Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 400 g baby potatoes, halved
- 150 g cured spanish chorizo, sliced into 5mm coins
- 150 g baby spinach, washed and spun thoroughly dry
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic, minced
Warm Vinaigrette
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 20 ml sherry vinegar
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 2 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 285 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 17 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 394 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 712 mg
- Calcium
- 77 mg
- Iron
- 4.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 59 mg
- Phosphorus
- 83 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 176 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 24 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 184 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 1.4 mg
- Folate
- 95 mcg
- Water
- 147 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the halved potatoes in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water. Bring to a boil at 100°C/212°F over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until easily pierced with a fork, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
While the potatoes cook, use a chef's knife to slice the chorizo, thinly slice the red onion, and mince the garlic. Place the dried baby spinach in a large mixing bowl.
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced chorizo and fry until the edges are crispy and the deeply red, paprika-infused oils have released into the pan. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy chorizo to the mixing bowl with the spinach, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
Add the sliced red onion to the rendered chorizo fat in the skillet. Sauté until the onions are softened and slightly translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 60 seconds until highly fragrant.
Remove the skillet from the direct heat source. Immediately pour in the sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan, using a whisk to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper until a warm, emulsified dressing forms.
Add the warm boiled potatoes to the mixing bowl with the spinach and chorizo. Pour the warm vinaigrette from the skillet directly over the ingredients. Gently toss everything together until the spinach is glossy and slightly wilted from the heat of the potatoes and dressing. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Waxy potatoes are absolutely crucial here; starchy varieties like Russets will crumble and turn the dressing into a cloudy paste when tossed.
- The residual heat of the pan is all you need to deglaze and form the dressing. Boiling the vinegar will destroy its delicate fruit notes.
- Spinach holds water. Ensure your spinach is completely dry before assembling, otherwise the excess water will dilute the pan dressing.
- The salt level depends heavily on the brand of cured chorizo you purchase. Always taste a piece of the crispy chorizo before adding the final measured salt to the dressing.
Storage
Troubleshooting
Spinach completely collapses into a mushy, dark green paste
Cause: The salad was mixed inside the hot skillet, or the dressing/potatoes were scalding hot when tossed
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always toss warm salads in a separate room-temperature mixing bowl rather than the cooking vessel
Dressing is overly greasy and separates
Cause: The chorizo released an excessive amount of oil, throwing off the vinegar-to-oil ratio
Fix: Whisk in an additional splash of sherry vinegar or a teaspoon of water to help re-emulsify the fats
Prevention: Measure the rendered fat in the pan; if it exceeds 2 tablespoons, discard the excess before making the dressing
Cultural Context
Warm salads and the robust trio of potato, pork, and paprika have deep, historical roots across the Iberian peninsula. This dish draws direct inspiration from traditional Spanish tapas, elevating humble, rustic ingredients into a cohesive and satisfying meal. The pan-drippings vinaigrette mimics the resourceful, waste-nothing techniques used in rural Spanish kitchens, capturing every bit of the heavily spiced, rendered fat.
