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).