This salad gets its Southern bona fides from the crispy cooked country ham, which is comparable to prosciutto and serrano. Yankees and others who may not be familiar with the intense flavor and chewy texture of country ham may be surprised when they taste it, but down South, we know it well. It’s always consumed judiciously simply because it’s so rich and salty.
Ingredients
Tobacco Onions
- 1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into thin rings (try not to break the rings)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups canola oil, preferably expeller-pressed
Salad
- 8 ounces country ham, 3 to 4 slices
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, outer leaves removed and discarded, chopped
- 1/3 cup Buttermilk Dressing
- 12 to 15 hard-cooked quail eggs, peeled, or 4 to 5 hard-cooked large hen eggs, peeled and chopped
- ¾ cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 6 ounces Tennessee cheddar cheese, or any good, local cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
How to Make It
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To Make the Onions
- Put the onion rings in a shallow bowl and cover with the buttermilk.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Lift the onion rings from the buttermilk and dip in the flour mixture to coat evenly.
- Meanwhile, in a heavy, medium-size pot or large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat to a temperature of 350°F, as registered on a deep-fat fryer thermometer or candy thermometer. Line a plate with several layers of paper towels and set it close to the stove.
- Working in 2 batches, fry the onions until golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes. Using tongs, remove the onion rings from the oil and let them drain on the paper towel–lined plate. Season with salt while still hot. To Make the Salad
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the ham on a baking sheet and bake until crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. When cool, chop the ham so that you have 1/3 to ½ cup.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the chopped romaine with 2½ to 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk dressing.
- Divide the salad evenly among 4 or 5 plates. Top each with quail eggs (or chopped hen eggs) and 6 to 7 tomato halves. Top the salads with country ham, cheese, and tobacco onions and serve immediately.
