Ingredients
- Balsamic-Honey Dressing:
- 1 bag baby spinach – (I always rewash), go through and discard any tough stems
- 1 small can Mandarin oranges, drained
- 1/2 small red onion, halved lengthwise and shaved thin (optional)*
- 1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted
- 1/4 pound single piece pancetta, cut into 1/4" dice
- Shaved Parmesan to garnish
- Olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Pinch salt and pepper
- Grated zest of one orange
- Juice of 1/2 an orange
- 1/2 cup light olive oil
- If very strong, soak in ice water 15 minutes, drain, pat dry.
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a small baking sheet for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway through until fragrant. Do not allow the nuts to burn. Turn onto a plate.
2. Heat a small sauté pan over medium heat. Glaze the pan with olive oil and add the pancetta dice and cook, allowing to brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
3. In large salad bowl, place the spinach, orange segments, walnuts, red onion and toss together. Pour in enough dressing to give a light and flavorful coat. Taste and correct seasoning, grind over some fresh black pepper to taste. Plate salad and top with reserved pancetta.
Alternately, sprinkle pancetta over top of salad in bowl
Balsamic-Honey Dressing
1. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except olive oil until smooth. Slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Check seasoning.