Warm Spinach Salad
“Who doesn’t love bacon and eggs?” asks Executive Chef Matt Gordon rhetorically. At his new Sea & Smoke brasserie in Del Mar, he gives spinach a sweet and savory twist. “Plus,” he says, “you meet your salad quota while eating it.” Enjoy this with a warm baguette for an elegant lunch.
Warm Spinach Salad
Serves 1
For the vinaigrette:
1/2 c. natural bacon, chopped
2 shallots, roughly chopped
1/4 c. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. honey
1/4 t. ground black pepper
1 1/2 c. grapeseed or other light oil
For the salad:
1/2 c. chopped bacon, cooked
3-4 c. organic baby spinach (Bloomsdale
Savoy, if possible)
1/2 c. dried figs, quartered
1/4 c. shaved Parmesan
1 warm poached egg
Toss the bacon and shallots in a touch of oil and sauté until soft and hot. Add mustard, vinegar, honey and pepper and stir to combine. Let cool. Place cooled mixture in a blender. With the blender on high, add the oil in a slow, steady stream. The vinaigrette can be made in advance and stored up to five days in the refrigerator.
To make the salad, place 2 to 3 oz. of the vinaigrette and the bacon in a wok. Place on the stove over medium heat to warm. Add spinach and figs and toss for about 15 seconds until the spinach is wilting a bit. Transfer salad to a bowl, top with the shaved cheese and poached egg and serve immediately.
Suggested pairing: Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne or other sparkling wine