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Salad #26 – Kale Salad with a Bacon Vinaigrette

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I was looking for some ideas for out of the ordinary dressings and my friend Heather (who writes a funny parenting and design blog over at Home to Heather) suggested a warm bacon dressing. This sounded like it would be perfect for my kale, one of the few things that I actually managed to grow in my garden this year.  I’m not sure whether this is what she had in mind, but it was delicious nonetheless. I ate this entire salad almost all by myself. It was even really good the next day.

Kale Salad with a Bacon Vinaigrette

 Kale Salad with a Bacon Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe

(adapted from Just a Taste’s Raw Kale Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette Dressing)

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Salad #26 - Kale Salad with a Bacon Vinaigrette
 
Ingredients
  •  1 bunch kale
  • ⅓ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
  • 6 slices bacon (3 TBSP bacon fat reserved)
  • 2 garlic scapes (or 1 clove garlic)
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grainy mustard
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Chop bacon into small pieces and cook in a frying pan. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan and dispose of any remainder. Add a little olive oil if you are short on bacon fat. Let the bacon dry and cool.
  2. Saute the garlic in the bacon fat for 1 minute over medium heat. Whisk in the vinegar, mustard and brown sugar and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until fragrant and just starting to brown. Stir constantly.
  4. Wash, dry and stem kale. Then slice thinly.
  5. Toss the kale with the dressing and add the seeds and bacon to the salad.

Kale Salad with a Bacon Vinaigrette

Kale Salad with a Bacon Vinaigrette
Did They Eat It?

Deb – lovely. one of the nicest ones I’ve had.

Nicky (17 months) – Loved munching on the kale leaves from the salad

Gordie (4.5 years) – Thought the bacon from the salad was okay but would be better without the dressing.

Dana – I thought this salad was great. I’m wasn’t sure if it would hold up the next day when I had pre-dressed it but it was still great though less crunchy.

Kale Salad with a Bacon Vinaigrette

Salad #16 – Bacon, Grape and Broccoli Salad with a Grainy Mustard Dressing

by 4 Comments

Broccoli Grape Salad

 

I had been looking to make a great tasting broccoli and grape salad. This salad is actually my second run. I made one earlier but without adding a little mayo (which most broccoli and grape salads have about a cup of) it just seemed to be missing something. This one definitely isn’t. I love this salad. It is my favorite one by far. I’ve already made it again for our Mother’s Day BBQ. You will not regret trying this one out.

Broccoli Grape Salad

Grape, Bacon and Broccoli Salad with a Grainy Mustard Dressing Recipe

(adapted from Jaimie Oliver‘s Broccoli Salad from Jaime’s America Cookbook)

 

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Salad #16 - Bacon, Grape and Broccoli Salad with a Grainy Mustard Dressing
 
Ingredients
  • Ingredients
  • 2 heads of broccoli
  • 8 slices of thick cut bacon cooked and cut into small pieces (I often have some in the freezer that I take out and cut up)
  • 1 large bunch of grapes
  • a bunch of fresh chives
  • Grainy Mustard Dressing Ingredients
  • ½ clove of garlic grated finely
  • 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Cut the broccoli into small bit sized pieces. Cut the larger florets into 2 or 3 pieces. Blanch broccoli in boiling water for 1 minute. You want it to have just turned bright green. Drain the broccoli and let it cool and dry between some tea towels or paper towel. Transfer the broccoli to a serving dish or large bowl when it is completely cool.
  2. Slice the grapes in half and chop the chives into small pieces. Add the grapes, chives and bacon to the broccoli.
  3. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small container with a lid and shake well or in a small bowl and whisk. Add the dressing to the salad ingredients and toss to make sure it is well covered. Add about half to start. You want it well covered but there's no need to soak it.

Variations

  • swap the grapes for cherry tomatoes
  • Use green onions or chopped red onions instead of the chives
  • try dijon mustard instead of grainy mustard

Broccoli Grape Salad

Did They Eat it?

Gordie (4 years old): tried some of the bacon out of the salad after protesting a little

Nicky (14 months): Loved it.

Stephen: Weird but good.

Anne: Really good!

Bronwen: Ooh bacon. It was really good.

Richard: Liked it.

Erik: Unexpected. I liked it. I didn’t think the ingredients would go together so well. I would have it again.

Deb: So fun. Grapes and bacon in a salad.

Grandma Mary: Different. Really good.

Papa John: Excellent.

Broccoli Grape Salad

 

Salad #10 Bacon Roasted Potato Salad with Kale and Tahini Dressing

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This is my absolute favorite potato salad of all time. It’s very unlike traditional potato salad. I tried it when I had some kale in the fridge and have made it again and again ever since.

Bacon Roasted Potato Salad with Kale and Tahini Dressing

(adapted from Dinner with Julie’s Garlicky Roasted Potato Salad with Wilted Kale and Tahini Dressing)

Bacon, Kale and Roasted Potato Salad with Tahini Dressing

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Salad #10 Bacon Roasted Potato Salad with Kale and Tahini Dressing
 
Ingredients
  • 4-6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (save a little bacon grease)
  • 2 lbs of baby potatoes cut into quarters
  • 1 bunch of kale (remove the stems and cut the leaves into small pieces)
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 2-4 tbsp of water (if needed)
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • couple pinches of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 450F
  2. Toss the potatoes in the bacon fat. (You can use olive oil if you'd rather)
  3. Lay the potatoes out on a cookie tray lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Cook the potatoes for 10 minutes, add half the garlic and cook for 15 more minutes, until potatoes are starting to get crispy and golden. Stir occasionally.
  5. While the potatoes cook, mix the water, lemon juice, tahini, half the garlic and the salt in a blender or small food processor until smooth.
  6. Put the potatoes into a large bowl, and add kale while the potatoes are still hot, tahini dressing and bacon.

Variations

  • Skip the bacon and the bacon fat and use olive oil instead for a lighter salad.
  • Add grated parmesan to the potatoes half way through cooking
  • Use spinach or swiss chard in place of the kale

Bacon, Kale and Roasted Potato Salad with Tahini Dressing

Did They Eat It?

Gordie (4 years) – enjoyed the potatoes and bacon before I put any dressing on it

Nicole (12 months) -loved it.

Stephen – Good. Tangy. Feels like I’m eating the top of a baked potato.

Dana – I cannot get enough of this salad. The leftovers are good right out of the fridge but it’s best served right away.