Barbecue Bacon and Bean Salad

By Paul Briand

This struck me as an odd collection for a salad. Fennel? Barbecue sauce?

I was especially struck by the fennel, a strong herb that has the taste of anise (think licorice). I was worried that the fennel would be overwhelming but it was absorbed nicely into the dish.

I found the recipe while cruising through stories from the Associated Press, which described it as " a rich, but not heavy salad that is the perfect partner for ribs, burgers, dogs, cobs or whatever you got on the grill."

Ingredients
1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces (a low-fat substitute is Canadian bacon)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce
15-ounce can corn kernels, drained (or kernels cut from about 4 ears)
Two 15-ounce cans white beans, drained
1 medium bulb fennel, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped chives

Directions
1. In a large saute pan over medium-high, cook the bacon for 4 minutes;
2. Add the onion and continue cooking until the bacon is crispy and the onion tender. Remove the pan from the heat. If there is more than about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan, drain most of it, leaving the bacon and onions in the pan;
3. Stir in the smoked paprika and barbecue sauce;
4. Transfer to a bowl and place in the freezer for 10 minutes to cool quickly;
5.In a large bowl, mix together the corn, beans and fennel. Mix in the cooled bacon mixture, tossing well. Sprinkle in the cider vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped chives.