Sour Cream Lardons Salad Recipe

Prepare eggs

Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then remove from heat, cover and let sit 10 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath 5 minutes, peel and slice into quarters. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the mixed salad greens. Right before serving, arrange greens on a serving platter or individual plates and top evenly with sliced eggs, sliced avocado, and crumbled bleu cheese.

Finish salad base with a light sprinkle of fresh cracked black pepper to taste (about 1 tsp across the whole salad).

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta or bacon lardons in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and browned, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer lardons to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Reserve 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat in the skillet and discard the rest or save for another use. While the lardons are warm, stir them into the sour cream with lemon juice and 1 tsp salt. Mix until evenly combined — the hot lardons will slightly temper the sour cream and infuse flavor. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Refrigerate the sour cream lardon mixture briefly if it becomes too warm, or serve slightly warm for contrast on the salad.

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, olive oil and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper until smooth.

Toss roasted peanuts and chopped dried cherries with the marinade until evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to absorb flavors, stirring once or twice. These can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead and stored covered at room temperature.

In a small jar or bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Whisk or shake to dissolve honey and mustard. Slowly stream in 3 tbs olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep at room temperature until ready to dress salad.

Place basil leaves, 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until the basil is finely pureed and the oil is bright green, about 20–30 seconds. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a small bowl to remove solids for a smooth oil (reserve solids for another use if desired). Keep basil oil at room temperature; it may be reheated gently if it firms in cool conditions.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush pita triangles lightly with 1 tbs olive oil, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle with coarse salt and bake 8–12 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.

To assemble the salad: drizzle honey vinaigrette evenly over the greens and toss gently (or drizzle on individual plates). Spoon dollops of the sour cream lardon mixture across the salad (about 2–3 tbs per serving). Scatter the marinated cherry roasted peanuts over the top, then drizzle basil oil sparingly (about 1 tsp per serving) for aroma and color.

Finish with additional crumbled bleu cheese if desired, a few more grinds of fresh cracked black pepper, and serve with warm or room-temperature pita chips on the side.