Spinach Salad With Blood Orange/Raspberry Vinaigr

Fresh spinach topped with a Mediterranean blend of food treasures, dressed up with a homemade blood orange vinaigrette.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Blood Orange Vinaigrette

• 4  slices bacon
• 1⁄2 medium shallot, finely minced
• 1⁄2 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
• 1  teaspoon honey
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄4 cup white wine
• 1  tablespoon brandy
• 3⁄4 cup  blood orange juice
• 5  tablespoons sugar
• 6  ounces  raspberry preserves
• 3  sprigs fresh thyme leaves
• 1  sprig fresh rosemary
• 1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 1⁄2 cups  vegetable oil
•  salt and pepper

• Salad

• 10  ounces fresh spinach
• 1⁄4 cup sun-dried tomato, packed in
•  olive oil, diced
• 4  artichokes, halves jarred sliced in half
• 8 -10  kalamata olives, pitted
• 1⁄4 cup capers, rinsed
• 1⁄4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1⁄2 blood orange, sectioned
• 1⁄4 cup asiago cheese, grated

Directions

1. Vinaigrette: Cook 4 strips bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and reserve. Discard 1/2 of bacon drippings.
2. Saute shallot and garlic until translucent. Add honey, cayenne pepper, white wine and brandy. Turn heat to high. Bring to simmer.
3. Add blood orange juice, raspberry preserves and sugar. Turn heat down to medium, add thyme and rosemary and reduce by half. Allow to cool to room temperature. Remove thyme and rosemary stems.
4. To food processor, add reserved bacon, raspberry reduction and apple cider vinegar. Process 1 minute.
5. With motor running, slowly add oil in slow steady stream. When all the oil is in, stop motor and scrape down sides with spatula.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 2 cups.
7. Salad: Place spinach on large platter. Arrange remaining ingredients over spinach and toss with 1 cup vinaigrette.