Warm Artichoke Salad With Bacon And Mustard Vinaigrette Food

ROASTED ARTICHOKE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the artichoke hearts in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss until the artichoke hearts are coated. Dump the artichoke hearts onto a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer; roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Place the minced shallot, lemon juice, mustard, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 5 seconds. Add the basil leaves and process into a green puree. With the processor running, slowly pour 1/2 cup olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube until the ingredients are finely pureed. Set aside.
• Place the roasted artichoke hearts in a bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Add the capers, red peppers, red onion, parsley, 4 tablespoons vinegar and red pepper flakes, if using, and toss gently. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and let stand for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

WARM ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD WITH BACON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the asparagus, potatoes, artichokes and onion together in a large bowl along with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper so that all the ingredients are well mixed.
• Divide the vegetables evenly between 2 sheet pans, and give the pans a shake so that the veggies spread into an even layer. Roast the vegetables, rotating the pans halfway through cooking, for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large mixing bowl and toss with the Bacon Vinaigrette and chiffonaded basil. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
• Cook the bacon in a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is browned and crisp at the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Pat the bacon pieces dry with a paper towel to remove excess grease. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat from the pan.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey and reserved bacon fat, along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper until smooth. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as desired.

ARTICHOKE SALAD WITH WARM TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Snap tough outer leaves off artichokes; using a serrated knife, remove top third from each. Trim stems so artichokes stand upright. Rub cut surfaces with lemon (to prevent discoloration).
• Place artichokes in a wide pot, stemmed-sides up. Add enough water to come about a third of the way up sides. Season water with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and steam until artichoke hearts are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes, stemmed-sides up, to a towel-lined plate to drain. When cool enough to handle, use a spoon to remove center leaves from each artichoke, then to scrape out and discard chokes. Transfer artichokes to refrigerator.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss bread with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Cook bacon in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until fat has rendered and bacon is crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels; discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil, shallot, and a pinch of salt to skillet; cook over medium heat until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and capers; cook until reduced slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomato and season with salt and pepper; cook until heated through, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in oregano and croutons. Season to taste.
• Score an X in the inside of each artichoke heart with the tip of a knife, then spoon about 1 tablespoon dressing mixture into each. Toss remaining dressing with chicories, basil, bacon, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Season to taste; divide between artichokes and serve.

RAW KALE SALAD WITH WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Lay the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook to your desired crispness, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings and leaving any crunchy bits in the skillet.
• While the bacon cooks, remove the stems from the kale and discard. Roll up the leaves lengthwise and slice crosswise into thin strips. Transfer to a large bowl; add the nuts, chickpeas and Parmesan.
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add back 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon drippings. (If you don't have 3 tablespoons, make up the difference with olive oil.) Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in the vinegar, brown sugar and mustard, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Remove the vinaigrette from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
• Chop the bacon and add it to the bowl. Drizzle in the warm dressing and toss to coat the salad. Serve immediately.

KALE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD WITH WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Whisk the vinegar, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the kale, red onion and squash and toss. Massage with your fingers until everything is evenly coated and the kale softens slightly.
• Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rosemary. Let sit until it stops sizzling, about 1 minute.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon pieces to the salad. Pour the bacon drippings into a small bowl; you should have about 5 tablespoons (if you don't, add more olive oil to make up the difference). Add the warm bacon drippings to the salad and toss well; season with salt and pepper. Top with the pomegranate seeds.