Bacon and Egg Salad with Crispy Peas and Scallions

This time of year can be confusing for me in terms of food. I seem to daydream about super indulgent foods throughout the days (think fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, etc.) but when I get home, my body craves lighter, fresher fare. The abundance of amazing summer produce combined with the weariness that comes after a workday makes it highly appealing to simply slice up a bunch of fresh tomatoes and call it good, but my mind yearns for something more composed than that. This salad has been my answer lately.

The bacon and egg are the centerpiece of this beauty and I love that I almost always have what I need to make it. Of course, it is highly adaptable depending on what you have on hand and what is in season. Most recently I added some delicious summer sweet corn, and I think avocado and tomatoes would also be a wonderful addition. I’ve been tinkering with this salad for many months, and after extensive testing and tweaking I am finally ready to share it with you.

This can be a pretty quick meal if you get the workflow down, and I am amazed at how quickly such a phenomenal salad can come together. Make sure to pop the bacon into the oven first, then quickly mix up the dressing, prep the veggies to broil, and soft boil the eggs while the veggies brown. Pile everything onto a plate and you have a fantastic meal that somehow manages to be both satisfyingly indulgent and light at the same time.

Prep about 20 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

6 oz. bacon
1 tsp. brown sugar
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
¼ cup buttermilk
¼ cup sour cream
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp. minced chives
1 small clove garlic, finely grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 eggs
4 scallions
¾ cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
Olive oil
12 oz. butter and gem lettuce mixture

Directions

01
Heat the oven to 350˚ F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lay the bacon out in a single layer on the foil. Combine the brown sugar and paprika in a small bowl, then sprinkle lightly over the bacon. Bake about 25 minutes, until brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain of excess grease and let rest. Chop coarsely once cool.
02
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine the buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, chives, and garlic in a liquid measuring cup. Whisk to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
03
Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Once boiling, gently add the eggs to the pot. Let cook exactly 6 minutes, then remove immediately to an ice bath. (For hard boiled eggs, cook for 11 minutes and then remove to an ice bath.) Let chill for 5 minutes before peeling.
04
Line a second rimmed baking sheet with foil (or replace the foil of the first baking sheet if the bacon is already done.) Spread the peas out into an even layer and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. When the bacon is finished, heat the broiler with an oven rack about 6 inches away from the heating element. Transfer the pan with the peas to the broiler and begin to crisp. After 2-3 minutes, add the scallions to the baking sheet along with the peas, drizzle lightly with oil, and return the pan to the oven. Let cook about 5-6 minutes more until both the peas and scallions are browned. Set aside to cool slightly. Chop the scallions into 1-inch segments.
05
To assemble the salads, divide the lettuce mix up among serving plates. Sprinkle each serving with some of the bacon, scallions, and peas. Split soft boiled eggs in half and add to each serving. Drizzle each lightly with the prepared dressing. Serve immediately.

Source

concept and techniques adapted from Food52 Mighty Salads