Bitter Greens with Warm Bacon (Print)

Hearty mixed bitter greens tossed with warm bacon vinaigrette and garnished with nuts and eggs.

# Components:

→ Greens

01 - 4 cups mixed bitter greens (escarole, frisée, dandelion, radicchio, chicory), torn into bite-size pieces
02 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Bacon Dressing

03 - 6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
04 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
05 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
06 - 1 teaspoon honey
07 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - ⅛ teaspoon salt
09 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

→ Garnish (optional)

10 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
11 - ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pecans

# Directions:

01 - Rinse and dry the mixed bitter greens thoroughly. Place them in a large salad bowl with the sliced red onion.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crisp, about 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving rendered fat in skillet.
03 - Reduce heat to low. Add red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, black pepper, and salt to bacon fat. Whisk to combine, scraping up browned bits from skillet bottom.
04 - Slowly whisk in olive oil until the dressing is emulsified and warmed through.
05 - Immediately pour warm dressing over greens and onions. Add crisp bacon pieces. Toss gently to slightly wilt greens and coat evenly.
06 - Arrange the salad on plates. Garnish with quartered hard-boiled eggs and toasted nuts if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The warm dressing transforms tough, bitter greens into something tender and craveable in less than a minute.
  • Bacon fat does the heavy lifting here, so you barely need any oil, and the flavor tastes like pure comfort.
  • It comes together in thirty minutes flat and works as a weeknight side or a quiet dinner all on its own.
02 -
  • Don't let the dressing cool down before it hits the greens—that warm fat is what gently wilts them and makes them tender instead of tough.
  • If your greens are even slightly wet, the dressing will bead up and slide off instead of clinging; dry them properly, and you'll understand why this works so well.
03 -
  • Save your bacon grease after cooking; it's liquid gold for future dressings and will keep in the fridge for weeks.
  • If you're cooking for people who are skeptical about bitter greens, this warm dressing is your secret weapon—it converts even the most reluctant eaters.
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