A bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich is a summertime classic—especially with juicy tomatoes right off the vine and lashings of mayo on thick white bread. Here, we’ve turned this much-loved sammie into a salad with crunchy croutons. Don’t eat pork? No problem! Look for some very convincing veggie bacon alternatives on market shelves. If you do eat pork, look for the best small-batch, heritage bacon you can find, and consider frying the bread in the bacon drippings for extra decadence. This recipe serves two but can easily be expanded to serve more people.
Serves 2 – Makes 3/4 cup of dressing
Ingredients
6 slices bacon
1/2 large or 1 demi-baguette, sliced into approximately 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 10 to 12 slices)
Approx. 1/4 cup oil or bacon drippings for frying, more or less as needed
1/3 cup free-run egg mayonnaise
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp strong mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 cups baby salad greens
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
Method
In large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until crispy; set aside.
In same skillet, add bread slices and fry until crispy and golden on both sides. Add more oil as needed; set aside when done.
In small bowl, add mayonnaise, salt, pepper, mustard, garlic and lemon juice; whisk to combine. Transfer to small jar for transport, or leave in bowl if enjoying at home.
On a platter, arrange bed of salad greens, the bacon, sliced tomatoes and croutons; drizzle with dressing just before serving.
Recipes, text and food styling by Signe Langford
Photographs by Tristan Peirce