Apple, Bacon and Pecan Salad

I had three strips of streaky bacon leftover after cooking fried rice for my partner. I thought of making something naughty but just three strips is not enough. And just my luck, bacon was totally sold out at the Pearl Pork outlet at Aeon. Sold out, imagine that. It looks like nobody cares about their arteries anymore.

I guess three strips of bacon is just nice for a salad. At Aeon, I picked up a bag of apples, a packet of ready washed salad leaves, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Back home, I got to work. Cut the bacon into smaller pieces and fried them until brown and crispy. While the bacon was frying, I roasted some pecans. 

Once the bacon was done, I drained them of paper towels. To make the dressing, I pounded some garlic and salt. I did not have loose whole peppercorns or else I would have pounded them together. Nowadays, I use peppercorn that comes with a grinder. I added Balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard to the pounded garlic and salt.

Next I added extra virgin olive oil and...... some of the oil used for frying the bacon. Bacon drippings is excellent when added to salad dressing. It is ooh..la...la..... I know you are shaking your head in disapproval. But I don't do this everyday.

Lastly, what I had to do was slice up the cucumber, tomatoes and apple. All these went into the mixing bowl with the salad leaves and then tossed with the dressing. Once plated, I sprinkled the salad with the crispy bacon and pecans.

And then it was nom, nom, nom, nom! I love my salads and this one even more so because it has the smoky flavour of bacon and the crunch of pecans. And of course, the apples were very good. This apple and bacon salad is probably the antithesis of healthy food. Apple is supposed to keep the doctor away but bacon makes you a prime candidate for admission to Institut Jantung Negara (National Heart Institute). But like I always say, exercise moderation when enjoying your food :)

Apple, Bacon and Pecan Salad
Recipe source : Adapted from Lauren's Latest
(My notes and adaptations in red)

Ingredients :
- 6 cups red leaf lettuce, washed and torn (1/2 packet mixed salad leaves)
- 1 fuji apple, washed and diced (1 Royal Gala apple)

- 4 slices hickory smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled (3 strips streaky bacon)
- 4 tablespoons toasted and chopped pecans
- 1 small grilled chicken breast {leftovers!} (I omitted as I don't have any)

for the dressing-
- 1 clove garlic, grated (2 cloves, pounded with salt)
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil (2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and yikes! 2 tablespoons bacon drippings)
- salt & pepper, to taste

METHOD :

Place all salad ingredients into a large bowl. Whisk all ingredients for dressing together. Toss dressing with salad and serve.