This salad brings together all the best of a BLT in a salad: crisp lettuce, salty bacon, juicy tomatoes and a tangy stand-in for mayo with buttermilk dressing . . . not even the bread is left out.

Dressing
1/2 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chives, minced
2 teaspoons onion, peeled and grated
1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad
4 slices center-cut bacon
4 cups torn romaine lettuce
4 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes
4 cups (1-inch) cubed rustic whole grain bread, toasted
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced

Shake all dressing ingredients together in a tight-sealing jar until well blended.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and spoon 2 teaspoons bacon fat into a large salad bowl. Toss lettuce with drippings, add remaining salad ingredients and toss well again with dressing. Top with crumbled bacon.

Serves 4