Wilted Arugula Salad with Asparagus, Bacon, Almonds, and Sherry Vinaigrette

The lead in to this recipe said you won’t believe how incredible this simple combination is.  I must say it was pretty good.  The recipe comes from Fine Cooking.  It said serves 4, but they probably mean as a salad, not as a main course.  I served it with the local version of a French baguette.

Ingredients:

7 oz of bacon (6-8 strips) cut crosswise into 2” pieces

1# asparagus, woody ends trimmed and cut into 1” pieces

6 oz. baby arugula

1/3C slivered almonds, toasted

¾ t kosher salt divided

3 T sherry vinegar

2 T EVOO

½ t Dijon mustard

¼ t freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1.      Heat a 12” skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until crisp.  Transfer to paper towels to drain with a slotted spoon. Leave the bacon fat in the skillet. 

2.      Put the arugula and the toasted almonds in a large bowl. 

3.      Cook the asparagus in the skillet with the bacon fat, stirring often, until crisp-tender and browned in spots, about 3 minutes.  Season with ¼ t of salt. (It took me about 10 minutes on my stove.)  Remove with a slotted spoon to the plate with the bacon.

4.      Add the sherry, EVOO, Dijon mustard and ½ t Salt to the fat in the skillet and whisk until combined.  Add the pepper. 

5.      Add the bacon and asparagus to the arugula.  Toss with enough vinaigrette to wilt the arugula. 

6.      Serve immediately.   

I probably would never have made this salad, but my Dad used to rave over bacon wilted salad my aunt made.  I thought why not as I had the ingredients.  Jim liked it.  I would skip the ½ t salt.