Spinach Salad with Pancetta, Eggs, and Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette

This spinach salad with pancetta, eggs, and mustard-shallot vinaigrette is a delicious way to get your leafy greens in either a light meal, or as an appetizer salad. 

This spinach salad with pancetta, eggs, and mustard-shallot vinaigrette also includes homemade croutons from leftover bread.

This is a simple salad, but loaded with flavor and nutrition. It's so easy to make with a bag of pre-washed baby spinach, and the pancetta adds a little bit of savory sophistication.

I also love making homemade croutons. I tossed some thick cut French bread in oil, dried herbs, and garlic in a skillet to make these. You can also rub oven toasted sliced French or Italian bread with garlic for even more garlicky flavor.

The vinaigrette, with sherry vinegar (my new favorite discovery), Dijon, and shallots, is simple and outstanding.

This salad was adapted from the book, Mark Bittman's Kitchen Matrix: More than 700 Simple Recipes and Techniques to Mix and Match for Endless Possibilities.

Camilla of Culinary Adventures of Camilla, and Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm have embarked on a one year project of cooking through the book. I'm jumping in when I can.

I love the book. For example, today we are posting from his Salad Greens +12 ways section. He's divided salad greens into tender, crunchy, sturdy, or bold. Within each section, he has three options for each. I picked this salad from the "tender" section, but then added croutons from the "crunchy" section. This book is so cool!

In two pages, there are 12 recipes for salads. If you like a graphic cookbook with lots of options, you'll love this one.

After the recipe, be sure to check out Camilla and Wendy's choices for Salad Greens +12 ways.

Yield: 4 servings

Spinach Salad with Pancetta, Eggs, and Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette

ingredients:

Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 minced small shallot
• Salt and pepper

Spinach Salad

• 4 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes
• 6 cups baby spinach, torn into pieces
• 4 hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
• Croutons (see below)

Garlic Herb Croutons

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried herbs of your choice, such as parsley, rosemary, and/or thyme
• 4 slices Italian or French bread, cubed and dried overnight or in an oven

instructions:

Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette

1. Combine the olive oil, sherry vinegar, mustard, shallot, and salt and pepper to taste in a blender or food processor. Alternatively, you can whisk the ingredients together. 

Spinach Salad

1. Sauté the pancetta in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until just crispy. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. 
2. Toss the spinach, eggs, pancetta, and croutons (see below) with the vinaigrette, and serve immediately. 

Garlic and Herb Croutons

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet, over medium heat.  Add the garlic and herbs, and heat for about one minute. 
2. Add the cubed and dried bread. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the bread has browned on all sides, and is crispy. 

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2018/04/spinach-salad-with-pancetta-eggs-and.html

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