Recipe for spring vegetables with hot bacon vinaigrette

Travis Milton, executive chef at Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards in Bristol, Virginia, grew up eating this salad. His family called it the Killed Lettuce Salad because “you ‘kill’ the lettuce by pouring hot fat over the leafy greens.” Preparing it is a sensual experience, with the hot bacon fat crackling happily as it’s poured over the vinegar-soaked vegetables. For the best crispy-chewy texture, instead of buying thickly sliced ​​bacon and slicing it into tough chunks yourself, it’s a good idea. At the bottom of the salad bowl is a puddle of very tasty liquid. Enjoy it with cornbread like Milton does.