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Warm Spinach and Bacon Bistro Salad
Six rashers of smoked streaky bacon cook in a dash of olive oil until crisp, then sliced mushrooms go into the same pan to soak up the rendered fat. Fine green beans blanch separately and land on a bed of 250g baby spinach alongside sliced avocado. A warm vinaigrette of wholegrain mustard, red wine vinegar, crushed garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil pours over the top, barely wilting the leaves. Ready in 25 minutes, it serves four as a substantial lunch.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 140g/5oz fine green beans
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus an extra dash
- 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped
- 200g/8oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 avocado, halved and sliced
- 250g/9oz baby leaf spinach
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1Boil the green beans for 3 minutes until tender. Drain them under cold water to stop the cooking process and keep them crisp.
- 2Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped smoked bacon and cook until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a large salad bowl, leaving the flavorful fat in the pan. You'll use this to cook the mushrooms for extra savory depth.
- 3Add a splash of extra olive oil to the pan with the bacon fat. Briefly fry the sliced mushrooms just until they lose their raw texture, then remove the pan from the heat.
- 4Let the mushrooms cool slightly, then add them to the salad bowl along with the cooked green beans and sliced avocado.
- 5Whisk the crushed garlic, wholegrain mustard, red wine vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil with 1 tablespoon of water. Season well with salt and pepper.
- 6Add the baby spinach and the dressing to the bowl, tossing thoroughly to coat all the ingredients.
Nutrition
10g
Protein
34g
Fat
3g
Sugar
1.51mg
Sodium
Notes
- Make ahead: You can boil the green beans and whisk the dressing up to a day in advance. Store them separately in the fridge.
- Swap: If you don't have smoked bacon, pancetta or thick-cut regular bacon works beautifully.
- Tip: Make sure the mushrooms are slightly cooled before adding them to the bowl so they don't wilt the spinach too quickly.
Recipe Details
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