Stacked Avocado and Tomato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Stacked Avocado and Tomato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Recipe type: side dish Yield: 4 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 25 mins

In this delightful recipe, creamy California Avocados are the perfect foil for crunchy bacon bits, ripe tomatoes and crisp homemade breadcrumbs

Ingredients:

8 (1/8-in. thick) slices country bread
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
4 grinds fresh pepper
2 ripe Fresh California Avocados, peeled, seeded and quartered
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
4 Tbsp. Bacon Vinaigrette (see make-ahead recipe below)
For the Bacon Vinaigrette:
4 thick slices bacon, cut into short 1/16-in. thick pieces
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. apple vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lay bread slices on a cookie sheet.
3. Mix together olive oil, pepper and half the salt.
4. Brush this mixture evenly on bread slices and place in oven.
5. Cook until evenly golden brown and crispy, about 8-10 minutes.
6. Cool bread completely, then place in a resealable plastic bag and crush into irregular croutons.
7. Mash six of the avocado quarters with the remaining salt.
8. Divided among each serving plate, layer one slice of tomato and drizzle with small, equal amounts of Bacon Vinaigrette.
9. Follow with avocado mash and sprinkles of crispy crumbs.
10. Repeat in each stack until all ingredients are used.
11. Slice the remaining avocado quarter into six thin slices and place two slices on top each stack.
12. Drizzle with remaining bacon vinaigrette and serve immediately.
13. To Make the Bacon Vinaigrette: Fry bacon in a skillet until crisp then drain on paper towels.
14. Transfer a spoonful of bacon fat to a large mixing bowl and add olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper.
15. Whisk to form vinaigrette.

Published on August 13, 2014 by Teri Williams