Salad: United States – Warm Spinach and Sautéed Mushroom Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 14 min

Total 30 min

Ingredients

- 8 oz (225 g) baby spinach (about 8 cups packed)
- 10 oz (284 g) cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
- 6 slices (approx. 5 oz / 140 g) bacon, cut into lardons
- 1 small shallot (about 1 oz / 30 g), minced and divided
- 1 clove (approx. 3 g) garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil (for sauté)
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil (for vinaigrette)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp (7 g) honey
- 1/3 cup (35 g) toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup (20 g) shaved Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano)
- 1 tsp (5 g) coarse kosher salt, divided
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3–4 minutes; transfer to a plate to cool.
2. In the same skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate; reserve 1–2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat in the skillet and discard excess or save for another use.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and add 1 tbsp olive oil to the reserved bacon fat. Add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of the kosher salt; sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden and any released liquid has evaporated, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in half the minced shallot and the garlic in the last minute of cooking and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat.
4. Meanwhile, whisk together the sherry vinaigrette: in a small bowl combine sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, the remaining minced shallot, and 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) of the kosher salt. Whisk while slowly streaming in the 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil until emulsified; season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
5. Place the baby spinach in a large heatproof bowl. Immediately add the warm sautéed mushrooms and their pan juices to the bowl so the heat wilts the spinach, tossing gently until just wilted, about 1–2 minutes.
6. Add the crisp bacon (reserve a few pieces for garnish if desired), toasted walnuts, and shaved Parmesan to the warm spinach and mushrooms. Drizzle with the sherry vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining kosher salt and pepper if needed.
7. Transfer to a serving platter or divide among plates, garnish with reserved bacon pieces and an extra grating of Parmesan if desired, and serve warm.