Butter Lettuce with nuts, bacon, cheese, egg and sherry vinaigrette

LAtimes.com 10-19-2011

Ingredients:
  * 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  * 2 tablespoons Spanish sherry vinegar
  * 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  * 1/2 teaspoon salt
  * 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  * 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  * 6 slices thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon
  * 1/2 cup hazelnuts
  * 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil
  * salt
  * 2 heads butter lettuce
  * 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  * 5 hard-cooked eggs
  * Black pepper
  * 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
  * 4 ounces Gorgonzola dulce


  - Vinaigrette: Combine the shallots,2 tablespoons vinegar,1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice,salt and pepper in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly to combine. Taste for seasoning.
  - Cook the bacon either in oven or in pan, till it is done but still chewy. Cut each strip into 4 pieces.
  - Scatter the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and place them in 325 oven to toast until they are golden brown and fragrant, about 12 to 15 minutes; or can pan toast them. Watch carefully so that they do not burn.
  - Gather nuts into a clean dish towel, after cooling, and rub them together in the towel to remove the skins. Place nuts in a small bowl,drizzle with hazelnut oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and toss to coat with the seasoning.

  - Wash and tear the lettuce into bite sized pieces; dry.
  - Season the lettuce with salt, drizzle 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette and the lemon juice and toss it to coat it with the dressing.
  - Slice the eggs with a sharp knife and lay the slices out on a cutting board. Sprinkle the slices with salt, grind pepper over them and sprinkle with chives.
  - To build the salad, place lettuce leaves on the bottom of platter, then place egg slices,crumbled Gorgonzola,bacon; top with hazelnuts.