This is a truly scrumptious salad, pretty and easy to make. I recommend making it with proper spinach rather than baby spinach because full-grown spinach can stand up to the heat of the dressing better than the baby leaves can. Because it is a very simple salad, your spinach needs to be farm fresh and your avocado the perfect ripeness.
If any of you made my Squid Ink Painted Roasted Cod with Carrot-Tahini Purée, Carrot Green Oil and Pickled Mustard Seeds the n you will have some pickled mustard seed left to use in the dressing. If not, regular grain or Dijon mustard works just fine.
2 bunches organic spinach, well washed and dried
4 eggs
2 avocados
Flowering chive blossoms (or, if not, one shallot sliced into thin moons)
2 Tbsps olive oil
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsps honey
2 tsps pickled mustard seeds or mustard
Finishing salt (I use Maldon salt flakes) or a sprinkling of table salt
Tear your spinach leaves into bite-sized pieces. Cut your avocados into thin slices.
Combine the oil, vinegar, honey and mustard in a skillet and heat over low heat until the honey is melted and the ingredients combined. taste and adjust to your liking - more mustard, acidity, sweetness, etc.
Poach your eggs. I do so in the microwave which is incredibly convenient. Drain the eggs well.
In a large bowl, toss the spinach with the dressing and divide amongst 4 plates or salad bowls. Toss the avocado with the remaining dressing in the bowl and also divide in 4 portions.
Add the eggs to the center of each plate, toss on a few chive blossoms or the sliced shallot and finish with a sprinkling of salt.
Delicious and curiously filling. You can also add bacon, radishes and a myriad of other vegetables to this as the hot dressing makes everything taste wonderful but this pared back version of spinach salad is pretty spectacular on its own.
