The Foodist: Exotic Quail Egg Salad

The Foodist: Exotic Quail Egg Salad

The Foodist: Spinach, Artichoke, and Quail Egg Salad

This salad is a surprising and savory delight! The Foodist: Exotic Quail Egg Salad and for a fun surprise add hot bacon or hot bacon dressing. Hearty and very good spring through winter.

Adapted from a recipe by Beth Sexton Stryker published Bon Appétit (May 1992). We made some changes and added the quail eggs. Those quail are laying dozens of eggs a week!

Ingredients

Salad

• 4 cups stemmed fresh spinach (one 10 oz bag)

• 1 can artichokes

• 6 slices of bacon

• 12 quail eggs, boiled

• Salt and crack pepper

Salad Dressing

• 1 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup chopped shallot

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Prepare and wash the spinach and drain artichokes. Mix the salad in a stainless salad bowl.

2. Cook bacon to a crispy texture, drain, pat clear, and crumble. Add bacon to the salad. Preserve the bacon grease.

3. Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk sharply and reserve to the side in a bowl.

4. Serve the salad and top with the vinaigrette.

5. Heat vinaigrette, if desired.

Options

Use the reserved bacon grease to wilt the spinach for a hearty and warm salad for winter. See the poached duck egg and wilted green salad here. The extra dressing can be used with boiled potatoes or steamed green vegetables to make an instant salad later in the week. Of course, this salad is easily converted to a vegetarian option by omitting bacon.

This salad is a crowd pleaser. It can be modified in a variety of different ways. Wilted, served as an appetizer on crackers, or turned into a minestrone, there are options!