Hot Potato, Bacon and Spinach Salad

This is the dinner I was trying to make last night while Jacob was occupying himself with the pegs. Maybe that's why it turned out so good. But I'll definately be making this again and again and again.

When those beautiful little Jersey Royal gems show themselves in the shops at the start of the summer I immediately think salad! Now if I'm going to make salad for dinner and I want my two men to it then it has to be substantial, it has to contain meat and it has to be warm (unless it's a real scorcher of a day). This salad has the added bonus of being incredibly easy to make. The bacon and onions can be fried and chopped ahead of time, the potatoes can sit in a pan of cold water ready to be turned on half an hour before you want to serve (using just one hand, if like me you're carrying a baby around) and the spinach just involves opening a bag (if you buy the ready washed version). The dressing comes from Pioneer Woman .

Hot Potato, Bacon and Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

100g Fresh Spinach

350g Jersey Royal Potatoes, washed (or other salad potatoes)

1 small red onion

1 packet of bacon (about 6 rashers)

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Olive oil to taste

Method:

1. Put your potatoes on to boil.

2. Fry the bacon with a little butter or oil. DO NOT THROW AWAY THE GREASE. Strain the grease into a container for later (you can leave a little in the pan for frying the onion). Set aside to cool down and when cool, chop up.

3. Peel, half and then slice the onion and fry in the same pan. Set aside with the chopped bacon.

4. Make the dressing: Put the vinegar, sugar, mustard and grease into a small pan (I use a metal measuring cup). Whisk together while heating gently. Taste to see if you need some oil (this will depend on how much grease came out of your bacon). Season accordingly. Set aside until the potatoes are ready.

5. When your potatoes are ready, drain them and assemble the salad: Put the spinach in a large shallow bowl, topple the potatoes over the top, followed by the bacon and then the onions. Finally pour over the dressing (re-heated if necessary).