Culinary Guides

This is an old fashioned potluck salad, the kind that disappears first off the table. Crisp lettuce and raw cauliflower give it real crunch, bacon and parmesan bring the salt, and a creamy, lightly sweet dressing pulls it all together. It scales up or down easily, so make a small bowl for lunch or a big one for a crowd.

Ingredients

For the salad

• 1 head lettuce, chopped
• 2/3 head cauliflower, finely chopped
• 1 pound bacon, fried and crumbled
• 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

For the dressing

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Miracle Whip
• 1/4 cup sugar

Directions

1. Wash and chop the lettuce into bite size pieces and drain it well so the salad does not go soggy.
2. Finely chop the cauliflower and set it aside.
3. Fry the bacon until crispy, then crumble it into small pieces.
4. Toss the lettuce, cauliflower, and crumbled bacon together in a large salad bowl.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, and sugar until smooth.
6. Just before serving, add the dressing a little at a time, tossing and tasting as you go, until it is dressed to your liking. Adding it all at once can make the salad soggy.
7. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and toss gently to combine.
8. Serve right away, while everything is still crisp.

Iceberg keeps things classic, but romaine or butter lettuce work well too. If you like a less sweet dressing, cut back the sugar or add a splash of apple cider vinegar for a little tang.

Grower's tip: cauliflower curds discolor and loosen in sun and heat. Once the head reaches about tennis ball size, tie the outer leaves up over it to blanch the curd white and tender, and cut it while the head is still tight and firm, before it begins to separate.

The base of this salad comes straight from the garden. Grow a bed of lettuce and a few heads of cauliflower for the crunch, and tuck in some cherry tomatoes if you like to fold a few into the bowl.