Spinach Salad (Chops Lobster Bar)
Source of Recipe
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Recipe Introduction
Any chance you can obtain the recipe for the spinach salad they serve at Chops Lobster Bar?
Chef Holger Struett of Chops Lobster Bar (101 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton, 561-395-2675) went the distance for us to tap his boss, Chops' owner Pano Karatassos, for this recipe. We're privileged to wrangle a signature dish from them.
At the restaurant, the salad is freshly made tableside. Several factors bring in flavor to the warm dressing that's poured over the raw spinach, including cremini mushrooms that are marinated in a simple syrup, toasted pine nuts and bacon bits.
While the recipe looks involved, each component can be made up to a week ahead, but save the final warming of the dressing for just before serving. There's a bonus: The Creamy Basil Dressing, which you'll have leftover, is good on any greens, and makes a nice sauce for cooked vegetables such as green beans, artichokes or even baked potatoes.
List of Ingredients
SALAD
For marinated mushrooms:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup cremini mushrooms, stems removed
For salad:
1 pound baby spinach
3-4 strips bacon, to make 1/2 cup bacon bits
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup Creamy Basil Dressing (See recipe)
Dash of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Recipe
Prepare mushrooms: Stir together sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Add mushroom caps and bring to a simmer, cooking for about 90 seconds. Remove from heat and cool, leaving the mushrooms in the sugar-syrup.
Prepare salad: Wash spinach, discarding any tough stems; dry in a towel or salad spinner. Place in large bowl.
Cook bacon until crisp in medium skillet over medium heat. Remove bacon and drain; wipe pan. Cool bacon and chop into bits. Return bacon to pan. Add pine nuts and stir, cooking over medium heat till nuts are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add brown sugar.
Drain marinated mushrooms and add the mushrooms to pan. Cook until mushrooms begin to color - about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of Creamy Basil Dressing, a dash of hot sauce and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Turn off heat and stir well. Pour warm mixture over spinach leaves in bowl and toss well to coat; serve at once.
Makes 6 generous servings.
CREAMY BASIL DRESSING/SAUCE
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 cup tightly packed flat parsley leaves
1 cup packed basil leaves, stems removed
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white peppercorns
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup vegetable oil mixed with 1/4 cup olive oil
Place all ingredients except mayonnaise and oil in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until pureed; open food processor and scrape down sides. Add mayonnaise and close processor. Pulse briefly just to blend mayonnaise. With processor running continuously, add oil mixture, pouring slowly through feed tube. Process until well blended. Pour into covered container and store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Makes about 2 cups dressing.
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