Bacon Nation: 125 Irresistible Recipes by Peter Kaminsky, Marie Rama Page A
Authors: Peter Kaminsky, Marie Rama
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beans, cover the pan, and let come to a boil. Remove the cover, then reduce the heat as necessary and let the green beans simmer until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water.
2 Turn off the heat. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the green beans to the bowl of ice water to cool. Set aside the green bean cooking water in the saucepan. When the green beans are cooled, drain them well in a colander and set aside.
3 Add the potatoes, garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and peppercorns to the cooking water in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat as necessary and let the potatoes simmer until they are just tender, 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t allow to overcook.) Drain the potatoes well in a colander, discarding the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Rinse the potatoes under cold water to cool them, then rinse them again and drain well. Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
4 Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
5 Spread the cashews on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cashews until lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the cashews from the oven, let them cool, then set them aside in a small bowl.
6 Add the drained green beans and the red onion to the mixing bowl with the potatoes and toss to combine. Refrigerate the green bean and potato mixture while preparing the lardons. The salad can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated, covered, for a couple of days before serving. If you are not serving the salad right away, store the toasted cashews separately in a covered container.
7 Cut the slab of bacon into lardons by first cutting it crosswise into slices about ½ inch thick. Stack 2 slices and cut them lengthwise into ½-inch-wide strips. Finally, cut the strips crosswise into lardons about 1 inch long (see box on page 11 ). Place a medium-size skillet large enough to hold the lardons in a single layer over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons of water (this will prevent the lardons from browning too quickly and crisping as their fat renders). Add the lardons, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the lardons cook and render their fat for about 25 minutes, turning the lardons as necessary to brown them on all sides. The lardons should brown and have soft centers, without becoming too crisp or dry. Transfer the lardons to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
8 Make the salad dressing: Combine the vegetable oil, sherry vinegar, mustard, mint, and parsley in a mini food processor or blender. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the minced garlic and pulse once more, just to combine. Pour enough of the dressing over the green bean and potato mixture to lightly coat the vegetables. Add the lardons and cashews to the salad and toss well. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and black pepper to taste (you may not need to add salt as the lardons are salty), and serve.
Curried Cobb Salad
Serves 4 to 5 as a main dish
The Cobb salad was, they say, invented in the glory days of Hollywood by Robert Cobb, owner of the famed celebrity hangout the Brown Derby. Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Jean Harlow, Lana Turner—the whole Hollywood pantheon fell in love with this beautifully composed version of a chef’s salad. It featured bacon, blue cheese, hard-cooked eggs, greens, avocado, chicken, and tomatoes arranged in formal rows on a large platter, dressed with a lovely vinaigrette. We make our version of Cobb’s salad with a mustardy curry dressing that has a tinge of honey for sweetness. The salad is easily changed according to what you like and how you plan to serve it. For example, impress guests at your next summer dinner party by substituting one pound of grilled or poached shellfish, such as shrimp, lobster, or scallops, for the chicken and toss some pungent watercress for the romaine lettuce leaves.
For the curry dressing
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup
2 Turn off the heat. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the green beans to the bowl of ice water to cool. Set aside the green bean cooking water in the saucepan. When the green beans are cooled, drain them well in a colander and set aside.
3 Add the potatoes, garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and peppercorns to the cooking water in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat as necessary and let the potatoes simmer until they are just tender, 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t allow to overcook.) Drain the potatoes well in a colander, discarding the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Rinse the potatoes under cold water to cool them, then rinse them again and drain well. Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
4 Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
5 Spread the cashews on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cashews until lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the cashews from the oven, let them cool, then set them aside in a small bowl.
6 Add the drained green beans and the red onion to the mixing bowl with the potatoes and toss to combine. Refrigerate the green bean and potato mixture while preparing the lardons. The salad can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated, covered, for a couple of days before serving. If you are not serving the salad right away, store the toasted cashews separately in a covered container.
7 Cut the slab of bacon into lardons by first cutting it crosswise into slices about ½ inch thick. Stack 2 slices and cut them lengthwise into ½-inch-wide strips. Finally, cut the strips crosswise into lardons about 1 inch long (see box on page 11 ). Place a medium-size skillet large enough to hold the lardons in a single layer over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons of water (this will prevent the lardons from browning too quickly and crisping as their fat renders). Add the lardons, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the lardons cook and render their fat for about 25 minutes, turning the lardons as necessary to brown them on all sides. The lardons should brown and have soft centers, without becoming too crisp or dry. Transfer the lardons to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
8 Make the salad dressing: Combine the vegetable oil, sherry vinegar, mustard, mint, and parsley in a mini food processor or blender. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the minced garlic and pulse once more, just to combine. Pour enough of the dressing over the green bean and potato mixture to lightly coat the vegetables. Add the lardons and cashews to the salad and toss well. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and black pepper to taste (you may not need to add salt as the lardons are salty), and serve.
Curried Cobb Salad
Serves 4 to 5 as a main dish
The Cobb salad was, they say, invented in the glory days of Hollywood by Robert Cobb, owner of the famed celebrity hangout the Brown Derby. Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Jean Harlow, Lana Turner—the whole Hollywood pantheon fell in love with this beautifully composed version of a chef’s salad. It featured bacon, blue cheese, hard-cooked eggs, greens, avocado, chicken, and tomatoes arranged in formal rows on a large platter, dressed with a lovely vinaigrette. We make our version of Cobb’s salad with a mustardy curry dressing that has a tinge of honey for sweetness. The salad is easily changed according to what you like and how you plan to serve it. For example, impress guests at your next summer dinner party by substituting one pound of grilled or poached shellfish, such as shrimp, lobster, or scallops, for the chicken and toss some pungent watercress for the romaine lettuce leaves.
For the curry dressing
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup
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