Warm Strawberry Bacon Orzo Salad Food

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:

• 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.

BACON & AVOCADO WARM PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Cook the orzo following pack instructions, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the bacon for 4-5 mins until crispy. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for a couple mins more. Stir in the orzo, pesto and avocado, and heat for 2 mins more.
• Spoon onto a serving plate, then scatter with rocket leaves and Grana Padano.

WARM STRAWBERRY BACON ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add bacon. Fry until golden brown and crispy, then remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Add pecans to the skillet and toast for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally so they do not burn. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Set bacon and pecans aside. In the meantime, boil a pot of water for orzo and cook according to package directions. Add sliced red onion to the skillet with a sprinkle of salt and stir to coat with bacon grease. Saute over medium heat until onions are soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add in garlic and spinach and cook until spinach wilts. Add in strawberries and the cooked orzo and mix to coat. Season with salt and pepper, then add in pecans and bacon. Remove from heat and stir in crumbled goat cheese. Top with fresh basil to garnish if you’d like. Serve immediately. It tastes good cold too! Tasty Kitchen Blog: Warm Strawberry Bacon Orzo Salad. Guest post by Erica Kastner of Buttered Side Up, recipe submitted by TK member Jessica of How Sweet It Is. Notes: 1. Don’t overcook your orzo, or it will stick together. I cooked mine a bit too long and needed to rinse it with cold water to loosen it up. 2. I love that the strawberries don’t get too cooked—just enough to help their flavor meld a tiny bit into the rest of the salad. 3. You could also use other seasonal fruits in this salad. I think blueberries would work really well. 4. Even if you absolutely hate goat cheese, you should still give this recipe a try! You can leave it out or substitute it with another cheese. I think blue cheese or feta would be awesome. 5. This salad was really best fresh. It seemed to deteriorate quickly in the refrigerator for me.