Lunch with Friends
HOT CIDER DRESSING
2 cups apple cider
8 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
(I love the smokiness and thickness of
Neuske’s Bacon from Wisconsin, you can
find it at Artisanal Grocery in Wilmette.)
2 shallots, minced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey mustard
½ cup olive oil (Check out Old Town Oil
or City Olive in Chicago.)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
TO PREPARE THE DRESSING: Place
cider
in a small saucepan and boil until
reduced to ½ cup. This will take 20
to 30 minutes. Set aside.
MIXED GREENS SALAD
12 cups torn mixed salad greens
(Young lettuces love to grow in the cool
spring weather so they are often the first
to appear at local farmers’ markets. When
markets are not open—check out Artisanal
Grocery for locally sourced organic greens.)
Photo: Earth First Farms
1 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
1½ large Granny Smith apples,
thinly sliced
You can find so many delicious varieties
of apple cider during the fall at our local
farmers’ markets: visit Wilmette or
Evanston. And the all-organic Green City
Market is worth the drive to the city!
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Sauté bacon in a medium sized skillet
over medium heat until crisp. Drain
on paper towels and discard all but
2 to 3 tablespoons of bacon fat remaining in skillet. (Bacon can be reheated
on paper towel for a few seconds in the
microwave just before serving!) Add
shallots to skillet and sauté over
medium heat until softened, about
5 minutes. Whisk in the cinnamon
and honey mustard and cook 1 more
minute. Add mixture to the reduced
cider. Add olive oil and season to
taste with salt and pepper. Warm up
dressing when ready to plate.
PEACHY
4 ounces crumbled chevre or other
soft goat’s cheese (My favorite is
Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery out
of Champaign, Illinois. It sells at several
local farmers markets, Whole Foods and
Artisanal Grocery.)