Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of spinach, tough stems removed & cleaned
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound very thick bacon, cut into 1/4x1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 pound white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch squares

Instructions:

Toss the spinach and onion in a large bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the olive oil and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until well browned. Transfer the bacon to a paoer towel lined plate to drain. Remove and reserve 4 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the skillet and place in the remainder back over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, honey mustard, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved and the dressing is hot, roughly 1 minute. Pour the dressing over the spinach then add the reserved bacon and toss well. Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat in the same skillet. Add half the bread cubes and toss to coat evenly. Cook until the bread turns golden, roughly 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel and repeat with the remaining bread cubes, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons bacon fat to the pan. Add to the salad and toss well. Serve immediately.