Bacon Blue Cheese Salad With White Wine Vinaigrette Food

ESCAROLE SALAD WITH BACON, CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• 1. Cook the bacon over medium heat in a medium skillet until crispy, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. To the drippings add the sliced onions and toss well. Cook until deep brown and well caramelized, stirring occasionally, another 25 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• 2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together the cheese, vinegar and oil. The dressing will be chunky and not completely emulsified. Place the escarole in a large serving bowl and crumble the bacon over it. When the onions are done and still warm, sprinkle over the escarole along with the dressing. Toss well just before serving and season to taste with salt and pepper.

ROMAINE SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Place lettuce in a big bowl. Combine garlic, oregano, sugar and vinegar in a small bowl. Add oil to dressing in a slow stream and mix with a whisk or fork. Stir in blue cheese. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD WITH BACON AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels and let cool.
• Reheat chicken in the bacon fat, seasoning with salt and pepper, until just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Drain chicken on paper towels and place in a large bowl. Add wing sauce and stir to coat all the pieces. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
• Break bacon into pieces and combine with chicken. Add tomatoes, radishes, lettuce, cucumber, celery, red onion, blue cheese, and dressing. Toss salad and divide between 2 plates.

GRILLED RED POTATO SALAD WITH BACON-BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat grill. Toss potatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill cut side down for 3 minutes. Turn over and continue grilling 2 to 3 minutes. Place in a large bowl.
• Place medium skillet on the side burner or the grill and heat until almost smoking. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Let cool and crumble.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the onions and cook until soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, and sugar and cook until sugar is dissolved. Pour the onion mixture over the potatoes, add the crumbled bacon and parsley and toss to combine, season with salt and lots of black pepper. Spoon the salad onto a large platter and sprinkle with the crumbled blue cheese.

AVOCADO-TOMATO SALAD WITH BACON AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Put the tomatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; set aside until juicy, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool slightly, then crumble into bite-size pieces.
• Pit and peel the avocado; cut into 1/2-inch pieces and toss with the lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes and gently toss. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the bacon, chives and blue cheese.
• Puree 1/2 cup each crumbled blue cheese and sour cream, 1/3 cup buttermilk, 1 small garlic clove (smashed) and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar in a blender. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/4 cup more blue cheese, 2 to 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce and/or hot sauce, and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. (Makes about 2 cups.)

PEAR, BLUE CHEESE, WALNUT AND BACON SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients until well blended; set aside.
• In a small frying pan set on a medium heat, melt the butter, stir in the maple syrup or honey and then stir in the walnuts. Continue to heat the walnuts, stirring continuously, for approximately 2-3 minutes or until they are fragrant, caramelized and lightly browned. Remove from the heat; set aside.
• Place the greens in a large salad bowl or, if individual servings are preferred, distribute them equally among 6 salad plates. Sprinkle over the pears, blue cheese and walnuts. Place over chicken then drizzle with dressing and toss.
• Note: I find having the chicken warmed is superior to cold chicken.

BACON AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD WITH CHERRY VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the cherry vinaigrette, pit and halve the cherries and set aside half of them to toss with the salad later.
• Put the remaining cherries in a food processor or blender with the vinegar and purée until smooth.
• Add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste, and purée for another few seconds.
• Transfer the vinaigrette to a small bowl and set aside.
• (A blender will purée the cherries more finely than a food processor; if using the latter, you may want to strain out the bits of cherry skin after processing, pressing on the solids with the back of a rubber spatula to extract as much juice as possib) Fry the bacon pieces in a small skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crisp, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Scoop them onto paper towels to drain; set aside to cool.
• Put the salad greens in a salad bowl or other large bowl and scatter the onion and bacon over the top.
• Rewhisk the cherry vinaigrette to blend, and taste for seasoning, adding a bit more salt or pepper if needed.
• Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, tossing to mix gently and evenly.
• Arrange the salad on 4 individual plates and sprinkle the blue cheese and remaining cherries evenly over each portion.
• Serve right away.

BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Heat 1 T oil in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat; add garlic and saute until golden, about 1 minute.
• Transfer garlic mixture to a blender or food processor; add blue cheese, white wine vinegar, water, sugar, hot pepper sauce, salt, pepper and remaining 6 T of olive oil.
• Blend well.
• Transfer vinaigrette to a bowl; mix in chopped basil.
• Can be prepared 2 days ahead, cover and refrigerate.