Wilted Spinach Salad w/ Crispy Guanciale, Pickled Red Onion, Fresh Goat Cheese, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Wilted Spinach Salad w/ Crispy Guanciale, Pickled Red Onion, Fresh Goat Cheese, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar
Serves 4

Spinach Salad:
12 oz baby spinach, cleaned
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly and pickled
4 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 T aged balsamic vinegar
1 t extra virgin olive oil
4 oz. guanciale, cured pork jowls (or substitute pancetta)
4 ea fresh figs

-in a large mixing bowl (not plastic), add spinach, pickled red onion, fresh goat cheese, and aged balsamic vinegar
-in a small sauté pan, add EVO and guanciale and render over medium heat until guanciale is crispy
-remove crispy guanciale with a slotted spoon and pour off half of the rendered fat
-return the pan with the remaining fat to the stove and turn the burner to high until the pan just starts to smoke
-remove pan from heat and gently pour fat into the mixing bowl with the salad, rest the pan on the inside edge of the bowl and carefully use tongs to toss the salad using the hot pan as sort of a backstop
-the heat from the oil and the pan should just wilt the spinach and slightly melt the cheese giving it a nice creamy texture
-divide the salad onto four plates and garnish each with a sliced fig

Pickled Red Onions
1 ea red onion
1/2 c red wine
1/2 c red wine vinegar
1 t salt
1 T sugar
10 ea whole black peppercorns
1 ea bay leaf

-slice red onion thinly and reserve
-add remaining ingredients to a small sauce pot and bring to a boil
-turn off heat and allow to cool to room temp
-strain pickling liquid over red onions and let them soak for at least two hours (pickled onions will hold in liquid for up to two weeks under refrigeration)