Tangy Spinach Salad & Bacon Dressing

Submitted by Tona C.

"Mom loved this salad, and it was always a treat when she would prepare it. Not having her recipe, I used Alton Brown's as the basis and improvised slightly. This was a hit with everyone. The secret is to add enough sugar to reach the desired sweetness level. Just keep tasting and stirring the dressing -- just don't eat all of it or you won't have anything to put on the salad! From the kitchen of Tona Thornburg Court, Moberly MO."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 8 salads
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 453.59 g Baby Spinach
• 6 eggs, hard boiled and sliced
• 16 piece cooked bacon, chopped
• 133.10 ml red wine vinegar
• 59.16-88.74 ml sugar
• 9.85 ml Dijon mustard
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 12 medium white mushrooms, sliced
• 170.09 g red onions, very thinly sliced (1 small)
• 236.59 ml dried cranberries
• garlic cheese crouton

directions

1. Remove the stems from the spinach and wash, drain and pat dry thoroughly. Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
2. While the eggs are hard boiling, fry the bacon and remove to a paper towel to drain, reserving 9 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Crumble the bacon and set aside. I like to fry bacon in the oven. Just spread out the slices on a cookie sheet and pop into a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. You can turn the bacon during the last 5 minutes to get it crispier.
3. Transfer the bacon grease to a small saucepan set over low heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard. Season with a few small pinches each of kosher salt and black pepper.
4. Add the mushrooms, cranberries and the sliced onion to the spinach and toss. Add the dressing and bacon and toss to combine. Divide the spinach between 8 plates or bowls and evenly divide the egg among them. Season with pepper, as desired. Serve immediately.

Reviews

[MeliHW]

I absolutely loved the flavor of this salad. I LOVE a great spinach salad with warm bacon dressing, but I have never tried to make it on my own. Not only was the dressing sweet and tangy, but it had a pefect smokey flaor from the bacon. The addition of the crasins was gave the salad a nice hint of tart. I say this is a winner and a must make!

 

[jenluvsmike]

I fell in love with the Strawberry Spinach salad that was topped with Warm Bacon dressing, at Bob Evans' restaurant a few years ago and if you add strawberries to this and omit the cranberries it is a close rendition. Delicious!!!