BACON AND AVOCADO WEDGE with STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE
Salads are my favorite to make as a side dish or even on it's own as the main dish. Trying to come up with creative new ideas for a salad with ingredients that you might not expect to taste are something I enjoy doing. This twist on this wedge salad for Fred Meyer has me wishing it was summer again. The fresh flavor of strawberries in the dressing adds a vibrant flavor to the wedge. I'm loving the crispy bacon for the smokey meaty flavor and creamy texture of avocado to bring it all together. Make it a whole meal by adding slices of steak, chicken or fish.
1tbspfinely grated fresh Parmesan cheese to top croutons
pinch of salt
a few smaller strawberries for garnish
Instructions
Remove any wilted outer leaved of the lettuce and cut the head into quarters. Slice off the hard core and, if desired, cut each wedge in half to form eighths. Place one to two quarters or two eights on each plate.
Preheat small toaster oven or regular oven to 375 F.
Place cut Challah croutons into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and grated parmesan cheese, toss and then place on parchment paper, bake for about 3-5 minutes or until golden brown, toss them around and bake for another 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure to watch them so they don't burn. Take them out let cool.
You are now ready to assemble your salad (see photo above for reference). Place your wedges on a plate, add avocado, bacon, croutons and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with a pinch of finishing salt and a few strawberries on the side you are ready to enjoy.
Optional: Add a little sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan for a little more cheesy goodness. Also, you will notice I don't add black pepper to any of my dishes, I am allergic to pepper so I don't add it to my food. You are always welcome to add a pinch of pepper to finish off your dishes if you love pepper.