Watercress Salad with Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado

INGREDIENTS
Breadcrumbs
  • • ½ lb rustic bread
  • • ½ cup olive oil
  • • 1 tsp salt
  • • 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
Garlic & Black Pepper Aioli
  • • 2 tsp champagne vinegar
  • • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • • ¾ cup canola oil
  • • 1 extra-large egg yolk
  • • 1 garlic clove
  • • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • • ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Salad
  • • 4 medium heirloom tomatoes, cut into quarters
  • • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
  • • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • • pepper
  • • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • • 1 lemon, cut in half
  • • 2 ripe avocados, cut into ¼-inch wedges
  • • ¼ cup Danish blue cheese, thinly sliced, divided
  • • 8 oz applewood smoked bacon, cut into half-inch cubes and rendered
  • • 8 cups watercress, large stems removed
DIRECTIONS

Breadcrumbs

Peel the crust off bread and cut into large chunks. Spread onto baking tray. Place into preheated 350°F oven, and bake until golden brown, approximately 7 to 12 minutes, stirring after the first 5 minutes. Remove breadcrumbs from oven, place in a small bowl, and add olive oil, salt, and parsley. Stir well, place back onto a baking tray, and bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

 

Garlic & Black Pepper Aioli

To make aioli, combine vinegar and lemon juice in a small measuring cup. In a separate cup, combine extra virgin olive oil and canola oil. Using a small food processor, add egg yolk, garlic, salt, and puree until smooth. While the machine is running, add vinegar and lemon juice mixture, blend until creamy, and then slowly drizzle in oil mixture. Using a spatula, scrape aioli into a small bowl, and add black pepper, adding more, to taste, if necessary.

 

Salad

Place tomatoes and red onions in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Squeeze in ½ of lemon, and stir to make marinade. Using a spoon, spread Garlic and Black Pepper Aioli onto a large platter. Arrange tomatoes on top of aioli. Place avocado wedges in between and around the tomatoes. Arrange half the amount of blue cheese. Sprinkle half the bacon, half the watercress and the breadcrumbs. In another layer, add the remaining half of the tomatoes, avocado, and bacon, finishing with the remaining watercress and breadcrumbs.

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