Chopped Salad

Easing into spring, I find myself drawn to the bright colors of the budding flowers outside my porch. I move my blacks and grays to the back of my closet, and bring forward my pops of color and florals. It’s also time to amp up dishes with bright, choppy hues.

Chopped salads are one of my favorite go-to dishes for a ladies lunch. The ingredients are chopped into bite-sized pieces and tossed together. You can basically use whatever you have on hand to throw into the salad. I always add an avocado for creaminess and love chopped bacon for salty crunch. Yesterday, I was inspired by Cygnet Restaurant’s (up in Beverly Farms) well-known version featuring avocado, bacon, green beans and corn. With my lady friends, I selected a clear, striped, shallow dish to let the salad’s pretty colors and shapes shine. Each forkful had a wonderful combo of flavor and texture - like a plate of flowering confetti!

Confetti Chopped Salad

8 slices thick-cut bacon
1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 c Bibb lettuce, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
2 c sweet corn or thawed frozen corn
2 avocados, chopped

Lemony Dijon Vinaigrette
1 T lemon juice
1 T red wine vinegar
1 t Dijon Mustard
1/2 t honey
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c EVOO
salt and pepper throughout

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the bacon slices on top. Bake until crispy, about 12-15 minutes. With tongs, remove bacon from the baking sheet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Once cool, chop the bacon into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside.

Meanwhile, Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and run them under cold water to cool completely. Set aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine the green beans, Bibb lettuce, tomatoes, corn and avocado. Sprinkle the bacon on top. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and drizzle atop the salad. Toss to combine and serve. Serves 4-6.

On a colorful, healthy dish kick, let's see what Marni has next!