Name: Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 3 large eggs; 6 ounces baby spinach (about 8 cups); 3 tablespoons cider vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; pinch table salt; 8 slices thick-cut bacon (about 10 ounces) cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1/2 medium red onion , chopped medium (about 1/2 cup); 1 small clove garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)

Why This Recipe Works

For a spinach salad recipe that would give us wilted but not swampy greens, we started with rewashed, bagged baby spinach, which was tender and sweet. Thickly cut bacon added presence in our spinach salad recipe, and hard-cooked egg wedges formed a natural partnership with the bacon. Dressing made with bacon grease had a hearty flavor, and a ratio of 3 tablespoons each of fat and vinegar was perfect. Sautéed onions added enough volume and heat to wilt the spinach without our having to add too much dressing.

Before You Begin

This salad comes together quickly, so have ingredients ready before you begin cooking. We like the ease of prewashed spinach sold in 6-ounce packages. When adding the vinegar mixture to the skillet, step back from the stovetop--the aroma is quite potent.

Instructions

Place eggs in medium saucepan, cover with 1 inch of water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with 1 quart ice water. Transfer eggs to ice water with slotted spoon; let stand 5 minutes, then peel eggs, quarter them lengthwise, and set aside.

Place spinach in large bowl. Stir vinegar, sugar, pepper, and salt together in small bowl until sugar dissolves; set aside.

Fry bacon in medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Pour bacon fat into heatproof bowl, then return 3 tablespoons bacon fat to skillet. Add onion to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes; stir in garlic until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add vinegar mixture, then remove skillet from heat; working quickly, scrape bottom of skillet with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Pour hot dressing over spinach, add bacon, and toss gently with tongs until spinach is slightly wilted. Divide among individual plates, arrange egg quarters over each, and serve.