Wilted Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

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Fresh spinach becomes meltingly tender and palatable when wilted by brief contact with hot ingredients. The best spinach leaves to use for this salad are the smallest, and, of course, the freshest.

Check out Linda's Salad and Salad Dressing Recipes.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted*
6 cups (5-ounces) fresh spinach leaves, washed, dried, and chilled
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

* To toast pine nuts: The nuts can burn quickly, so keep eye on the pan. Place nuts in dry skillet and toast them over very low dry skillet and toast them over very low heat, stirring or shaking the pan as needed until they're golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Remove stems and veins from spinach and tear into bite-sized pieces; place spinach in large bowl..

In a small frying pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until garlic is slightly softened. Add lemon juice, stirring to combine.

Pour warm vinaigrette over spinach and toss gently to wilt (when properly wilted, the leaf edges soften slightly, but the spinach retains some crunch). Toss in pine nuts. Serve immediately on individual serving plates.

Makes 4 servings.