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Bean and Bacon Salad

6 slices bacon

7 ounces sugar snap peas

7 ounces haricots verts (thin French green beans)

Small handful fresh chives

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Kosher salt

Leaves from 2 to 4 sprigs fresh tarragon

2 tablespoons regular or low-fat mayonnaise (do not use nonfat)

2 tablespoons regular or low-fat sour cream or crème fraîche (do not use nonfat)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

1 head romaine lettuce or 2 romaine lettuce hearts

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Line a plate with paper towels. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat.

Cut the bacon crosswise into ¾-inch pieces. Arrange in a single layer in a wide saute pan; cook for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat, or until it is crisped and browned at the edges.

Meanwhile, string the sugar snap peas. Trim the haricots verts. Snip 2 tablespoons' worth of the chives.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to the paper-towel-lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan; add it to a mixing bowl along with the vinegar, whole-grain mustard, half of the chives, the tablespoon of oil and the maple syrup, whisking to form an emulsified dressing.

Add a good pinch of salt to the boiling water, then add the haricots verts and sugar snaps. Once the water returns to a boil, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender. Use a slotted spoon to immediately transfer the haricots verts and sugar snaps to the bowl with the bacon fat dressing; toss until coated.

Coarsely chop the tarragon. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream or crème fraîche, lemon juice, tarragon and Dijon mustard in a medium bowl to form a creamy dressing. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Cut the romaine into quarters or separate the leaves as you like, discarding the cores. Arrange on a platter; drizzle with the creamy Dijon dressing. Scatter the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the remaining chives over the dressing, then pile the dressed beans and the bacon on top. Serve at room temperature with warm biscuits.

Serves 4

Nutrition | Per serving (using low-fat mayonnaise and sour cream): 220 calories, 9 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 380 mg sodium, 6 g dietary fiber, 7 g sugar

Adapted from "Leon Happy Salads," by Jane Baxter and John Vincent (Conran/Octopus, 2016).

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