Southern Salad Recipe

Prepare produce and bacon

Wash and spin dry the baby spinach. Pat the green tomato slices dry on paper towels. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Cook bacon in a skillet or bake in oven until crisp; drain on paper towels and roughly crumble when cool.

Set up stations

Arrange three shallow bowls: one with the flour (3 tbs) mixed with cornmeal, salt and pepper for dredging tomatoes; one with buttermilk mixed with 1 egg and hot sauce; and one empty plate for finished slices. For shrimp: place 1/2 cup flour in a bowl, beat 1 egg with 1 tbs milk in a second bowl, and place panko mixed with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a third bowl.

Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering and a pinch of flour sizzles when dropped in (about 350°F if using a thermometer). Dredge each green tomato slice in the flour-cornmeal mixture, dip into the buttermilk-egg, then press into the flour-cornmeal again. Fry in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate and season lightly with flaked salt. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) if desired.

Heat remaining vegetable oil (about 1/2 cup) in the same skillet or a small pot to 350°F (medium-high). Pat shrimp dry and season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. Dredge each shrimp first in the 1/2 cup flour, then dip into the egg wash, then press into the panko mixture to coat evenly.

Fry shrimp in batches for 1.5–2 minutes until panko is golden and shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Do not overcrowd. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and finish with a squeeze of lemon if desired.

Make the blue cheese vinaigrette by combining 2 oz crumbled blue cheese, mayonnaise, buttermilk, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk until smooth but still slightly chunky from the blue cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning or thin with additional buttermilk or water to reach desired consistency.

Divide the baby spinach among 4 plates (about 1.5 cups per serving). Arrange tomato wedges around the spinach. Place 3 fried green tomato slices on each plate.

Top each salad with 3 fried shrimp, evenly distributed crumbled bacon, and about 3/4 oz (roughly 1.5 tablespoons) blue cheese crumbles per plate. Drizzle 1–2 tablespoons of blue cheese vinaigrette over each salad and finish with a grind of black pepper and a light sprinkle of flaked salt.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over shrimp and tomatoes.

Ensure oil temperature stays around 350°F for crisp frying. You can oven-warm finished components briefly but assemble just before serving to keep fried items crisp. All components listed in ingredients are used in the directions.