Lettuce Boats With Bleu Cheese And Bacon Food

LETTUCE BOATS WITH BLEU CHEESE AND BACON

Steps:

• Cook bacon and garlic in skillet until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.
• Place lettuce wedges upside down (like a boat) onto individual serving plates. Drizzle each lettuce wedge crossways (across the sides of the boats) and around the plate with dressing.
• Sprinkle the fresh bleu cheese over top. Sprinkle bacon on and around the boat then top with green onion.

HEARTS OF ROMAINE WITH BLUE CHEESE AND BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lay the bacon strips on a roasting rack and bake in the oven until crisp, about 20 minutes. (To make bacon curls: Wrap each slice of raw bacon around a metal skewer in a barber-pole fashion and lay the skewers on the roasting rack.) Pat dry with a paper towel. When cool enough to handle, break into pieces or in half, if using curls.
• Put the egg in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain the egg and roll it between your palm and the counter to crack the shell, then peel under cool running water. Rub the egg through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.
• Remove the large outer leaves from the romaine hearts and rinse. Chop these leaves into bite-size pieces and spin dry. (Use an extremely sharp knife to minimize bruising the edges.) Halve the hearts through the cores to make 4 wedges. Rinse under cold running water and shake to air dry.
• Divide the wedges among 4 plates. Mound some of the chopped romaine on top and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon about 1/4 cup of Blue Cheese Dressing over each salad and top with some of the sieved egg and bacon. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.
• Pulse the mayonnaise, blue cheese, buttermilk, shallot, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and celery seeds in a food processor to make a chunky but pourable sauce. Stir in the parsley and season with plenty of pepper. Use immediately or refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

RANCH SALAD BOATS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Make the dressing: Combine the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons each chives and dill, the lemon juice and hot sauce in a blender. Blend until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• To serve, arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and top with the tomatoes, radishes, cucumber and bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle most of the dressing over the salad and serve the remaining dressing on the side. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon each chives and dill.