Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
A simple and classic spinach salad made even better with bacon. Unlike the histories of other big American salads like the Cobb and the Waldorf, the origins of the spinach salad are hazy and vague. Most likely, this tasty amalgamation has its roots in the certain German immigrant communities, where there is a tradition of composing a springtime salad of dandelions, bacon drippings, and vinegar, and typically served with poached or hard-boiled eggs...sound familiar? Over time, the dandelions were replaced by the more common spinach leaf, and an American classic was born. This recipe was featured in Season 10 of Good Eats.Photo by Lynne Calamia
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- 8 ounces young spinach
- 2 large eggs
- 8 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 large white mushrooms, sliced
- 3 ounces (1 small) red onion, thinly sliced
Specialized Hardware
Electric kettle
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Procedure
- Remove the stems from the spinach and wash, drain, and pat dry thoroughly. Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Place the eggs into an electric kettle and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Turn the kettle on. Once the water comes to a boil, the kettle will turn itself off. Leave the eggs in the water for 15 minutes. Remove and peel off the shell. Slice each egg into 8 pieces and set aside.
- While the eggs are cooking, fry the bacon and remove to a paper towel to drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
- Transfer the fat to a small saucepan set over low heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar, sugar, and Dijon mustard. Season with a small pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. For a creamy dressing, remove the cooked yolks from the eggs and put them in a large mixing bowl. Mash with a fork. Whisking continuously, add the vinegar, sugar, mustard, and melted bacon fat until an emulsion is formed. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper.
- Add the mushrooms and the sliced onion to the spinach and toss. Add the dressing and bacon and toss to combine. Divide the spinach between 4 plates or bowls and evenly divide the egg among them. Season with pepper, as desired. Serve immediately.
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