Baby Spinach Bistro Salad Recipes

BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH DATES AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Put vinegar, onion and dates in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well with your hands. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard.
• Meanwhile, heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add pita and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring all the time, until pita is golden. Add almonds and continue cooking until pita is crunchy and browned and almonds are toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and mix in sumac, chile flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside to cool.
• When ready to serve, toss spinach leaves with pita mix in a large mixing bowl. Add dates and red onion, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

BABY SPINACH & BACON BISTRO SALAD

Steps:

• Mix the dressing ingredients together with 1 tbsp water and season with salt and pepper. Boil the beans for 3 mins until just cooked, drain in cold water, then drain again.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then sizzle the bacon for 4 mins until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the bacon into a large salad bowl. Use the fat in the pan to fry the bread cubes until crisp, then tip them in with the bacon. Tip a splash more oil into the pan, very briefly fry the mushrooms just to rid them of their rawness, then turn off the heat. When the mushrooms have cooled slightly, tip them into the salad bowl along with the beans and avocado. Moments before serving, add the spinach and dressing, then toss really well so everything is coated.

BABY SPINACH BISTRO SALAD

Steps:

• For the dressing, whisk the mustard and vinegar together with some salt and pepper and 1 tbsp of water. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a lowish heat and add the garlic and the bacon. Cook the bacon slowly until starting to sizzle, then add the bread to the pan and toss in the bacon juices. Fry everything together slowly (this can take a good 15 mins) until the bacon is ultra-crisp and the croûtons are crunchy, drizzling the pan with a little more oil if it becomes dry. Once cooked, fish out the garlic clove and set the pan aside.
• While the bacon is cooking, tip the eggs into a pan of boiling water and boil for exactly 7½ mins. Cool in cold water, then peel and set aside. Cook the beans in a pan of heavily salted boiling water for 5 mins or until slightly crunchy but still bright green. Drain, tip into a pan of ice-cold water, then drain again and set aside.
• To serve, tip everything except for the eggs and dressing into a large bowl. Drizzle over the dressing and toss gently with your hands. Scatter the salad over a serving platter, halve the eggs and strew over the salad, seasoning the yolks with sea salt flakes and a grind of black pepper.

BISTRO SALAD WITH SPINACH-CAESAR DRESSING

Steps:

• Make the dressing: Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the top 1/2 inch off the garlic head and discard; place the garlic on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and wrap up. Roast until tender, 30 minutes. Cool; squeeze the cloves from their skins.
• Puree the roasted garlic, spinach, anchovies, egg yolk, mustard, vinegar and 3/4 cup water in a blender. With the motor running, slowly add 1 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Prepare the salad: Preheat the broiler. Cook the pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve the drippings in the skillet. Brush the bread with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and broil until toasted. Cool, then cut into cubes.
• Toss the mushrooms, lemon juice, tomatoes, mozzarella and parsley in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the pancetta, bread cubes and 2 tablespoons of the pancetta drippings and toss. Divide among bowls and drizzle with dressing.
• Make the dressing: Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the top 1/2 inch off the garlic head and discard; place the garlic on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and wrap up. Roast until tender, 30 minutes. Cool; squeeze the cloves from their skins.
• Puree the roasted garlic, spinach, anchovies, egg yolk, mustard, vinegar and 3/4 cup water in a blender. With the motor running, slowly add 1 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Prepare the salad: Preheat the broiler. Cook the pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve the drippings in the skillet. Brush the bread with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and broil until toasted. Cool, then cut into cubes.
• Toss the mushrooms, lemon juice, tomatoes, mozzarella and parsley in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the pancetta, bread cubes and 2 tablespoons of the pancetta drippings and toss. Divide among bowls and drizzle with dressing.

BABY SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Place baby spinach in a large bowl and top with mandarin oranges and slivered almonds. Toss baby spinach salad with bottled dressing.

FRISEE AND BABY-SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together lemon juice, parsley, mustard, and sugar in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified; set aside.
• Toss together frisee, spinach, radishes, and scallions on a large platter. Just before serving, drizzle with some of the dressing. Serve remaining dressing on the side.