Warm Spinach Salad with Roasted Pecan and Bacon Dressing with Goats Cheese

Ingredients

1/2 pound bacon, small diced
1 cup julienned red onion
1 cup roasted pecans
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper
1 cup Goatís Cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup sautÈed leeks
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup bread crumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups fresh spinach, cleaned and stemmed
Edible flowers
Black pepper mill

Instructions

In a sauté pan, render the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon. In the bacon fat, sauté the onions for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and pour into a mixing bowl, bacon fat and all. Whisk in the bacon, pecans, tablespoon of garlic and vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper. In a mixing bowl, combine the cheese, sour cream, teaspoon of garlic and leeks together. Season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 1 ounce cakes. Dredge the cakes in the flour. Dip the cakes in the egg wash, removing any excess. Dredge in the bread crumbs, coating each side completely. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil. Pan-fry each cake for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and heated all the way through. Remove and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the spinach with the dressing. Arrange the cakes around the greens. Garnish with edible flowers and black pepper.

Yield: 4 servings