Spinach Salad with Warm Honey Bacon Vinaigrette

Everything’s better with bacon, including this simple spinach salad that’s transformed into a hearty appetizer or meal when tossed in a warm honey bacon vinaigrette, featuring honey. While this recipe requires a little stovetop preparation to start the dressing, the smell of bacon and shallots cooking is well worth the time.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

• 1 shallot, minced

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup honey

• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

For the salad

• 8 cups baby spinach

• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 cup walnuts

• 4 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled

• 4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Directions

In a large skillet, cook the bacon in the olive oil over moderately high heat until browned and crisp, about 6 - 10 minutes. Add the shallot, reduce the heat to low, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. To assemble the salads, add the spinach, onion, walnuts, bleu cheese, and eggs to a large bowl and toss with the warm vinaigrette. Divide among four bowls to serve.