Any decent dinner party menu involves a big green salad. It’s just a fact of life.
A big green salad makes you feel better about indulging in, er, indulgent things. Things like fried chicken and blue cheese grits.
It’s just … a fact.
I hope that you do enjoy a big green salad, because if you do, you won’t try to argue with me here. There are people who do enjoy this sort of thing, you know. As a matter of fact, one of my dinner party guests told me he wanted more of this salad instead of dessert. Well, not entirely true – he still wanted dessert, but he said that this salad was so good that he just wanted to keep eating more of it. And this was after dessert was long gone.
If, on the other hand, you don’t enjoy a big green salad, allow me to let you in on a little secret. And it’s not, “adding bacon, because bacon makes everything better.” That’s also a fact, but it’s a fact everyone knows.
Can I get away with telling you avocado makes everything better? Maybe. You likely already know it, fine – but I think we can let that one slide moreso than the bacon statement.
How about this … how about we talk about the magic that happens when basil vinaigrette is poured, generously, over a vat of arugula? Now, this … this might be news to you.
There’s something about the sweetness of the fresh basil with the peppery arugula that makes magic in a salad bowl. The dressing comes together in about 3.2 seconds, with the help of a little food processor or blender, and it’s a beautifully vibrant shade of green. The rest of the salad comes together in another 45.9 seconds – super-simple, and super-delicious, which is exactly what you need when you’re throwing a dinner party and you’ve got about 97 other things going on.
Important things. Like drinking – serving? – too much bourbon.
This recipe is part of my Southern {Summer} Charm dinner party menu. Click here to get it! Planning Tip: Make the dressing morning of. Crisp the bacon in the morning or afternoon (store in a paper towel-lined bowl on the counter). Wait until you want to serve the salad to cut the avocado, and do it like this, tossing the pieces right into the bowl over the arugula.
- ½ cup packed basil leaves
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup champagne vinegar
- Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ pound applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
- 10 ounces baby arugula {preferably organic}
- 2 avocados
- To make the basil vinaigrette, combine basil, shallot, olive oil, and vinegar in a mini food processor or blender (I use my Magic Bullet for this). Purée and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust accordingly. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.
- Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 7 to 9 minutes. Remove and set aside until serving.
- When ready to serve, place arugula in a large serving bowl. Dice avocado right into the bowl. Sprinkle with bacon, and pour dressing over the top. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
this is so my kind of salad. love the vinaigrette!
Wow. That sounds like a slam dunk, best-salad-ever. I love the typical goat cheese, roast beet, avocado, arugula giant salad. But pretty sure this would be shoulder to shoulder in that competition.
erin @ from city to farm recently posted..A Roasted Panzanella Dinner
That’s another great combo … shoulder-to-shoulder, for sure!
This salad is killing me. Wanttttt!
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