Editor's Note: We're teaming up with our friends over at Food52 to bring you even more easy weeknight recipes. Food52 recipes will appear on this site every Tuesday and Thursday, and are carefully curated by the Serious Eats team. Check back on Serious Eats every weekday afternoon for a new quick and easy weeknight dinner idea from our own test kitchens, or from the good folks at Food52.

[Photograph: Sarah Shatz via Food52]

In the summer, it occasionally gets too hot to want to cook anything, and the only thing that's cool and refreshing enough is a nice big salad. This salad from Food52 does require some cooking, but only for the bacon (worth it already) and the caramelized apple vinaigrette. The salad utilizes the bright, fresh crunch and anise flavor of fennel as well as a tart apple to cut through the bacon and rich vinaigrette.

Get The Recipe

Not-Too-Virtuous Salad with Caramelized Apple Vinaigrette »

About the author: Will Gibney is currently a summer intern here at Serious Eats and loves being around so much food. He recently found true love in a Jamón de Bellota in Spain