Lunch: Chicken-Liver Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing and Croutons

The flavors in this salad are incredible-hot, smoky and salty bacon vinaigrette, slightly bitter frisée and the rich, mineral-y meatiness of the chicken livers will tantalize.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. loaf country-style bread
7 tbsp. olive oil
2 large heads frisée
1 red onion
3/4 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 lb. bacon
1 lb. chicken livers
1 tsp. ground allspice
3 1/2 tbsp. Wine vinegar

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 °F. Toss the bread cubes with 2 tablespoons of the oil and put on a large baking sheet. Bake, stirring once or twice, until the bread cubes are crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the croutons cool.
In a large bowl, combine the frisée, onion,1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
In a large nonstick frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and pour the fat into a measuring cup. Add enough of the oil to make 1/2 cup and reserve for Step 5.
Wipe out the pan. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil in the pan over moderately high heat. Season the chicken livers with the allspice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Put the livers in the pan, in two batches if necessary, and cook 2 minutes. Turn and cook until browned, about 2 minutes longer. The livers should still be pink inside. Remove the livers from the pan and put in a warm spot.
Wipe out the pan. Add the reserved 1/2 cup fat and the bacon to the pan. Heat over moderately high heat until the bacon is sizzling. Pour the hot bacon and fat over the salad and toss. Toss in the vinegar and then the croutons. Put the salad on plates and top with the livers.
Wine Recommendation: Dishes that straddle the line between salad and meat need particularly flexible wines. Light-bodied reds that are low in tannin, to avoid a clash with the vinegar, can work well; try a Bardolino. Just about any dry rosé wine would also be good.

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