Peach and Pancetta Spinach Salad

Katie shares her favorite summer recipe from our latest edition of Bloggers’ Bites.

With temperatures soon to be soaring above the 90F mark, cooking an elaborate, heat-producing meal seems less than desirable.  If I can fry an egg on the sidewalk (and believe me, there are days when I can), there’s no way I’m fixing that baby up in the house.  AC can only do so much.  But, with this refreshing peach and pancetta spinach salad, you can limit stove time to solely six minutes.  The crisp spinach, salty pancetta, succulent peaches (and strawberries!) and tender grilled onions seamlessly interact to form a refreshing, and hearty, summer meal.

Peach and Pancetta Spinach Salad

Dressing:
¼ c raspberry vinaigrette (or white balsamic)
½ c olive oil
2 tsp dijon mustard
sugar to taste (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

1. In the bottom of a large salad bowl, whisk together raspberry vinaigrette, olive oil, and dijon mustard. Add sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.
***If you would prefer to have people dress their own salad, make the dressing in a small bowl rather than in the bottom of the salad bowl. Dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated until served (ingredients may separate, so you’ll need to whisk before serving).

Salad:
4 cups baby spinach (rinsed and dried)
2-3 ripe peaches (sliced)
6-10 strawberries (cut into quarters) (optional)
3-4 slices pancetta
½ red onion (cut into slices)
feta cheese (crumbled)

1. Prepare the onions. They can be grilled (best method for summer–slightly smoky taste), baked (best alternative), or sauteed.
a. If grilling, cut onion a ½ inch thick into 2-4 slices. Lightly spray or brush grates with
olive oil before heating up the grill to prevent sticking. Brush both sides of the onion
slices with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, covered with a foil pan, over
medium heat 15-20 minutes or until tender, turning onions only once or twice.
b. If baking, lay sliced onion flat on a cookie sheet. Brush both sides of the onion with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until tender, turning once.
c. If sauteing, heat up 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan over low heat. Add sliced onion and sautee until tender, 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium pan over medium heat, sautee pancetta (no oil needed) for about 6 minutes, or until crispy.
3. Meanwhile, in the salad bowl (with dressing at the bottom), add spinach, sliced peaches, sliced strawberries (if using), hot pancetta, and hot onion (the temperature of the pancetta and onion will nicely wilt the spinach). Toss to coat. Add as much crumbled feta cheese as desired. Thoroughly toss. Sprinkle feta cheese on top for presentation.
4. Serve with a french baguette.

— Katie Behrman