If you love spinach salad, try it topped with crispy, gooey panko-crusted fried goat cheese! It also includes crisp bacon, jammy eggs and hot bacon dressing for an excellent goat cheese salad you'll crave.
Fill a medium pot with enough water to cover the eggs by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Once the water boils, use a pair of tongs to transfer 4 of the raw eggs to the boiling water. Cook for 6½ minutes, then transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Let the eggs sit in the water for about 5-6 minutes, then peel them and set aside.
FOR MUSHROOMS:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with vegetable spray and add the mushrooms in a single layer. Cook for 6-7 minutes, flipping halfway through until browned on both sides. Transfer to a small bowl.
FOR BACON:
Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook, until bacon is browned and crisped, flipping with tongs 2-3 times so that they don't burn. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat for the dressing.
FOR THE HOT BACON DRESSING:
In the same skillet, saute the sliced shallots until tender over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of reserved bacon fat, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Continue whisking as you add the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.
FOR FRIED GOAT CHEESE:
Cut the goat cheese into ½" slices with the dental floss by crossing the loose floss ends over each other and pulling the ends in opposite directions. This will give the goat cheese a clean cut.
Whisk the remaining egg in a small bowl and dip the rounds of goat cheese into it to coat.
Transfer the goat cheese to the panko breadcrumbs and press to coat both sides and edges.
Heat the olive oil in a clean, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and fry the goat cheese for 1 to 1½ minutes per side until crispy and golden brown.
FOR THE SALAD:
Arrange the spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and cucumber on a platter. Rip the bacon slices into halves or thirds and scatter over the greens. Top the salad with the fried goat cheese. Slice the eggs in half and nestle them into the salad.
Drizzle the goat cheese salad with hot bacon dressing and serve immediately.