Bacon Wrapped Salmon with Wilted Spinach Recipe
When I first read the recipe, I thought the combination of ingredients was unusual, yet intriguing. Salmon, bacon and mustard... The side of sauteed spinach sounded wonderful, too. I think this took all of 10 minutes to throw together, plus a few minutes in the oven, and then dinner was on the table.
When I took my first bite, I wasn't sold. I thought it was ok, but the combination of the salmon and bacon just didn't do it for me. But the more I ate, the more I liked it. By the time I finished my serving, I was wanting more, and would have gone back for more if I was still hungry!!
I did make a few minor changes to the recipe. I envisioned the bacon being a little crispy, so I fried it in a pan on the stove for a few minutes on each side - not so the bacon was cooked, but just partially. Then I put 2 pieces of bacon on each piece of salmon - either my bacon was smaller than in the recipe or my salmon was bigger, because one piece would have not been enough. Then, instead of using olive oil to cook the shallots and spinach in, I used the bacon drippings that were in the pan. Let me tell you - that spinach was amazing!! I only did 6 ounces for the two of us, but we each would have eaten twice as much!
By Deborah
Bacon-Wrapped Salmon with Wilted Spinach
adapted from Epicurious
Ingredients:
- 4 (5- to 6-oz) center-cut pieces skinless salmon fillet (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 teaspoons whole-grain or coarse-grain mustard
- 4-8 bacon slices
- 2/3 cup sliced shallots (2 large)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 oz baby spinach (16 cups packed), rinsed but not dried
Directions:
Preheat broiler and put broiler pan under broiler so that its rack is about 4 inches from heat.
Cook bacon in a large skillet. Cook for a few minutes on each side, just so the bacon starts to cook, but do not let it fully cook. Keep bacon drippings in pan.
Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then spread curved sides with mustard. Lay 1-2 bacon slices lengthwise along top of each fillet, tucking ends of bacon under fillet (ends will not meet). Thread 1 skewer through length of each fillet, entering and exiting fish through bacon to secure it.
Arrange fish, bacon sides down, on preheated rack of broiler pan and broil 3 minutes, then turn over and broil until fish is just cooked through and bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes more.
While salmon broils, cook shallots in the skillet you cooked the bacon in, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until spinach is just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve salmon with spinach.
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