Wrap Battle

Blue Cheese Bacon Lettuce Wraps with Crispy Cornmeal-Coated Bacon

35 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerAmerican
Herb's take

Here’s the modern American dinner-party trick you didn’t know you needed: ultra-crisp cornmeal-crusted bacon, sharp bleu cheese, and fresh lettuce join forces for a punchy, hand-held appetizer that’s more than the sum of its parts. You’ll master shallow frying, quick-pickling, and the fine art of not eating all the bacon before assembly.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    In a small bowl, combine white wine vinegar, granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Stir in red onion and let sit for at least 20 minutes to quick-pickle.
  2. 02
    Set up a breading station: beat the eggs in a shallow bowl and pour cornmeal into another shallow bowl. Pat bacon slices dry with paper towels.
  3. 03
    Dip each bacon slice in egg, letting excess drip off, then dredge thoroughly in cornmeal to coat all sides.
  4. 04
    In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat until shimmering. Fry bacon in batches, turning often, until golden and crisp, 5-7 minutes per batch. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
  5. 05
    While bacon cools, whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt in a bowl until smooth. Fold in bleu cheese and chives.
  6. 06
    Lay out lettuce leaves on a platter. Pat them dry if needed.
  7. 07
    Spread a spoonful of bleu cheese dressing down the center of each lettuce leaf.
  8. 08
    Top each with a crispy bacon slice, a few pickled onion strands, and a sprinkle of extra bleu cheese.
  9. 09
    Wrap up the lettuce leaf around the fillings, securing with a toothpick if desired. Serve immediately.

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