BURRATA WITH BACON, MARINATED ESCAROLE, AND CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS

Steps:

• To prepare the escarole for grilling, cut the heads in half through the core. Put the escarole in a large bowl. Combine the oil, garlic, and shallot in the jar of a blender and purée. Pour the marinade over the escarole, sprinkle with the salt, and toss to coat with the seasonings, massaging the marinade into the leaves to make sure the marinade gets in between the layers of the escarole. (You can prepare the escarole to this point up to several hours in advance. Refrigerate in an airtight container until you are ready to grill it.)
• Prepare a hot fire in a gas or charcoal grill or preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat.
• Place the escarole halves on the grill and grill until it is deep brown and charred in places, 8 to 10 minutes, turning it several times during the cooking time so the escarole cooks evenly. (If you are cooking the escarole on a grill, note that there is so much oil and water in the escarole that it will flare up, so use the perimeters of the grill to keep the flare-ups to a minimum.) Remove the escarole from the grill and put it in a large bowl. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for about 10 minutes to wilt the escarole.
• To dress the escarole, cut off and discard the cores. Cut the leaves across the heads into 1 1/2-inch pieces, and put the pieces in a large mixing bowl. Add the shallots, vinegar, garlic, and salt and toss to distribute the seasonings. Add the oil and toss the escarole again. Taste for seasoning and add more vinegar, oil, or salt, if desired.
• To prepare the shallots, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until it is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shallots and sauté, stirring only as much as necessary to prevent them from burning, for about 5 minutes, until they're brown around the edges and soft. Add the balsamic vinegar, reduce the heat, and simmer the shallots, stirring frequently, until the bottom of the pan is dry, 6 minutes. Use the shallots or transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to several days. Bring the shallots to room temperature before serving. (This makes about 2/3 cup of shallots, which is more than you will need for this recipe. Serve the rest with grilled meat, fish, or pork.)
• To assemble the crostini, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lay the bacon on a baking sheet and bake until it is cooked all the way through but not crisp, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove the bacon from the oven and transfer it to paper towels to drain.
• Place the crostini oiled side up on your work surface. Mound 1/2 cup of the marinated escarole on top of each crostino, leaving the edges of the bread visible. Cut each slice of bacon in half on the diagonal and lay both halves side by side on each crostino. Cut the burrata into 12 equal segments and nestle one segment on top of each crostino. Drizzle each segment of burrata with the finishing-quality olive oil and spoon 1 teaspoon of the caramelized shallots on top of each serving of burrata. Coarsely grind black pepper over each crostino, and serve.
• Santa Maddalena (Alto Adige)