Warm Mushroom & Spinach Salad

Slice the bacon into lardons about half an inch wide. Place them in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the pieces turn golden and crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the rendered fat in the pan.

Tear or slice the mixed mushrooms into bite-sized pieces — keep them rustic and varied in size. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear them in the reserved bacon fat over high heat for 4-5 minutes per batch. Let them sit undisturbed for the first 2 minutes to develop a deep golden crust before stirring.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the finely sliced shallot to the pan with the mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened and translucent. Strip the thyme leaves from their stems and stir them in, cooking for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Pour the sherry vinegar into the hot pan — it will sizzle and steam immediately. Scrape up any caramelized bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the vinegar reduce by half, about 1 minute, creating a tangy glaze that coats the mushrooms.

Add the baby spinach to the pan in large handfuls, tossing with tongs as each batch wilts down. This takes about 2 minutes total. The residual heat and moisture from the mushrooms will gently wilt the spinach without overcooking it — the leaves should be just softened but still vibrant green.

Transfer the warm mushroom and spinach mixture to plates. Scatter the crispy bacon lardons over the top. If desired, nestle a soft-poached or jammy egg on each serving — the runny yolk becomes a rich, silky sauce when broken. Serve immediately while everything is warm.