Salad - Fuji Apple, Bacon, Frisee, Toasted Pecans

Ingredients:

Salad - Fuji Apple, Bacon, Frisee, Toasted Pecans and a Mustard Vinaigrette
You will need an apple, bacon, frisee or other mildly bitter salad green, pecans, fresh thyme, whole grain mustard, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, half a shallot, salt and pepper.

Step 1:

First make the pecans: take a small handful of halved pecans (walnuts would also work), toss with a very small amount of oil, salt, pepper and sugar, and toast in a 350 degree oven (I use a toaster oven) for just a few minutes. Keep a very close eye on them as they will turn black in the blink of an eye. If you smell them, they are probably very close to burning. Set aside when done.

Step 2:

Next: cook the bacon! I used about half a pound (8 slices) of thick-cut which is more than is needed for the salad. I got thick center cut bacon from my local upscale grocer, get the best you can and skip the Oscar Meyer. Fry it up over medium heat.

Step 3:

When done, drain the fat and dry the bacon on some paper towels.

Step 4:

Make the Mustard Vinaigrette
Strip about 5 TB worth of thyme, reserving 4 TB for the pork and potatoes later. Mince about 2 tsp worth of shallots. Put in a medium sized bowl, and add a few shakes of salt, some fresh ground pepper, 2-3 TB of red wine vinegar, and about 1.5 tsp whole grain mustard. Mix up, and slowly add about ½ cup of extra virgin olive while beating with a small whisk or fork. Set aside.

Step 5:

Slice your apple down the middle so you have nice round slices, and core. If you are not plating your salad immediately, rub with a slice of lemon to help retard oxidation (browning).

Step 6:

Chop up some of your bacon. Assemble the salad with a layer of apple, a small layer of greens, a bit of bacon, another layer of greens and more bacon, and garnish with a few of the pecans.

Spoon dressing on the top and around the base of your plate, and serve.

The salad is a nice combination of sweet, crisp, slightly bitter green with salty, rich bacon and slightly sweet, salty and crisp pecans with a tang from the mustard and vinegar.