Courtesy of Foodnetwork Gina Neely. Serves 4
- Spiced Pecans:
- 2 TBSP – unsalted butter
- 1 tspn – ancho chili powder
- 1 tspn – kosher salt
- 1/2 tspn – smoked paprika
- 1/2 tspn – ground cumin
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup – pecan pieces (rough chopped halves)
- Spinach Salad:
- 2 tspn – Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 3 TBSP – balsamic vinegar
- 3 TBSP – olive oil
- Pinch sugar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 oz – baby spinach
- 4 oz – Pancetta (optional with bacon), cut into 1/4-inch pieces, fried crisp
- 4 oz – crumbled blue cheese
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (optional)
Pecans: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in all the spices and the pecans. Stir and toast the pecans for about 8 minutes. Transfer them to a plate to cool.
Salad: Whisk together the Dijon mustard, shallots, and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Just before serving, add and whisk the olive oil to emulsify. Season with a pinch of sugar, and salt and pepper, to taste.
Add the spinach to a large serving bowl. Toss the greens with the prepared dressing, the bacon, blue cheese, cherry tomatoes and spiced pecans.