Ooooooh summer is a comin’!

grilled kale BLT dip I howsweeteats.com

Guys. I can’t even wait. I am so excited for this long weekend, so excited for these next few months, I can’t even staaaaaand myself at the moment.

Or during most moments.

But today I sort of can, because I fried a pound of bacon and put it in a DIP! A total summer dip. A total Memorial Day picnic dip. I’m going to do some planting and go to a parade and eat bowls of dip with chips and maybe have one of those disgusting-yet-amazing strawberry beergaritas in a can since I couldn’t have one last year. Winning? I think so.

grilled kale BLT dip I howsweeteats.com

This is, like, my 2015 version of that old-school BLT dip that usually consists of mayo, sour cream, bacon and chopped, never-ripe, orange-rocks-from-the-grocery-store tomatoes. Do you know that dip? It sounds atrocious but when you taste it, it tastes like a legit BLT. I don’t know how. I don’t know why. I think it’s alllllll the bacon.

The thing is that the ingredients kind of weird me in theory. And where is the lettuce? It’s never there, ever.

grilled kale BLT dip I howsweeteats.com

It is now! Here’s the thing: I am getting so much better about loving mayo now that I’m making my own. Unrelated but totally related: this is also how I started to somewhat like vegetables, making them in my own favorite ways.

Anyhoo, now that I’ve started making my own mayo and I see how it’s made and what not, it’s not so scary. Even back in my mayo-hating days, I still loved the teeeeeniest smear of it on a BLT. And many times I would remove the L and the T because, vegetables.

So this! It’s like my grown up BLT dip. You still need the mayo. You really do. Okay, well, maybe YOU don’t. But if you serve this at a party and there are others there who enjoy classic BLTs, they will need the mayo. It makes a world of difference, trust me.

I did use some greek yogurt for the tang, frankly because I almost always have a gigantic tub on hand. Always.

grilled kale BLT dip I howsweeteats.com

I used lots of bacon. Like, lotttttts of bacon. A whole pound. I actually used maple bacon too. Hello, lover. It was dreamy. Don’t skimp on the bacon!

For tomatoes, I used super-flavored cherry tomatoes. ACTually… they are the mini heavenly san marzano tomatoes. Do you have these at your grocery store? They are pretty much the ONLY tomatoes I use in the off tomato months. GET ‘EM!

And the L is grilled kale! Yeah yeah, more grilled lettuce. I’m not hating it. I love the little char and smoky flavor that the grill infuses into the kale – which, obviously, goes perfectly with the bacon.

grilled kale BLT dip I howsweeteats.com

And. And and and. As if this dip wasn’t lovely enough, I brushed some ciabatta baguette slices with bacon grease and toasted them super quick. GAH. I have to say that out of crackers and chips and pretzels and all sorts of carby dippers, bread and baguettes win for this dip because that it’s REALLY like a BLT. You know? You have your B, your L, your T and your bread.

Since I just used up all of my life’s exclamation points as well as yours and every neighbor within my two mile radius, I have to say that this is worthy. I’m finishing it for lunch today. I so am.

grilled kale BLT dip I howsweeteats.com

Grilled Kale BLT Dip

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound of bacon, cooked and crumbled (a few tablespoons of fat reserved)
  • 4 large kale leaves, curly green or lacinato both work!
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced or chopped
  • 1 large ciabatta baguette, sliced into rounds

Instructions 

  • I like to make the bacon first and set it aside – you can even made it a day ahead of time! When finished, be sure to reserve a few tablespoons of the bacon grease to make the baguettes. Heat the grease over low heat before using if it has solidified again.
  • Preheat your grill to the highest setting. Rub the kale leaves with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Once the grill is hot, place the leaves on the grill for just 1 minute or so per side, until they are dark green and slightly golden in spots. Remove the kale and let it cool until you can touch. I like to fold the leaves and slice out the stem, then use a large knife to slice and shred the kale into small pieces.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt and mayo. Whisk in the pepper and garlic powder. Use a spatula or spoon to fold the crumbled bacon, tomatoes and kale into the dip – if desired, reserve a few bits of each for topping the dip. Mix and stir well until combined. Taste and add a bit of salt if needed – I find it really doesn’t need it with all the bacon and the seasoned kale. Place the dip in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
  • Preheat your broiler to the highest setting. To toast the bread, slice a large baguette into 1/2-inch slices. Brush both sides with the reserved bacon grease. Place the bread slices on a broiler pan or on a wire rack fitted over a baking sheet. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching the ENTIRE time so that they don’t burn. Flip and broil for another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with the dip!
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grilled kale BLT dip I howsweeteats.com

Dip for life.