This Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing from Alton Brown is a recipe I’ve made many, many times.  As I’ve mentioned before, Alton has some wonderful recipes and this one is no exception.

I really enjoy this salad because it combines vibrant flavors with different textures.  Well, that and because it’s super yummy.  There’s crumbled bacon, crisp spinach, thinly sliced red onions and a warm bacon dressing made with red wine vinegar, some sugar and reserved bacon fat.

Yum.  Bacon fat.  Just kidding.  Seriously, though, the salad doesn’t feel heavy, like one might think.  Rather, the warm bacon dressing lightly coats the salad while the red onion and red wine vinegar cut through any “greasiness.”

Traditionally, this salad includes sliced hard boiled eggs, but Dustin and I have been enjoying it with a poached egg instead.  Either way is good, though.

On a complete side note, I’d just like to take a moment to express my appreciation and gratitude for all you wonderful souls who visit my site — whether this is your first time here or you’re a regular.  I took a walk with Jordan today in the beautiful San Diego sun and, somehow, got lost in my thoughts.  Sad thoughts…memories about old, horrible cases I worked when at Child Protective Services.

Watching Jordan sleep in her stroller grounded me again and reminded me how so very fortunate I am to be doing what I love. So, I’d like to thank you all for listening to me as I write about food — not about broken families, not about abused and neglected children — but about food.  And love.  And life.  And happiness.  Thank you for sharing this with me. Thank you for your support.

Okay.  Back to the food! 

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

serves 4, recipe adapted from Alton Brown

8 ounces baby spinach
2-4 large eggs
8 pieces thick-sliced bacon
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4-6 large white mushrooms, sliced
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

Directions

Wash, drain and pat the spinach until thoroughly dry. Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

If choosing to hard boil your eggs, check out How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs and then slice each hard boiled egg into 4 quarters, lengthwise, and set aside.  If choosing to poach your eggs, check out Easy Poached Eggs Recipe on Simply Recipes.  What a useful site!

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.

Enjoy!

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