Hot Bacon Dressing has got to be one of the best ways to dress a spinach salad. The tang from the vinegar is offset by the sugar, which combines oh so well with bacon and sautéed onions.
1/2poundbaconsliced and cooked in 1/4 cup vegetable oil (reserve bacon pieces and bacon fat drippings)
1/2cupminced onions + 1 pinch salt
2clovesminced garlic
1/3cupapple cider vinegar
1/4cuprice vinegar
1/2cupwater
1/2cupsugaror to taste
1 1/2tbspDijon mustard
cracked pepper to taste
1/3cupof the bacon fat drippings
1tspcornstarch dissolved in 2 tsp cold water
For the salad:
1bag cleaned spinach salad
sliced mushroomsoptional
Instructions
Slice the bacon into small pieces. Cook in the vegetable oil over medium heat until crispy. Strain the oil from the bacon, reserving the bacon oil it for the dressing. Set both aside.
In the same pan, saute the minced onions with a pinch of salt and 1 Tablespoon of the bacon oil for about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Add the garlic, saute for 1 minute.
Add the apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, water, and sugar. Stir. Add dijon mustard and whisk.
Raise heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Add in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch that has been mixed with 2 tsp. cold water), whisking continuously. Simmer for 1 minute until thickened. Reduce heat to low and drizzle in the 1/3 cup of bacon oil. Stir well. Toss in cooked bacon. Taste for seasoning.
Toss with the spinach and sliced mushrooms and serve.