Spinach Salad with Spiced Pecans

By Crystalk

Ingredients

• Spiced Pecans:
• 2 * 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 * 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 * 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 * 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 * 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• * Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 * 1 cup pecan halves
• Spinach Salad:
• 2 * 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 * 1 small shallot, minced
• 3 * 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 * 3 tablespoons olive oil
• * Pinch sugar
• * Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 * 1 (5-ounce) package prewashed baby spinach
• 4 * 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, fried
• crisp
• 4 * 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• 1 * 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

Preparation

Step 1

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 5 minutes. Transfer

them to a plate to cool.

Salad: Whisk together the Dijon mustard, shallots, and

balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil

in a continuous stream, whisking 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.