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I generally try to bring something somewhat healthy whenever I go to a summer BBQ. I tend to find I am less likely to go overboard gorging myself on chips, macaroni, potato salad, brownies, etc. when I can fill out my plate with veggies or salad. Veggie boards with homemade hummus, baba ganoush, or my green and red pesto are a good option. I also love mixing up side salads. This Uptown Bluegrass Salad is one of my favorites – though, with a pound of bacon, I’m not sure if it really counts as healthy.
This recipe comes from my hometown of Lexington, Kentucky. It was published in “Creating a Stir,” one of my most well-loved cookbooks. The book was assembled by the Lexington Medical Society Auxiliary back in 1999. They collected hundreds of recipes from the region and tested them all. The final product was a fabulous book with over 500 recipes including over 20 salads. I love pretty much all of them but the Uptown Bluegrass Salad is my favorite!
I usually can’t follow a recipe without fiddling with some aspect of it – adding ingredients, subtracting ingredients, upping the garlic, etc. but this one is perfect in its original state. If you are looking for a side to take to your next cookout, I highly recommend you give Uptown Bluegrass Salad a try!
Recipe Note: This salad will get a bit soggy after sitting for several hours. If you want to prepare it in advance, keep the dressing on the side until it is time to serve.
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Uptown Bluegrass Salad
- Yield: 8 -10 1x
Description
Uptown Bluegrass Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbed (I usually do this in the oven)
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
- 1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 large avocado, chopped
- 6 oz freshly grated parmesan
Spicy Mustard Dressing
- ⅓ cup white or yellow onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ freshly ground pepper
- ¾ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl. Toss with with spicy mustard dressing and serve immediately
Dressing
- Process onion and vinegar in food processor until pureed (I usually just use my immersion blender for this step (see image below)
- Whisk in mustard, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Gradually whisk in oil in slow steady stream; continue whisking until thick
