Crudités With Bacon XO Sauce

Ingredients

• •4 slices bacon
• •1 cup vegetable oil
• •6 ounces shiitake mushrooms
• •2 whole scallions
• •1 medium shallot
• •5 whole anchovies
• •3 whole red Thai chiles
• •3 cloves garlic
• •1 piece ginger
• •½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• •¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• •8 ounces haricots verts
• •4 slices country-style bread
• •2 tablespoons olive oil
• •2 bunches carrots
• •1 bulb fennel
• •1 teaspoon lime zest
• •2 tablespoons lime juice
• •1 pound fingerling potatoes
• •halved lengthwise

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Cut bacon into 1" pieces, then chop until a fine paste forms (this can also be done in a food processor).

   5 min

2. 2.

   Heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium. Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Using a small fine-mesh sieve, transfer bacon to a small bowl.

   4 min

3. 3.

   Working in separate batches and transferring each item to bowl with bacon as it's done, fry aromatics until brown (about 2 minutes for everything except mushrooms and shallot, which will take about 4 minutes). Let oil cool completely.

   15 min

4. 4.

   Pulse bacon, mushrooms, scallions, shallot, anchovies, chiles, garlic, ginger, cooled vegetable oil, sesame oil, and salt in a food processor until nearly smooth.

   5 min

5. 5.

   Cook haricots verts in a medium pot of boiling salted water until bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes (4 minutes if using green beans). Transfer to a plate and chill to stop cooking while you grill the bread.

   3 min

6. 6.

   Prepare grill for medium-high heat (or heat a grill pan over medium-high). Brush both sides of bread with oil and grill until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.

   4 min

7. 7.

   Toss carrots, fennel, and haricots verts with lime zest and lime juice in a large bowl. Transfer to a platter and scatter crushed ice over. Place grilled bread and potatoes on another platter. Serve with XO sauce for dipping.

   5 min

8. 8.

   Sauce can be made 1 month ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.