Now that's a salad: Bacon-wrapped cippolini with goat cheese

For some reason, I've been on a kick where I like to make fancy salads. Maybe it's all the fresh vegetables at the farmer's market or maybe it's that I've found a bunch of recipes that catch my eye. Whatever the reason, my husband has been loving them which is quite startling given his usual hum-ho attitude toward salad! Of course bacon always helps.

This salad is based on a recipe in Michel Richard's Happy in the Kitchen. I love roasted onions and bacon so I thought this would be a great addition to a simple dinner of mushroom risotto with sauteed veal.

Salad of butter lettuce with bacon-wrapped cippolini and goat cheese

• 1 head butter lettuce
• 8 cippolini onions, end trimmed and peeled
• 4 slices of bacon
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 slices from a log of goat cheese (about 1 oz. each)

Preheat oven to 400.

Heat oil in an ovenproof pan. Add the onions and saute until golden brown on each side. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, wrap each in half a slice of bacon then place in the pan seam side down. Sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground pepper. Then sprinkle the thyme over the onions.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. The turn on the broiler to crisp the bacon. Remove from oven. Set the bacon-wrapped onions on a plate. Set the pan over medium heat and whisk in the soy sauce and vinegar. (You can get rid of a little of the bacon fat if there's too much in the pan). Bring to a boil then reduce until slightly thickened. Strain.

Arrange lettuce on plates. Place 4 onions on each then drizzle with the dressing. Place the goat cheese in the center and serve immediately.

Serves 2