HEARTS OF ROMAINE WITH BLUE CHEESE AND BACON

Hearts of Romaine with Blue Cheese and Bacon image

Combine the enhanced flavor of romaine with smidgens of bacon and our irresistible blue cheese dressing, and that old-fashioned wedge of lettuce becomes a slice of heaven.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories appetizer

Time 55m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

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Ingredients

8 strips good-quality bacon
1 large egg
2 hearts romaine lettuce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Blue Cheese Dressing, recipe follows
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 shallot, peeled
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Lay the bacon strips on a roasting rack and bake in the oven until crisp, about 20 minutes. (To make bacon curls: Wrap each slice of raw bacon around a metal skewer in a barber-pole fashion and lay the skewers on the roasting rack.) Pat dry with a paper towel. When cool enough to handle, break into pieces or in half, if using curls.
Put the egg in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain the egg and roll it between your palm and the counter to crack the shell, then peel under cool running water. Rub the egg through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.
Remove the large outer leaves from the romaine hearts and rinse. Chop these leaves into bite-size pieces and spin dry. (Use an extremely sharp knife to minimize bruising the edges.) Halve the hearts through the cores to make 4 wedges. Rinse under cold running water and shake to air dry.
Divide the wedges among 4 plates. Mound some of the chopped romaine on top and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon about 1/4 cup of Blue Cheese Dressing over each salad and top with some of the sieved egg and bacon. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.
Pulse the mayonnaise, blue cheese, buttermilk, shallot, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and celery seeds in a food processor to make a chunky but pourable sauce. Stir in the parsley and season with plenty of pepper. Use immediately or refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.