Name: Wilted Spinach Salad with Oranges, Radishes, and Citrus 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); 1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest and segments from 2 medium oranges; 1/4 teaspoon table salt; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon; 4 medium radishes , grated on large holes of box grater (about 1/3 cup)

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

To cut neat orange sections free of membrane and pith, slice off the peel and pith using a very sharp paring knife and following the contour of the fruit. Then, holding the orange over a bowl and working section by section, slip the knife between the membrane and section and slice to the center. Turn the blade and slide it along the membrane on the second side of the section to completely free the section.

Instructions

Place spinach in large bowl. Add oil, shallot, orange zest, 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 orange segments and grated radishes, and toss gently to wilt. Serve immediately.