Tomato Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese and Basil

TOTAL TIME: 20 MIN
SERVINGS: 6 to 8

FAST

This salad manages to seem both light and rich. Sheamus Feeley makes it with creamy chunks of Point Reyes Blue Cheese and crisp house-cured bacon, but the salad has such great zing, vegetarians will be equally happy with a bacon-free version.

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1/4 pound sliced bacon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 pounds assorted tomatoes, quartered or halved
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup torn basil leaves

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon slices over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels, then crumble into pieces.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the cider vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard and herbes de Provence and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes on a platter and season lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the crumbled bacon and blue cheese, garnish with the basil leaves and serve.

Tomato Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese and Basil

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