Bacon

Assertive Green Salad with Ramps, Bacon and Blue Cheese

by:
April 30, 2010
3.5
2 Ratings
  • Serves 1-2
Author Notes

There is nothing bashful about this salad...it's full of assertive flavors, hence the title. If you don't like/can't find organic dandelion greens, you can substitute your favorite greens (dandelion greens are incredibly nutritious, though, so do give them a try, if possible). —WinnieAb

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Salad
  • 3 strips bacon, preferably pastured and preservative-free
  • 8 ramps, bottom white parts only
  • 4 cups chopped organic dandelion greens
  • 1 cup chopped organic parsley
  • 3 tablespoons Cashel Blue Irish Farmhouse cheese
  • Dressing
  • juice from 1/2 fresh lemon, preferably a Meyer lemon
  • 1/4 cup best olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 2 ramps, bottom white parts only, minced
  • pinch of sea salt
Directions
  1. Salad
  2. Cook the bacon in a hot skillet until crisp on both sides. Remove to a towel to drain and cool. Leave the hot bacon fat in the pan over medium heat.
  3. Toss the ramps into the hot bacon fat. Allow to cook for a minute or two, until nicely browned on all sides. Remove and allow to cool, then crumble into a small bowl and set aside.
  4. Coursely chop the ramps and mix in a medium bowl with the greens, parsley, and crumbled bacon. Set aside while you make the dressing.
  1. Dressing
  2. Mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and then pour over the salad. Crumble the blue cheese over the salad and serve.
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • mrslarkin
    mrslarkin
  • saenyc
    saenyc
  • WinnieAb
    WinnieAb
  • NakedBeet
    NakedBeet
I grew up in a restaurant family (my parents owned the now closed Quilted Giraffe in NYC) and I've always loved to cook. My interest in the connection between food and health led me to pursue a graduate degree in naturopathic medicine. I don't practice medicine anymore; I have a blog called Healthy Green Kitchen that I started in May of 2009 and I wrote a book called One Simple Change that will be published in January, 2014. I live in upstate New York with my family and many pets.

7 Reviews

mrslarkin May 1, 2010
Yum. I love bitter greens.This sounds and looks fabulous.
 
WinnieAb May 1, 2010
I had this for dinner last night and just loved it. You do have to be ok with the bitter flavor, though, which I also enjoy...then I followed it up with one of my rhubarb custards. Bitter to sweet ;)
 
saenyc May 1, 2010
wow, i love everything about this salad, especially the name!
 
WinnieAb May 1, 2010
Thanks!
 
WinnieAb April 30, 2010
NB- they can be very strong. I've found that the ones I've gathered from my lawn in the past were particularly bitter; the bunch I purchased and made this salad with were less so. I think any greens will work fine though- use what you like!
 
NakedBeet April 30, 2010
Great! I actually couldn't find any ramps in my local market but got some chinese leeks instead. I think they're a tad milder. I also like how you use the ramps in both the dressing and the salad, putting them to use completely!
 
NakedBeet April 30, 2010
I cooked up some dandelion greens once and was stumped by the flavor. I couldn't tell if I didn't cook it long enough or if I just didn't like the flavor. I love this "assertive" salad, but do you think escarole might work in place of the dandelions?