Duck Bacon and Spinach Salad
Made with fresh spinach, frisée lettuce and eggs, this gourmet salad is a healthy choice for lunch or dinner. Its tangy cherry dressing is offset by sweet and spicy candied duck bacon.
Created for Maple Leaf Farms by Chef Matthew Nolot
Ingredients
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1/2 lb Fresh Spinach Leaves
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1 small Head of Frisée
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1/4 cup Toasted Walnut Pieces
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1 Granny Smith Apple, cored and sliced
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6 oz Fresh Goat Cheese, crumbled
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5-6 Red Onion Rings
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2 tsp Unsalted Butter
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2 large Eggs
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1 Batch Duck Bacon and Cherry Vinaigrette, hot (see below)
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1 large pinch of Smoked Sea Salt
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4-6 slices Candied Duck Bacon (see below)
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1/4 cup Red Onions, minced
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1/4 tsp + one pinch Kosher Salt
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1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
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1/2 sprig of Fresh Thyme
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6 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
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1/4 cup + 2 tsp Water
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1/4 cup Sugar
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2 Tbsp Dried Cherries
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1 tsp Cornstarch
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1/2 l. Maple Leaf Farms Duck Bacon
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1/2 cup Brown Sugar
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1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Directions
Salad:
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1
Pick stems from the spinach and tear into bite-size pieces. Trim frisée and tear into bite-size pieces. Wash and dry spinach and frisée pieces and place into a large serving bowl.
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2
Sprinkle the top of the salad with the toasted walnut pieces, sliced granny smith apples, crumbled goat cheese and red onion rings. Toss lightly.
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3
In a small, non-stick skillet, melt the butter and add the eggs. Fry the eggs over medium heat, turning once, until they start to crisp around the edges; the yolks should still be runny. Slide the eggs on top of the salad.
Hot Duck Bacon & Cherry Dressing:
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1
Dice the duck bacon into 1/4-inch dice. Heat the duck fat in a medium sauce pan until hot. Add the diced duck bacon and cook until bacon starts to crisp, about 5 minutes on medium heat.
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2
Add the red onions to the pan along with the salt and pepper and continue to cook until onions start to brown, about 4 more minutes.
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3
Add the thyme sprig, red wine vinegar, water, sugar and dried cherries and bring to a slow simmer.
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4
Mix the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water to form a smooth paste. Whisk the paste into the dressing and continue to cook on low for an additional 6-7 minutes.
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5
Remove from heat, remove thyme sprig and keep dressing hot until needed.
Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 1 week. Gently reheat any refrigerated portions on the stove top or microwave before serving.
Candied Duck Bacon:
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1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
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2
Place the brown sugar and cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl. Add the duck bacon slices to the bowl and toss to coat. Line the duck bacon slices in a single layer on the foil-lined baking sheet. Top the duck bacon slices with any brown sugar/cayenne mixture left in the bottom of the bowl.
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3
Bake the duck bacon for 16-18 minutes until bacon is a dark golden brown and sugar is bubbly and browned on the edges. If duck bacon is not done, continue to cook in 3-4 minute increments until color is reached.
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4
Remove duck bacon from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes. While slightly warm, transfer duck bacon slices to a serving plate or platter. Duck bacon will continue to crisp as it cools.
Serving & Assembly:
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1
If not hot, heat the Duck Bacon and Cherry Vinaigrette until hot and pour over the salad.
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2
Lightly sprinkle the salad with the Smoked Sea Salt.
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3
Serve immediately garnished with the Candied Duck Bacon.
