Chasen's Spinach Salad With French Dressing

A popular salad from Chasen's Restaurant. Recipe from the Los Angeles Central Library's collection of old menus.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4 salads

Ingredients

• Salad

• 1 1⁄2 bunches fresh spinach
• 1⁄3 cup  chopped bacon, cooked crisp
• 1⁄2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1⁄2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
•  fresh ground pepper, to taste

• French Dressing

• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dry English-style mustard
• 1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 1  teaspoon lemon juice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1  garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1⁄4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1⁄8 teaspoon white pepper

Directions

1. Start by making the dressing, in a shaker (such as a jar) dissolve the sugar, salt, pepper and English mustard in vinegar.
2. Add in oils, lemon juice, Worcestershire, garlic, Tabasco and white pepper.
3. Cover and shake jar vigorously.
4. Set the jar aside or chill until needed.
5. For the salad, remove stems and wash spinach leaves in several changes of water until there is no trace of sand, dry well.
6. Clean mushrooms and cut off stems, thinly slice mushrooms.
7. Combine the red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with the French dressing in a cup.
8. Place the spinach in a large bowl, tear the large leaves into smaller pieces.
9. Add the mushrooms, dressing and bacon.
10. Toss to mix, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
11. Serve on chilled plates.
12. Serve with Chasen's cheese toast.