BLT Salad

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Keepin' It Easy

It's pretentious to think that no one has written a recipe for BLT Salad before. It's even more pretentious to then think, well, no, not like the one I made. In the grand scheme of things: of course they have. Zoomed in? Well, it's hard to express how specific a recipe can be depending on every factor available to you. Case in point: I can usually tell when someone boils their pasta in softened water. The specific type of olive oil you use might drastically alter a salad dressing. And yes, in some cases, the specific lettuce choice makes all the difference.

Little Gem lettuce is the Midwest farm-to-table killshot: slap it on any menu, and you're bound to see diners ooh and ahh over what is truly a simple leafy green. A type of baby romaine that originated in France (or maybe Italy), it combines the crispness of romaine with the verdant depth of a butter lettuce. That's not only the description I came up with for it, it's also (I found out later) exactly how Trader Joe's describes it. Perfect for summer salads, it's best used as a highlight rather than a bulk lettuce—hit it with a simple lemon vinaigrette, maybe some toasted pistachios, and a shaving of Parmigiano-Reggiano and you're good to go.

But when I had a package of the good bacon in the fridge and wanted a showcase for it, Little Gems came to the rescue. For something as simple as a BLT salad (which lists its ingredients for you in its name), every element matters. Since it's named after a sandwich, you almost want it to eat like one. Each Little Gem leaf, when pulled from its core, retains a structural quality that makes other lettuces jealous. Pile a plate of them high with bacon, sourdough croutons, and a mayo-based dressing, and you've got unique bites that burst with a classic flavor. Layer those Little Gem leaves in a multi-stack arrangement, and, well, you've got a meal.

There's a joy to simple food (and even an Art, if you're to believe Alice Waters), but even the simplest of dishes isn't always so simple. Intentionality is the name of the game here: in a lot of Japanese cooking, there's strong consideration given to the tactile quality of what you're eating, often before the flavor profile is fully established. Each knife cut matters because each bite will affect how you taste the dish, not just what you taste. With that in mind, I do believe this BLT salad takes things a step further than most I've seen, and I think it's worth trying to replicate—especially since I revealed that its secret weapon is available at Trader Joe's if you can't find it grown locally.

There are a few things that I think matter greatly for this dish: Little Gem lettuce, high-quality bacon, good sourdough bread, and Hellman's mayonnaise. It may not be your favorite, but let's be clear: Kewpie is too sweet, and Duke's is a little too punchy. Both are fun on a sandwich; neither is the right choice here. Hellman's is a neatly savory blank canvas, perfect for building out different types of salad dressings.

There are also a few things that I don't think matter as much: you can cook the bacon any way you prefer, the tomatoes don't have to be hyper ripe, since they're not the star, and you don't need to go out of your way to buy herbs you don't have on hand. Nothing hits harder than adding $6 to a home recipe just for an aromatic pop, and any good quality cherry tomatoes will work well in this recipe.

This recipe is also a toaster oven superstar—you can easily roast your bacon and then toast the croutons in the bacon fat without heating your entire house by firing up the countertop appliance.

BLT Salad (Serves 2)

The real key to this salad is the layering—by adding each ingredient in layers and drizzling the dressing over the top rather than tossing the lettuce in it, you create distinct flavor pockets throughout the salad. Each bite will be unique, and if you're feeling like a sicko, you can even pick up each lettuce leaf by the stem with your fingers, capturing all the toppings in a tiny green boat. But it's also acceptable to cut the salad into more bite-sized pieces with a knife and fork if you'd like.

Ingredients

• 3 heads of Little Gem Lettuce
• 6-8 strips of bacon
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup of Hellman's mayonnaise
• 4 slices of good sourdough bread
• Chives (optional)
• Dill (optional)
• 1 garlic clove
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Salt
• Pepper
• Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven or countertop convection oven to 400ºF.
2. Place parchment paper on a sheet pan, and lay the bacon flat. It's okay if the edges overlap. Place another sheet of parchment paper over the bacon, and layer on a stackable sheet pan to compress it. This will keep your bacon flat as it bakes. When the oven is pre-heated, bake the bacon for around 20 minutes, or until it reaches an ideal crispness.
3. Cut the bottom root off of three heads of Little Gem lettuce and gently peel of each leaf. Wash and dry.
4. Split cherry tomatoes in half and place in a bowl. Season lightly with salt.
5. Dice the sourdough bread slices into neat cubes, and wait for the bacon to finish.
6. Add the mayonnaise to a container with a spout with the juice of half of a lemon. Season thoroughly with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Add olive oil while whisking until it reaches a pourable consistency.
7. When the bacon is finished, place the strips on a paper towel to absorb excess fat, then pour most of the fat from the pan into a container. Swap in the bread cubes and toss them in the remaining fat in the pan, pouring extra on from reserves if needed. Toast in the oven for about 8-9 minutes, or until the croutons are golden brown.
8. Grate half of the garlic clove into the dressing using a microplane. If using, dice the herbs (you can also just use one if you'd like) and add in as well. Stir until well mixed.
9. Once the bacon and croutons have cooled, crumble the bacon and set aside. It's time to build the salad.
10. In a low, flat bowl or on a wide plate, set down a layer of Little Gem leaves. Drizzle the dressing over the top in thin strips. Add a sprinkling of bacon, tomatoes, and croutons, then drizzle more dressing over the toppings.
11. Add another layer of Little Gem leaves, and repeat the process, layering with bacon, tomatoes, croutons, and more dressing until you use up all the ingredients.
12. Top the salad with a loose grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese if desired.

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Artwork by Ashley Elander Strandquist. You can view her illustration work here.