Bacon Spinach Salad w Poached Egg + Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

I was just feeling like today was a bacon-kind-of-a-day.  No reason in particular, not that you ever need a reason to eat bacon.

I have also been really into warm homemade dressings lately.  This was the perfect opportunity to make a warm vinaigrette out of, you guessed it… BACON.  

Reserving the leftover bacon grease serves as the base for a wonderfully sweet yet acidic dressing.  Pouring the warm dressing over the spinach makes it wilt slightly while still maintaining the volume that we want in a salad. And of course, when has adding poached egg on the top NOT made something 10 times better?

What will you need?

3 slices of thick-cut bacon

1 egg, poached

2 cups spinach

For the dressing:

1 small shallot, sliced

2 tbsp reserved bacon grease

2 tbsp champagne vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp raw honey

Salt, pepper

How do you make it?

Chop your bacon into nice bite-size pieces.

In a saucepan, bring water to a simmer and start poaching your egg.

In a small skillet, cook your bacon until golden and crispy.  Remove from heat and place on a paper towel to drain.

Reserve about 2 tbsp of the bacon grease in the pan.  Add 2 tbsp champagne vinegar (or another cider vinegar), 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 small chopped shallot. Sautee until the shallot is caramelized.  Add honey, turn off the heat and allow to cool to a slightly warm temperature.

In a medium bowl, pour your warm vinaigrette over the spinach leaves.  Toss to coat and then plate.  Look at how shiny!!

Add your bacon on top of the spinach and then gently nestle your perfectly poached egg on top.