 4 large radishes, sliced as thin as possible

In a small bowl, macerate the shallots in the vinegar until they soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the mayonnaise and blue cheese and stir roughly with a fork, mashing any large clumps of cheese. Stir in just enough cream to make a slightly creamy consistency; the dressing will be very thick. Add salt to taste; because blue cheese can be quite salty, it might not need any. Stir in a generous grinding of pepper and refrigerate tightly covered. Before serving, let warm slightly and stir briskly.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-low heat, turning once, until brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

To make the salad: Discard any tough or faded outer leaves from the romaine. Separate the heads into individual leaves. Rinse well, spin or wipe dry and combine in a large bowl.

Spoon on about ½ cup of the dressing and toss, adding more dressing 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to lightly coat the leaves.

Arrange the romaine on six chilled salad plates, crumble the bacon over top and scatter the sliced radishes over everything.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Miami Herald, June 3, 2010