Baby Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds

Name: Baby Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 - 6 Servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon wine vinegar; u00bd medium red onion, thinly sliced; 3u00bd ounces dates, preferably Medjool, pitted and quartered lengthwise; Salt; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 2 small pitas (about 3u00bd ounces), roughly torn into 1u00bd-inch pieces; u00bd cup whole unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped; 2 teaspoons sumac; u00bd teaspoon chile flakes; 5 to 6 ounces baby spinach leaves; 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

By Leslie Blythe Nuts, Salad, Vegetarian Frying, Marinating

September 18, 2017

My friend Liz made this wonderful salad for dinner from the Jerusalem cookbook. It's the Baby Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds recipe that has fried pita bread pieces. The dates add a sweetness to this delicious salad.

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Yields: 4 - 6 Servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon wine vinegar

½ medium red onion, thinly sliced

3½ ounces dates, preferably Medjool, pitted and quartered lengthwise

Salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 small pitas (about 3½ ounces), roughly torn into 1½-inch pieces

½ cup whole unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons sumac

½ teaspoon chile flakes

5 to 6 ounces baby spinach leaves

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

1Put vinegar, onion and dates in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well with your hands. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard.

2Meanwhile, heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add pita and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring all the time, until pita is golden. Add almonds and continue cooking until pita is crunchy and browned and almonds are toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and mix in sumac, chile flakes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside to cool.

3When ready to serve, toss spinach leaves with pita mix in a large mixing bowl. Add dates and red onion, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

Recipe from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi, October 16, 2012

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