BLT salad for dinner tonight! Prepare with ripe tomatoes, crispy bacon, green beans and corn.
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
When farmers’ markets are packed with colorful, vintage tomato varieties, it’s time to seize the day.
Think of this salad as a deconstructed BLT with some corn and fresh green beans thrown in for good measure.
Leftover grilled or boiled corn always needs a home, so make use of it here. Otherwise, you can quickly microwave a couple of ears.
And here’s another corn trick: Keep the mess of scraping the kernels off the cob at bay with the help of a bundt pan or small flat-bottomed bowl placed upside down in a larger one.
Place the bottom of the ear on the spike in the center of the bundt pan or on the inverted bowl and slide a sharp knife down the ear. The grains fall into the larger bowl without flying into every corner of your kitchen.
BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
ingredients
- For the dressing:
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1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped shallots
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
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1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
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1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1/2 cup buttermilk
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1/4 cup mayonnaise
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2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
- For the salad:
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6 slices thick-cut bacon, halved
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1/2 pound green beans, preferably navy beans, ends trimmed
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1 teaspoon olive oil
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3 to 4 old tomatoes of different colors, thickly sliced
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2 medium-ripe avocados, sliced
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kernels from 2 medium cooked corn on the cob (about 2 cups)
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1 head of Boston lettuce or lettuce leaves of your choice
method
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Make the dressing:
In a bowl, mix shallots, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Let sit for 10 minutes to tame the raw flavor of the shallots.
Whisk together the buttermilk and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in the chives.
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Cook bacon:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crispy. Place on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
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Cook Green Beans:
Fill a bowl with ice water and set it next to the stove. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Put the beans in the boiling water. Bring the water to a boil again, then boil for 4 minutes or until tender. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the beans to the bowl of ice water. Swirl in cold water for 1 minute.
Pour into a bowl with a slotted spoon. Drizzle with olive oil and salt to taste. throw together.
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Assemble the salad:
Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter or on 4 individual plates. Arrange the tomato and avocado slices on the salad. Scatter the corn and green beans around the salad and top with the bacon.
Drizzle the salad with the dressing or serve the dressing on the side. Sprinkle the salad with more salt and pepper, if you like.
