Celebrating Modern Jewish Living Through Food, Tradition, and Family
Kosher Spinach Salad
Kosher spinach salad is American classic with a slight makeover–mock bacon bits keep it Kosher and perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
The Backstory: If only I had the true recipe for this salad. Do wishes come true? The first time I had this scrumptious salad was at a restaurant in New York City called Maxwell’s Plum. This place was unbelievable; the decor splendid beyond words. Art deco style, glass ceiling,Tiffany lighting, a brass bar that was so over the top, it’s almost indescribable.The place was located at 64th and 1st on the Upper East Side. It opened in the mid 1960s and closed in the late 80s but the memories of those luncheons are forever etched in my mind. More of the Backstory after the recipe…
Kosher Spinach Salad
Ingredients
- 1 12 ounce bag of baby spinach
- 4 hard boiled eggs sliced or quartered
- 1/2 cup Kosher mock bacon bits McCormick makes a Kosher product
- box of Kosher croutons add as much as you like
- 10 walnuts, chopped in small pieces or any nut of your choice
- 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges optional
- blue cheese, cut onto small pieces add as much as you like
- 1 garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar to taste
- 1 red onion, sliced into rings optional
Instructions
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Make the salad dressing first. In a deep bowl add the garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and the vinegar and combine. Slowly whisk in the oil. When all is mixed together, put in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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Place the spinach in a large salad bowl. Place the eggs, and the red onion all around the dish Arrange the tomatoes around the dish. Do the same with bacon bits and nuts, and scatter the cheese over the top.
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When ready to serve you can dress the salad and then add the croutons, or you can serve the dressing in a pitcher and the croutons in a separate dish. Croutons tend to get mushy if the dressing is poured over them. To keep their crunchy taste, it is the last thing I would add to the salad.
More of the Backstory after the recipe…
Kosher Spinach Salad
Ingredients
- 1 12 ounce bag of baby spinach
- 4 hard boiled eggs sliced or quartered
- 1/2 cup Kosher mock bacon bits McCormick makes a Kosher product
- box of Kosher croutons add as much as you like
- 10 walnuts, chopped in small pieces or any nut of your choice
- 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges optional
- blue cheese, cut onto small pieces add as much as you like
- 1 garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar to taste
- 1 red onion, sliced into rings optional
Instructions
-
Make the salad dressing first. In a deep bowl add the garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and the vinegar and combine. Slowly whisk in the oil. When all is mixed together, put in the refrigerator until ready to use.
-
Place the spinach in a large salad bowl. Place the eggs, and the red onion all around the dish Arrange the tomatoes around the dish. Do the same with bacon bits and nuts, and scatter the cheese over the top.
-
When ready to serve you can dress the salad and then add the croutons, or you can serve the dressing in a pitcher and the croutons in a separate dish. Croutons tend to get mushy if the dressing is poured over them. To keep their crunchy taste, it is the last thing I would add to the salad.
Another time, my daughter and I made the mistake of going to the city, having lunch and them hailing a cab. We were meeting our neighbor Judy, at Saks. Well the place was jammed packed. It was December 26th and the sales were on. Presents were being exchanged and well, you get the idea. Never again when the stores had a sale would I venture into the city. I also introduced my son to that restaurant. We had a mother and son day. It was a day of celebration. He had finally consented to getting a haircut. I am not just talking haircut, his was well passed his shoulders. So, we ventured into the city to a place that specialized in haircuts for men/boys. When those locks fell to the floor, I gave a sigh of relief. I finally got to see his face after three years. We went to Maxwell’s for lunch. He loved it. Little did I know that he went there whenever he had enough money in his pocket.
Thanks for the memories.