Hearts of Palm Salad with Olives and Bacon

I’ve spoken before of my love for jarred roasted red peppers.  I consider them to be a pantry staple and really should get to writing up a blog post about my version of pantry staples, because you can add to that list Hearts of Palm.  Having these on hand will never leave you in a lurch.  A jar of these will give you a delicious dip, tasty soup, and inspire a variety of salads, so you will never be caught off guard when unexpected guests drop by.  I like to keep a dish of this marinated mixture in the fridge to add to a salad whenever I make one.  It is so delicious and so unusual that you will feel quite special any day of the week.  It is very versatile, so you can toss in, as I often do, some quartered artichoke hearts, a tablespoon of capers, or anything else that will take to being marinated.  Use this concoction as a garnish, serve it alone on a lettuce leaf as I’ve done here, or use it as a mix-in for a salad.  Très elegant!

Hearts of Palm Salad with Olives and Bacon

1 (14.8-ounce) jar Melissa’s hearts of palm, drained and sliced

1 (.7-ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix

(I use Good Seasons Mild Italian)

1/3 champagne vinegar

4 tablespoons water

1/3 cup canola oil

4 oz. button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

1 (8-ounce) jar green olives, sliced

1 (6-ounce) can sliced black olives

1 English cucumber, cubed

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Romaine leaves

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dressing mix, vinegar, and water until well blended. Whisk in olive oil. Add hearts of palm and mushrooms to the bowl, and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle cubed cucumber, green olives, black olives, and bacon over the salad.

This post is linked to:

On the Menu Monday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday