Recipes > Salad > Duck Bacon and Spinach Salad

Duck Bacon and Spinach Salad

Name: Duck Bacon and Spinach Salad
Total time: 75 min
Cuisine: North America
Ingredients: 1/2 lb Fresh Spinach Leaves; 1 small Head of Frisée; 1/4 cup Toasted Walnut Pieces; 1 Granny Smith Apple, cored and sliced; 6 oz Fresh Goat Cheese, crumbled; 5-6 Red Onion Rings; 2 tsp Unsalted Butter; 2 large Eggs; 1 Batch Duck Bacon and Cherry Vinaigrette, hot (see below); 1 large pinch of Smoked Sea Salt; 4-6 slices Candied Duck Bacon (see below); 3 oz Maple Leaf Farms Duck Bacon; 6 Tbsp Maple Leaf Farms Rendered Duck Fat; 1/4 cup Red Onions, minced; 1/4 tsp + one pinch Kosher Salt; 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper; 1/2 sprig of Fresh Thyme; 6 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar; 1/4 cup + 2 tsp Water; 1/4 cup Sugar; 2 Tbsp Dried Cherries; 1 tsp Cornstarch; 1/2 l. Maple Leaf Farms Duck Bacon; 1/2 cup Brown Sugar; 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

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

1/2 lb Fresh Spinach Leaves
1 small Head of Frisée
1/4 cup Toasted Walnut Pieces
1 Granny Smith Apple, cored and sliced
6 oz Fresh Goat Cheese, crumbled
5-6 Red Onion Rings
2 tsp Unsalted Butter
2 large Eggs
1 Batch Duck Bacon and Cherry Vinaigrette, hot (see below)
1 large pinch of Smoked Sea Salt
4-6 slices Candied Duck Bacon (see below)
3 oz Maple Leaf Farms Duck Bacon
6 Tbsp Maple Leaf Farms Rendered Duck Fat
1/4 cup Red Onions, minced
1/4 tsp + one pinch Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 sprig of Fresh Thyme
6 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup + 2 tsp Water
1/4 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Dried Cherries
1 tsp Cornstarch
1/2 l. Maple Leaf Farms Duck Bacon
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Directions

Salad:

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.
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.
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:

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.
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.
3
Add the thyme sprig, red wine vinegar, water, sugar and dried cherries and bring to a slow simmer.
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.
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:

1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
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.
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.
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:

1
If not hot, heat the Duck Bacon and Cherry Vinaigrette until hot and pour over the salad.
2
Lightly sprinkle the salad with the Smoked Sea Salt.
3
Serve immediately garnished with the Candied Duck Bacon.