Would it be lardons?
Mark’s not much of a greens lover, and I got a giant bunch of escarole in my CSA box last Thursday. So I decided the best thing to do is what you do to make anything better – add bacon.
Escarole (or other greens) with bacon & croutons
- 1 large head of escarole, chopped and washed (somewhere around 14 – 16 cups)
- 6 slices of bacon, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 9 – 12 small baguette slices
- Balsamic vinegar
To clean the escarole, cut off the core, and then slice it up. As you slice, put the chopped leaves into either a big sink of cold water or your salad spinner. Rinse well, in as many batches as it takes. Head a deep skillet with a lid, and add the chopped bacon. Fry until it’s starting to brown around the edges and release fat, then push it to one side of the pan. Add the garlic and the baguette slices. Fry the baguettes a few minutes on each side until nicely browned. Remove the baguettes, bacon, and garlic to a paper towel line plate to drain, leaving a little fat in the pan. Add the escarole, tossing it and covering with the lid to wilt it down – you will probably have to wilt a panful, and then add the rest after the first batch has wilted down. When the escarole is cooked, top with the bacon and serve. Good hot, or at room temperature the next day. Drizzle in a little balsamic vinegar as a finishing touch if you like.
