BET Salad

   OK, I am trying to throw this post together really quick before my hectic day of sewing, babysitting, avoiding the numerous workers in the house, and awesome hipster hair cutting commences (go visit Rachel's blog.  Oh, and I would just like to say that I am not a hipster by any means.  My hair is just gonna be hipster-light.)  Honestly, I am already an hour behind schedule.

  Saleds.  Some people keep typing in saled to the search.  (I find this infinitely amusing.)  Sorry guys, no saleds here.  Salads, however... well, I have a few of those, but not nearly enough.  I blame on the time of year I started this blog. (September.)  There will be a lot more salads coming up as the weather gets warmer and my life gets busier.

   The BET salad.  This has nothing to do with black entertainment television.  It is the bacon, egg, and tomato salad.  (Bacon optional.... but highly recommended.)  I am crazy obsessed with fried eggs right now.  They are so fast and easy.  Also cheap and tasty.

BET Salad
~4 C lettuce (I used romaine heart and field greens)
2 eggs
Warm Pan Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette:
3 slices bacon, chopped*
1/2 C grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 C yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp rosemary
salt and pepper

   Render bacon over medium heat until crispy.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.  Spoon out extra fat from the pan, leave about a tsp in the pan and reserve the extra.  Add onions to pan.  Cook 5 minutes until soft and translucent.  Add tomatoes.  Cook until onion and tomatoes have caramelized (5-7 minutes.)  Add garlic, rosemary, and balsamic vinegar.  Stir and allow vinegar to get slightly syrupy.  It will only take a couple minutes.  Remove from heat and add olive oil. (This is a very chunky vinaigrette.)  Salt and pepper to taste.
   Heat a little of the reserved bacon fat in a pan over medium-high heat.  Fry eggs until desired doneness.  For over-medium, about 2 minutes per side (or less, depending on how hot your stove runs.)
   Place lettuce on plates.  Top with egg and sprinkle bacon over.  Add dressing..  You will need to randomly dot it oer the lettuce to ensure even distribution.
   Serves 2.

*If you want to make this vegetarian, use olive oil in place of bacon fat.  To add an extra depth of flavor, I suggest using a smoked olive oil to finish the salad.  (Don't cook with it, just use it as the raw olive oil at the end of making the vinaigrette.)  Oil available at Williams-Sonoma

Note:  I wrote that last blurb not knowing if smoked olive oil actually existed.  I assumed it must exist, because it sounds like a delicious idea.  A quick google search lead me to the website above.  Now I am desperate to try these oils!!!  If anyone has had smoke olive oil, let me know how it is, please!