1570. BABY HEAD LETTUCE SALAD with BACON CONFIT and CARAMELIZED AVOCADOS

Roquefort Herb Vinaigrette (recipe follow)
Bacon Confit (recipe follows)
12 heads sweet/mild baby lettuces (Lola Rossa, Green Leaf, Bibb, etc.), cleaned, separated into leaves
2 each large avocados, peeled, seeded, cut into 6 wedges
granulated sugar as needed
oil as needed


Roquefort Herb Vinaigrette
yields 3 cups

1 shallot
1 oz. whole grain mustard
2 oz. maple syrup
4 oz. golden balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 oz. mild extra virgin olive oil
4 oz. rice bran or canola oil
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped
4 oz. Roquefort cheese, crumbled


Bacon Confit
1 lb. piece of applewood-smoked slab bacon, cut 1” thick, rind removed

Combine the shallot, mustard, maple syrup, golden balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a blender. Blend until shallot is finely chopped. Slowly add the oils in a thin stream to emulsify. Transfer to a bowl and add the herbs and cheese and whisk lightly to combine, leaving chunks of cheese.


Bacon Confit: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the bacon into a pan that is slightly larger than the bacon. Roast the bacon fat side up for 2-3 hours until bacon is tender and golden brown. It should be totally caramelized. Drain on paper towels. Cut into 1/4-inch lardons. Reserve at room temperature if using right away, otherwise refrigerate until needed. Bring to room temperature before use. Alternatively, vacuum pack the bacon and cook in a thermal bath at 185 degrees for 24 hours. Cool, and finish at 400 degrees for 10 minutes until brown. Continue as directed above.


Salad: Place the lettuce leaves in a large bowl and dress lightly. Set aside. Dust the cut sides of the avocado slices with the granulated sugar. Heat a non-stick pan with a small amount of oil over medium heat. Sauté the avocado slices until the sugar is caramelized.


To Assemble: Divide the lettuce among 6 chilled plates. Garnish each with several lardons of Bacon Confit, and 2 slices of the caramelized avocado. Drizzle with dressing. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Josiah Slone, Sent Sovi Restaurant, 14583 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, California 95070, 408-867-3110