Listen, we all get the blues during the holidays. It’s natural; so much pressure to be cheery can certainly have the opposite effect. So why not find new ways to turn that feeling around? Our favorite way to cure the blues is to find some blue cheese! And Christmas Blues Salad uses that tangy, funky cheese with aplomb! Fried, succulent pancetta, toasted buttery baguette cubes, and crunchy red lettuce and radicchio all come together with blue cheese and a simple balsamic dressing for a wonderfully satisfying and happiness-producing dish! Best of all, Christmas Blues Salad is ready faster than Santa can fly around the world! Time to give the holiday blues the boot!
Ingredients
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 3 cups baguette, cubed
- 1 head radicchio, chopped
- 4 cups red leaf lettuce, roughly chopped
- 1 cup blue cheese or Gorgonzola, crumbled
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –In a skillet over medium heat, add the pancetta and cook until crispy, about 10 minutes.
Step 2 –Transfer the pancetta to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon and reserve the drippings in the pan.
Step 3 –In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the bread cubes to the drippings and cook, while stirring, until toasted, about 10 minutes.
Step 4 –In a large bowl, add the radicchio, the red leaf lettuce, the blue cheese, the pancetta, and the toasted baguette cubes and toss to combine.
Step 5 –Drizzle the salad with the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar and toss to coat.
Step 6 –Season the salad with the salt and the pepper.
Step 7 –Serve.
