Recipe: A nutty salad with boiled egg, bacon and croutons

A few years ago, I was not very fond of salads. My perception of salads changed when I learnt how to make vinaigrette dressing and nowadays, we have salad at least once a week, usually served with our main meal. Great for a quick lunch too.

A nutty salad with boiled egg, bacon and croutons

When I make a salad, the must-have ingredient for me are cherry tomatoes. Recently I have started buying this brand called "Latoma" cherry tomatoes which comes from Johor in Malaysia. I like them because they are firm yet juicy. Textures are important too, so I add Japanese cucumber and a variety of nuts such as walnuts and almond flakes. Boiled eggs are great too, since they are a good source of protein. And if my mum is having some of my salad, freshly grated cheese is always a must! This combination works well for me, but if I'm feeling a little indulgent, I would also make some mini croutons as well as fried bacon topping.

Beautifully vibrant and so colorful - it's no wonder we love salads now!

A nutty salad with boiled egg, bacon and croutons
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 slices white bread, cut into 1cm chunks
1 1/2 tbsp EVOO
3 rashers streaky bacon, cut into thin strips

For the salad
1 Japanese cucumber, cut into small cubes
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
50g green salad leaves, washed
20g walnuts, broken into small pieces
20g almond flakes
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered (method here in Step 1)
1 spring onion, finely sliced

For the dressing
1 1/2 tbsp EVOO
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp soft brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Optional
Freshly grated parmesan


1. Firstly, make the croutons. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and then add the bread chunks. Cook for 1 1/2 -2 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2.  Using the same oil, cook the bacon until crispy, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

3. Make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Place the salad leaves, cucumber and spring onion in a large bowl and pour the dressing over it. Toss the salad using your hands until the leaves are evenly coated. Then, sprinkle on the cherry tomatoes, walnuts, almond flakes, boiled egg, spring onion, croutons and bacon just before serving. If you like, you can grate some more Parmesan cheese on top of the salad.

*Another great way for using up those leftover Easter Eggs.

I am submitting this to my friend mui mui's Little Thumbs Up "Tomato" event.