Spinach Salad w/ Warm Pancetta Dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 10 slices pancetta, sliced thin
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, chopped
  • 1½ tbsp of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp of honey
  • 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 2 tsp of Dijon mustard
  • kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb fresh spinach leaves, trimmed and cleaned
  • 3-4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
  • 4 small tomatoes, halved
  • 3-4 slices sweet onion
  • 12 Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
  • Chinese mushroom caps, about a handful
  • large croutons

How-to

  1. Preheat oven to 375º
  2. Place slices of pancetta on a baking sheet or roasting pan, place in the oven and cook until the pancetta is crispy. Remove from the oven, place pancetta on a dish and set aside
  3. In a saute pan, place the olive oil and the fat from the pancetta. Heat to medium-high heat and add the shallots. Saute shallots for 2-3 minutes
  4. Add the vinegar, honey, brown sugar Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes while stirring.  Remove from heat, taste and check seasoning
  5. In a large salad bowl place the spinach leaves, season with salt and pepper
  6. Add some of the dressing and toss to cover all of the spinach leaves.  Place the dressed spinach leaves onto a platter
  7. In the same salad bowl add the mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and croutons. Add a bit more dressing, salt and pepper and toss gently. Place on top of the spinach leaves
  8. Place hard-boiled eggs on top of the salad and drizzle a little dressing on top of the eggs
  9. Place the rounds of crispy pancetta on top of the salad and enjoy!