BLT Salad with Creamy Aioli Dressing

A brilliant departure from a well-loved classic, the ingredients in this salad are key: cherry tomatoes at their summer best, fresh baby lettuces and top of the line bacon.

By Joanne Weir

Yield: 6 Servings
Cuisine: American
Course: Salad

Ingredients

1/2 loaf bread, coarse textured
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher Salt
6 slices apple-smoked bacon, 1/2 inch pieces (about 6 ounces)
12 cups baby sald greens, mixed
8 ounces Cherry tomatoes, various colored, halved
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Black pepper, freshly ground

Directions

Preheat an oven to 400F.
Tear the bread into ¾ to 1-inch pieces. Alternately you can cut the bread into ¾-inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake in the oven, tossing half way through, until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
Place the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until the bacon is golden and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the pan cool 5 minutes.
In the meantime, place the salad greens and cherry tomatoes in a large salad bowl.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the garlic, mayonnaise and vinegar to the pan and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper. Add the vinaigrette and the bacon to the lettuce and tomatoes and toss together. Serve immediately.