Braised Lettuce & Smoky Bacon
I feel strongly that lettuce should be used for more than just salad: don’t be afraid to cook it. Smoky bacon is obviously delicious, but the cooked, wilted lettuce is what shines in this dish. I much prefer skin-on slab bacon, but I know it can be hard to find. Ideally you can get your hands on a whole piece of pork belly so you can cut large pieces, but sliced bacon will work in a pinch (in which case, there’s no need to boil it, just cook it with the olive oil until crispy).
Ingrediënten
- Serves 6 to 8
- 3 heads romaine lettuce
- 4 ounces skin-on smoked slab bacon or bacon slices
- Salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 clove garlic smashed
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup toasted walnuts see below, coarsely chopped
Instructies
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Discard the outer leaves of the romaine bunches and slice off the tops.
- If using slab bacon, cover it with cold water in a small pot and turn the heat to high.
- Bring to a simmer, skimming off the scum that forms at the surface.
- Turn down the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
- Drain over a bowl to reserve the broth and set the bacon aside on a paper towel to cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, discard its skin, then cut the flesh into pieces about 1 inch long by ½ inch wide.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat.
- Once boiling, add a small pinch of salt.
- Dunk the lettuce in the boiling water until it wilts, about 15 seconds.
- Remove and halve lengthwise.
- (I don’t dunk the lettuce in cold water as it will turn brown.
- )
- In a medium pan on low heat, stir together the olive oil and bacon.
- Continue stirring until the bacon starts to crisp, about 10 minutes.
- Push the bacon to the edges of the pan and lay the blanched lettuce, cut-side down, in the center.
- Sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and cook until the cut side of the lettuce has nicely browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the white wine, garlic, ¾ cup of the reserved bacon broth or water, and a pinch of pepper.
- Cover and cook for 5 minutes, shaking the pan every so often to prevent sticking.
- Use tongs to flip the lettuce onto its other side.
- Replace the cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Transfer the lettuce to a serving plate.
- Turn the heat to high and continue stirring until the ingredients emulsify and the juices turn a light-yellow color, about 3 minutes.
- Spoon the bacon and its juices over the lettuce.
- Top with the toasted walnuts and serve immediately.
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