Bibb Salad With Frisee, Crisp Bacon, Radish, Fried Onions, Blue Cheese Crumble, Red Wine Vinaigrette Recipe

Wash Bibb lettuce and frisée thoroughly. Spin or pat dry until leaves are just dry. Tender leaves keep a light dressing; overly wet leaves will dilute the vinaigrette.

Thinly slice radishes and place them in a small bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to crisp, then drain and pat dry.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) or plan to cook bacon in a skillet. For even, hands-off crisping, arrange bacon in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or a rack.

If using oven: bake bacon 12–18 minutes until crisp to your liking; thicker slices may take longer. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

If using skillet: place bacon in a cold skillet with 2 tbs water (optional — helps render fat gently). Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool, then chop into pieces.

Heat neutral oil in a small saucepan or deep skillet to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, oil should shimmer and a small piece of bread browns in ~60 seconds.

Toss thinly sliced onions with flour and 1/2 tsp of the kosher salt so slices are lightly dusted.

Working in small batches (to avoid cooling the oil), gently separate onion slices and drop them into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per batch.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried onions to a paper towel-lined tray and immediately sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Let cool — they will crisp further as they cool.

Crumble blue cheese into small pieces. To mellow intensity, briefly toss with 1/2 tsp olive oil and break into smaller crumbles with your fingers or a fork. Keep refrigerated until assembly.

In a small bowl or jar, combine red wine vinegar, minced shallot, Dijon mustard, honey, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Whisk while slowly streaming in the olive oil until emulsified, or shake vigorously in a sealed jar. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more vinegar for brightness, more honey for sweetness, or more olive oil to mellow.

Let the vinaigrette sit 5 minutes so the shallot softens and flavors meld. Give it a final whisk before dressing the salad.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the Bibb leaves and frisée. Add the drained radish slices.

Add about 3 tbs of the red wine vinaigrette to the greens and toss gently but thoroughly to coat. Add more vinaigrette sparingly — you can always add more at the table.

Transfer dressed greens to a serving platter or arrange on individual plates. Scatter chopped crisp bacon evenly over the salad.

Sprinkle the blue cheese crumbles over the top, followed by a generous handful of the crispy fried onions for crunch.

Garnish with snipped chives and an extra grind of black pepper. Serve immediately so fried onions and bacon remain crisp.