Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

My husband loves traditional old school spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. Steak House spinach salad that was prepared for you at your table-side. It's almost impossible to find these days.

What has replaced it is a cold version of what it was meant to be and served with "your choice of dressing." What? no, It should be served with warm bacon dressing!

This salad is more like a meal than a side dish, but can be served either way.  Fresh spinach and mushrooms tossed in a hot bacon dressing that wilts the spinach and flavors the mushrooms at the same time, then topped with chopped egg, crispy bacon and parmesan cheese.  Really, what more do you need?

My notes to you...

Traditionally the dressing is made up of equal parts of bacon fat and red wine vinegar.  Sweetened with sautéed onions and brown sugar, then balanced out with a dash of Worcestershire and mustard.  I used French’s yellow mustard as a personal preference but Dijon would work well also.

I usually make the dressing ahead of time and heat it up in the microwave just before serving.  Cook as much bacon as you would like to top your salad and save the bacon fat for your dressing.  I only cooked 2 slices of bacon so I added a Tbsp. of olive oil to make up for some of the oil. I know the big question is… “Why would you use olive oil if you are blending it with bacon fat?”  It was what I had on hand.

I like to chop my egg rather than quarter or slice them.   I think it distributes the yolks and the whites evenly.  You can do it any way you like.  One last word of advice is to salt and pepper twice.  Once while you are tossing, then after you plate it up. Serve immediately.

SPINACH SALAD WITH WARM BACON DRESSING

10        oz. package    baby spinach, stems removed

2          large                eggs, hard boiled

6                                  mushrooms, sliced

                                    Parmesan cheese, grated

WARM BACON DRESSING (makes ½ cup of dressing)

2 – 4    strips                bacon, sliced into small strips

1          Tbsp.               olive oil

1          slice                 onion, minced

1          Tbsp.               brown sugar

3          Tbsp.               red wine vinegar

            dash                Worcestershire

1          tsp.                  French’s mustard

            pinch               Kosher salt

            pinch               black pepper      

Place the bacon pieces in a sauce pot with 1 Tbsp. olive oil.  Cook on med low until the bacon pieces are crispy.  Remove bacon pieces to a paper towel and set aside.

Return the pot with the bacon fat and olive oil to the stove and add the onion.  Cook for a minute or two to soften the onions.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well to blend.

Place the spinach and mushrooms in a large mixing bowl and pour the hot dressing over the spinach and toss.  Place in a serving bowl or into individual plates and garnish with egg, parmesan cheese and bacon.  Serve immediately.