Spinach Salad With Warm Prosciutto Dressing

Foods travel and cross paths into many different cultures and countries, all claiming those recipes to be their own. The precursor to the modern spinach salad was likely a “wilted” or “kilt” salad using dandelion greens, dressed with hot bacon fat, vinegar, and sometimes sugar. It was originally rooted in both Dutch and German traditions, but quickly became an American salad. It was specifically a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe from the Lancaster County region of Pennsylvania. The original version of the salad was popular in the 19th century as these greens were among the first available after winter. Once the use of spinach took over, spinach quickly replaced dandelion greens and the salad’s popularity really started to take off. The classic spinach salad with hot bacon dressing reached peak popularity in the United States during the 1970s and into the 1980s. During this time, variations often included common additions like hard-boiled eggs, sliced red onions, and occasionally canned mandarin oranges or blue cheese. The use of pancetta, an Italian cured pork belly, is a more recent culinary adaptation, often seen as a way to update the classic dish. Pancetta offers a different flavor profile than traditional American bacon, and recipes using it, such as one by Chef Michael Chiarello, began appearing in the early 2000s and onward. The pancetta fat, like bacon grease, is used as the base for the warm dressing, often a vinaigrette.

And yet again, I added my own personal touches to this classic salad, making it my own recipe. Or as some would say, I “Jeannefied it”. 🙂

Spinach Salad with Warm Prosciutto Dressing

I did not have Pancetta but I did have Prosciutto. Pancetta and prosciutto are similar and are both Italian cured pork products, but pancetta comes from the pork belly while prosciutto comes from the hind leg, resulting in some key differences. Pancetta is typically diced and cooked before eating, with a more savory, fatty flavor, while prosciutto is thinly sliced and served uncooked, with a more complex, slightly sweet flavor. While pancetta is cured pork belly that’s typically cooked, prosciutto is air-dried ham, often eaten raw, and has a more delicate, less fatty texture. To substitute, cook the prosciutto until crisp or add it at the end of cooking, and be cautious with adding extra salt. Prosciutto is healthier than pancetta because it is made from a leaner cut of pork (the hind leg) while pancetta comes from the fattier pork belly. This results in prosciutto having a lower fat content and being less processed than pancetta. Of course I made a few other changes as well. 🙂

10-16 oz fresh baby spinach, rinsed and stems removed

8 sliced Prosciutto

2 TBSP olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic, sliced very thin

1 shallot, sliced very thin

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

5-6 radishes, rinsed and sliced very thin

Saute the Prosciutto in a little olive oil until it is crispy, then remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.

Add the garlic and shallot to the olive oil and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Pour the vinegar, mustard and salt & pepper into the garlic mixture and mix well. Pour the hot dressing over the spinach and add the Prosciutto on top of the salad. Add the radish slices all around the salad. Serve immediately while the dressing is still hot.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.