Warm Grain Salad With Bacon Leeks Spinach Food

WILTED SPINACH SALAD WITH HOT BACON DRESSING

Steps:

• Place the spinach in a large bowl and leave at room temperature. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Use a slotted spoon to gently lower the eggs into the water. Boil until both the whites and yolks are set (hard-boiled), about 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl filled with ice water and cool completely. Once cool, peel the eggs and cut each into quarters.
• Meanwhile, put the bacon in a large skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Remove half of the bacon fat to a small bowl and reserve.
• Return the skillet and remaining bacon fat to medium heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper to the same skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the reserved bacon fat, vinegar, mustard and honey and whisk until smooth and emulsified. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.
• Pour the hot bacon dressing over the spinach and toss until evenly coated and slightly wilted. Transfer to a platter and top with the eggs, red onion and reserved bacon.

SPINACH SALAD WITH WARM BACON DRESSING

Steps:

• 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.

SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SALAD WITH WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Put the spinach, strawberries and shallots in a large bowl.
• Toast the almonds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside to cool.
• Put the bacon in a cold medium skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate; leave the bacon fat in the pan.
• Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the mustard and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the vinegar and then whisk in the olive oil. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the bacon and almonds to the salad, pour over the bacon vinaigrette, and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

SPINACH SALAD WITH WARM BACON DRESSING

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove to paper towels; reserve the drippings in the skillet.
• Whisk the vinegar, sugar, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper into the drippings. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
• Place the spinach in a large bowl and pour the warm dressing on top; add the grapes, blue cheese and the reserved bacon and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Top with croutons.

WARM SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add bacon to skillet and brown, reserve the crispy bacon bits and add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Cook 3 to 4 minutes then deglaze the pan with vinegar, turn spinach into pan and wilt down a bit but do not fully cook the spinach, just give it a few turns with tongs. Season the greens with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place spinach on a serving dish and top with quartered eggs, shavings of cheese and reserved bacon bits.

WARM SPINACH AND PEAR SALAD WITH BACON DRESSING

Steps:

• Place spinach in large bowl.
• Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp.
• Remove to paper towel to drain.
• Discard all but 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings from skillet.
• Add oil to drippings in skillet and heat.
• Add onion; cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper.
• Bring to boiling.
• Remove from heat.
• Add pear to spinach.
• Pour hot dressing over spinach and pear; toss well to coat.
• Crumble bacon and sprinkle over salad.
• Serve immediately.

SPINACH SALAD WITH WARM BACON-MUSTARD DRESSING

Steps:

• Place spinach into a large serving bowl, top with hard-cooked eggs, mushrooms, 4 crumbled strips of bacon, Swiss cheese, and almonds.
• Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in shallots and garlic, and cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and 2 crumbled strips of bacon; season to taste with salt and pepper, then cook until hot.
• Pour hot dressing over spinach and toss to coat.

WARM GRAIN SALAD WITH BACON, LEEKS & SPINACH

Steps:

• Boil the farro or quinoa in the stock in a lidded pan until soft to the bite, then drain. Meanwhile, use a pair of scissors to cut the bacon into small strips. Wash the leek and chop finely. Melt the butter with the oil and fry the bacon, leeks and rosemary gently over a medium heat until soft.
• Add the farro to the pan, and stir in the green leaves and chestnuts, if you like. Put the lid on the pan and keep over a low heat until the leaves wilt and the chestnuts warm through. Serve warm or at room temperature.