Babz’s Bacon Salad
recipe from Babz Nartowicz and her Nan-Nan, photography by Talitha Schroeder
One of the first salads my Grandmother tricked me into eating was smothered in hot-bacon dressing. Nan-Nan called it her bacon salad. Although it really had a small amount of bacon in it, the delicious salty and sweet flavor was the star of the show. In the eyes of an eight-year-old that’s a pretty big deal. It quickly became my favorite salad.
There were several different variations of Nan-Nan’s bacon salad. Sometimes we ate it over a cabbage and carrot slaw. Other times it was over spinach or a slice of Romaine she threw into a cast iron pan. No variation was ever quite alike. It just depended on whatever she had on hand. As a woman who always saved her bacon grease, hot-bacon dressing was one of the quickest and easiest things to whip up.
This was the first salad dressing I learned how to make and one I still use today. Just like Nan-Nan, no two versions of my salad are ever quite alike.
Yields around four servings. Feel free to add any additional favorite flavors or edible flowers such as violets or pansies to your salad mix. And see notes below about prepping leaves & asparagus.
Ingredients
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (save drippings)
¼ C cider vinegar
1 T sugar
2 T water
½ tsp. salt
4 C leaf lettuce, torn in bite sizes
3 C fresh spinach, torn in bite sizes
1 C dandelion greens (Stems and flowers may also be used. Discard any wilted leaves.)
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
1 pound of asparagus
½ red onion, sliced
Directions
Trim ends off asparagus spears, cut in thirds or fourths and place on a single layer baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees, depending on the thickness of the spears.
In a skillet, add vinegar, water, salt and sugar to 1 ½ teaspoons of bacon drippings. Cook until sugar and salt are dissolved. Place all greens into a large salad bowl and toss. Pour hot bacon drippings mixture over greens and toss until covered. Sprinkle crumbled bacon over salad and add the egg, asparagus and red onion. Garnish salad with any edible flowers on hand and serve immediately.
Prep tips-
Asparagus: Shoots should be selected with tightly closed buds and with stem ends that look freshly cut. When trimming, simply grasp the spear with both hands and snap. The stem will break at the point at which the stalk is tender. Do not discard too much of the stalk as it’s usually a little bit sweeter than the tips. Store in the refrigerator upright in an inch or two of water, covered in plastic or wrapped airtight for several days. Best fresh.
Dandelions: Before picking any dandelions or doing foraging of any kind, be sure that no chemicals have been used in that area. Keep in mind yard dandelions can be slightly bitter than field dandelions. This is because they are cut more regularly. Try and find any area that maintenance isn’t required when selecting the best dandelions.
When picking dandelion leaves it’s important to keep in mind both appearance and texture. Very young leaves contain a peppery, almost spicy flavor. The older leaves may also still be used, however, they will have a slightly bitter flavor.
Always wash leafy veggies in cold water, don’t soak them. This will change the texture of the leaves and not give you the results you are looking for. Drain in a colander, or place the leaves on a paper towel. Greens for salads especially, are best when crisp and dry.
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