## Description My take on a recipe from Leon's Happy Salads book. The largest change from the original recipe calls for raw kale (raw!?) as the base for the salad. I'd rather eat my own foot than eat raw kale, so this recipe is redeveloped so that the kale is baked alongside the tomatoes and the bacon, which improves the depth of flavour in the dish. The other change is that the original recipe's ingredient list is full of pre-prepared ingredients, to cut down on the published prep time. In this recipe, we just start from scratch and work while things are cooking. Because who buys cherry tomatoes already halved?! Regardless, I rate the book. Just don't try making the Thai Squid salad, it's a nightmare. >[!Note] >You absolutely can make this vegan quite easily; Remove or replace the bacon & yoghurt and use double the amount of (vegan) mayo for the dressing. ###### Prep time: 20 mins ###### Cook time: 25 minutes ## Ingredients Makes 2 large servings, 3 medium servings For the salad: - [[Tomatoes]], cherry, 250g (9oz) - [[Olive Oil]] - [[Garlic]], one large clove, and [[Garlic Powder]], one teaspoon - [[Oregano]], one tablespoon, dried - [[Kale]], 200g (one bag) - [[Bacon]], three rashers - [[Balsamic Vinegar]], one teaspoon - one [[Avocado]] - [[Bread]], two slices. Alternatively some stale baguette will do For the ranch dressing: - [[Mayonnaise]], one heaped teaspoon - [[Yoghurt]], Greek or normal is fine. Alternatively [[Crème fraiche]]. Regardless, one heaped teaspoon - [[White Wine Vinegar]], one teaspoon - [[Garlic]], one small clove - [[Olive Oil]], one teaspoon - [[Chives]],[[Parsley]],[[Dill]], half teaspoon each, all dried - [[Paprika]], a pinch, optional - [[Tabasco]], to taste, optional ### Recommended tools Large mixing bowl, greaseproof paper, three oven trays (two small, one large) ## Method 1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius (340 Fahrenheit). 2. Chop the cherry tomatoes into halves and mince a large clove of garlic. 3. Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of olive oil to a large mixing bowl. Mix well. >[!Tip] >If you need to destem or wash your kale, now's the time - the rest of the recipe starts to move quite quickly after this point! 5. Empty the contents of the bowl onto a large oven tray covered with greaseproof paper, and put in the oven. 6. Roughly chop the three rashers of bacon into two cm squares (don't bother trimming any fat) and add to the same mixing bowl. 7. Add pepper and balsamic vinegar, and mix. 8. Chop your slices of bread into crouton-sized pieces. By now, your tomatoes should have been in the oven for around 5-7 minutes. 9. Take your tomatoes out, empty the bacon onto the oven tray (and spread it out!) and return to the oven. 10. Put your soon-to-be-croutons into the mixing bowl and add garlic powder, salt and pepper (and if you'd like, any other herbs (sage? Rosemary?)). While mixing constantly, pour in olive oil until the bread is starting to look glossy. 11. Get a different oven tray, line with greaseproof paper, and empty your croutons onto the tray. Add to the oven. 12. Add your kale to the mixing bowl, dress with a small amount of olive oil, salt and pepper, and add to a large greaseproof tray (and the oven). >[!Note] >Keep an eye on your oven, if anything is getting burnt just remove that particular ingredient from the oven. 13. Wash your chopping board and mixing bowl, dry them and set them back on the countertop. 14. Chop your avocado and add to the mixing bowl. Finely grate or mince your small clove of garlic. 15. In a mug, add your garlic, then your white wine vinegar, then the rest of your dressing ingredients (and after tasting, adjust with salt and pepper). Whisk hard with a fork to force the dressing to combine. 16. Remove everything but the croutons from the oven, and mix everything (including any juices), along with the ranch dressing. 17. Add the croutons and mix once more. Serve immediately with just water, before it gets cold!