By Week 375. Year 8. Tommy is 41. The crawfish are running and the driveway is set up and the neighborhood knows because the steam carries the invitation. Rémy at the burner, 41-year-old Tommy at the table with a beer, watching the boy who became a cook become a man who cooks. Luc (17) at LSU studying engineering. Colette (14) in high school, painting. The spring is the same spring — crawfish and azaleas and the particular heat of March in Louisiana — and the sameness is the prayer.
Made grilled redfish this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. Encore là — still here.
When Rémy’s at the burner and the steam is already carrying down the block, I’m not going to stand over the stove — I’m going to sit at the table with my beer and make sure there’s something cold and ready for the table that doesn’t ask anything of anybody. This BLT Macaroni Salad is the one I keep coming back to for moments like that: bacon, tomato, crisp lettuce folded into a creamy pasta that gets better the longer it sits, which means I can make it ahead while the crawfish do their thing and just let the afternoon be what it is.
BLT Macaroni Salad
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min (plus 1 hr chilling) | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 8 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let cool completely.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Combine. In a large bowl, toss the cooled macaroni with the dressing until evenly coated. Fold in the bacon, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to come together. The dressing will thicken slightly as it chills.
- Add lettuce and serve. Just before serving, fold in the chopped romaine so it stays crisp. Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve cold.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 11g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 520mg