Throwback Thursday...Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

When I think of this salad, I think of the 80's. I think every restaurant had this on their menu back then. But I never had it until years later when an ex-boyfriends mother would serve this salad as a side with dinner. That's another thing that we never did, serve salad on a separate plate, on the side. Growing up, salad was always at the end of the meal on the same plate. Haha, this was totally new to me. I thought it was really cool.

I finally decided to make it as a main meal for last nights dinner and added a poached egg to it. A nice light meal. I adapted this recipe from Mark Bittmans cookbook, How to Cook Everything. Although I did guild the lily a little by adding some crumbled blue cheese to it.

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
(adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman)

150 grams baby spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 slices bacon, chopped
1 small shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Crumbled blue cheese
2 poached eggs

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add chopped bacon. Cook until crispy and remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the chopped shallot and sauté until soft. Stir in the Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar and bring to a boil. Take off the heat.
In a large bowl with the baby spinach, pour the bacon vinaigrette over it and toss until well coated. Sprinkle with the crispy bacon and  blue cheese crumbles. Divide in two plates and top with a poached egg on each one.

m xo