74. Today, while looking in my frig deciding what to make for dinner, I found spinach, bacon and chicken. The thought of making a cold spinach salad with warm bacon dressing sounded so good. Both of my girls turned their noses up. "Yuk, I don't want to eat just cold spinach!" was the reply. Maybe I could make everyone happy. So, I thought, why not make a version of spinach salad but hot over pasta. This was a total risk...but it was well worth it.
Here is my recipe a la Lilly
Hot Spinach Salad Penne
1 pound penne pasta, boil and set aside keeping hot
½ lb of bacon, chopped
6 cups fresh spinach, washed
4 chicken breasts
¼ cup flour
salt and pepper
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 Tblsp white balsamic vinegar
2 Tblsp butter
2 Tblsp flour
¼ parmesan cheese, opt
Fry bacon in a large frying pan till crispy. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. Set aside.
Take each chicken breast and pound till thin. Salt and pepper each chicken breast and dredge with ¼ cup flour. Saute' in bacon drippings for approximately 20 minutes or till browned and cooked through. Remove to a warm plate. Add the red onion to the pan, adding olive oil if necessary, and saute' 3 minutes. Add spinach all at once, salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat till spinach wilts. Add balsamic vinegar and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, mix together the butter and flour making a paste. With a wisk, begin to add the butter paste to the liquid, breaking up any lumps and incorporating into the liquid. Simmer till liquid thickens. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
Plate the pasta and begin to spoon the hot spinach sauce over the pasta, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Take the chicken breast and slice in long strips. Stack the chicken pieces over the pasta and sprinkle bacon on top. Serve with warm bread and salad.
We were all very satisfied with the outcome!
"On the subject of spinach: divide into little piles.
Rearrange again into new piles.
After five or six maneuvers, sit back and say you are full."
~ Delia Ephron, How To Eat Like A Child
~ Delia Ephron, How To Eat Like A Child
