Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Mustard Vinaigrette and Candied Walnuts
Makes 2 entree salads
Ingredients
- 2 eggs soft poached (read how to poach an egg here)
- 1/2 Granny Smith apple thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup goat cheese crumbled
- 1/2 small red onion sliced in thin rings
- 2 Roma tomatoes sliced into wedges
- 4-5 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup thick croutons
- 1/2 cup Hot Bacon Vinaigrette
Hot Bacon Vinaigrette:
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/2 pkg bacon about 8 slices
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup dry mustard
- 1 tbsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- For the vinaigrette: bring all ingredients together in a deep saucepan to a boil.
- In a small bowl, make a slurry by whisking together cornstarch and 1/4 cup water and slowly whisking into vinaigrette to thicken.
- Serve dressing warm and keep leftovers in a covered container in the fridge.
- To make candied walnuts: in a skillet melt butter and mix in brown sugar.
- Add walnuts and cook over medium, stirring for a couple minutes until toasted and coated. Remove from heat.
- To plate salad: place a few handfuls of spinach on a plate (about 2 cups). Top with a sprinkling of walnuts, cheese, croutons, sliced onions, 4 wedges of tomato, and about 5 thin slices of apple on the side.
- Top with a poached egg in the center and drizzle on the Hot Bacon Vinaigrette.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Pot Roast and Pinot.