Name: Wilted Spinach Salad with Feta, Olives, and Lemon Vinaigrette
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 5 ounces baby spinach (about 6 cups); 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons); 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about one teaspoon); 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves; 1/4 teaspoon table salt; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon; 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup); 6 black olives, sliced thin (about 2 tablespoons)

Why This Recipe Works

For a wilted spinach salad recipe that would give us a not-too-greasy dressing and spinach with a slight but satisfying crunch, we cut back on the usual 4:1 ratio of oil to acid and added the lemon juice or vinegar once the oil and other ingredients had been heated to maintain brightness. To avoid overly wilted spinach, we used a mere ¼ cup of dressing for 6 cups of greens in our spinach salad recipe.

Before You Begin

We prefer the ease of prewashed baby spinach, sold in 5-ounce packages in most supermarkets. If you choose to use bunched baby spinach instead, make sure to wash and dry the leaves well

Instructions

Place spinach in large bowl. Add oil, shallot, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and sugar to small skillet and cook over medium heat until shallot is slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add lemon juice; swirl to incorporate. Pour warm dressing over spinach, add feta and olives, and toss gently to wilt. Serve immediately.