Crispy romaine lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy-fried bacon and homemade croutons are tossed with a creamy, tangy, fresh basil infused dressing in this satisfying salad!
INGREDIENTS (for 4 servings):
- 1/2 pound bacon
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 4 slices French bread, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
PREPARATION:
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings.
In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved bacon drippings, mayonnaise, vinegar and basil and let dressing stand, covered, at room temperature.
In a large skillet over medium heat, toss the bread pieces with the salt and pepper. Drizzle with the oil, continue tossing and cook over medium-low heat until golden brown.
In a large bowl mix together the romaine, tomatoes, bacon and croutons. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.