Baby Spinach Salad with Warm Citrus-Bacon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• Vinaigrette:
• 2 bacon slices
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Salad:
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
• 4 cups bagged prewashed baby spinach
• 1/2 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped peeled mango
• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, toasted
• 12 fresh raspberries
• Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. To prepare vinaigrette, cook bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Discard drippings. Add orange juice, brandy, vinegar, and honey to pan; cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Stir in bacon, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
2. To prepare salad, combine water and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add apple; toss to coat. Remove apple from bowl with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Add spinach, onion, and mango to apple. Drizzle with vinaigrette, and toss gently to coat. Arrange about 2 1/4 cups salad on each of 2 plates; top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons walnuts and 6 raspberries. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.