Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
This recipe crafts a classic Spinach Salad with a warm bacon dressing. It combines fresh spinach, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, sliced mushrooms, and red onion, all tossed in a tangy vinaigrette made from reserved bacon fat, red wine vinegar, sugar, and Dijon mustard. A quick and flavorful dish perfect as a light meal or appetizer.
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For washing, drying, and tossing spinach.
- 1 Electric Kettle Alternatively, a small saucepan for boiling eggs.
- 1 Large Skillet For frying bacon and rendering fat.
- 1 Small Saucepan For preparing the warm bacon dressing.
- 1 Whisk For emulsifying the dressing.
Ingredients
Main
- 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 and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large white mushrooms sliced
- 3 ounces red onion 1 small, very thinly sliced
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
Ensure spinach is thoroughly washed and, crucially, dried completely before dressing; excess water will dilute the warm vinaigrette. When frying bacon, achieve a crisp texture without burning, and carefully measure the rendered fat for the dressing. The electric kettle method for eggs is efficient, but ensure they are left in the hot water for the full 15 minutes for a perfectly set yolk without overcooking. Whisk the warm dressing vigorously to emulsify. Serve immediately to prevent the spinach from wilting excessively and maintain optimal texture.