One of the things I love talking about when I’m teaching is how to take the flavor combinations of your favorite dishes and apply them to something completely different. It’s all about food as a canvas for whatever sorts of additions and ingredients you usually love in a completely different context. 
Like just because you love the ingredient combination in a nicoise salad – tuna, potatoes, green beans, eggs – doesn’t mean you can’t put those same things on a sandwich, or in a pasta dish, or make it hot and turn it into a braised tuna roast with poached eggs. With a little creativity you can turn your favorite dishes into something new, and talking about this helps students become more flexible, intuitive cooks who know how to break away from routine and from the strict rules of recipes. 
Take risotto, for example. (Yes, I will get to the salad, and that bacon you see above. Patience.) Risotto is a perfect example of a “canvas” for all sorts of flavor combinations. When we make risotto in class I talk with the students about how it can take on almost any flavor combination, from savory to sweet. During introductions at the beginning of class I have them tell me something they ate recently that they really liked, and when I start talking about potential additions for risotto I refer back to those and talk about how they could incorporate all those flavors and ingredients. They usually get pretty excited about this, and start making increasingly crazy-seeming suggestions to test me. Someone once joked (only half-joked, let’s be honest) “pepperoni pizza” as a suggestion and was surprised to hear me respond “Absolutely! Risotto with chunks of pepperoni, ripe tomatoes, and herbs, with fresh mozzarella and basil stirred in right before serving, maybe some garlic bread crumbs on top.” Might not be the most traditional risotto in the world (nor my top choice for additions), but the point is that it’s possible. If pepperoni pizza risotto is what it takes for someone to get in front of the stove and cook something, I’ll take it.
And now is when I do the bait and switch from pepperoni pizza to salad.
But not just any salad. This salad has bread (huge chunks of toasty, chewy garlic bread, to be specific). This salad has bacon. This salad has tomato, and avocado, and a creamy poached egg. All messed together with super-crunchy romaine lettuce. This is a BLT bread salad.
I’ve been kind of obsessed with bread salads for a few weeks now. Roasted chicken and a bread salad made with the chicken drippings is one of my favorite meals, but I don’t know why it took me so long to consider bread salads of all other sorts. Spring bread salad with toasted baguette, snap peas, goat cheese, and herbs. Summer bread salad with grilled ciabatta, tomatoes, basil, and burrata. Warm ingredients, cold ingredients – bread salads will take them all.
And let’s be honest – sandwich to bread salad is a pretty easy translation of ingredients. Bacon, tomato, lettuce, and avocado can’t really be beat on a sandwich, and together with some crudely torn hunks of garlic bread they can’t really be beat in a salad. And you can’t forget the mayo and mustard – integral parts of the whole BLT flavor package – so add poached egg on top and a mustard-laden vinaigrette, and you’re good to go.
BLT bread salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
This hearty BLT bread salad combines crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and crunchy romaine with chunks of garlic-toasted bread, topped with a poached egg and a tangy mustard vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 2 rolls or 2 fist-sized hunks of crusty bread
- 1 clove garlic
- 2-3 slices bacon, thick-sliced if possible
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for toasting bread
- 1 ripe tomato, chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat broiler, grill, or toaster oven. Cut hunks of bread in half, or so there is some large non-crust surface on each piece. Brush or drizzle with olive oil and broil/grill/toast until golden brown and crispy. Rub the toasted bread with the cut side of a garlic clove.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels. Once cool, chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Bring a small pot of water to a simmer. Add a splash of vinegar and poach the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the minced shallot, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, chopped tomato, diced avocado, and bacon pieces. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly.
- Add the toasted bread chunks to the salad and gently toss again.
- Divide the salad between plates and top each with a poached egg. Serve immediately.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and add roasted chickpeas for extra protein. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, but note that the bread may become soggy. Use day-old bread for the best texture when toasting.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 30
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 210
