simple spinach salad

I've lost track of the number of times I've made this salad. Very few of the salads I've made can rival the simplicity of this spinach salad. This is one of our favorite side salads that's good with almost anything baked, grilled or pan-fried. Conveniently packaged baby spinach leaves work well for this and I always pick one or two packages on my bi-weekly grocery shopping trips. I would blanch them very briefly in boiling water and scoop them up just as soon as they get wilted. While the spinach leaves are draining in a colander, chop the onions and tomatoes. I like to use either white or red onions. The diced cucumbers are optional. Slice or cube the hard boiled eggs then arrange them nicely on a serving platter. The color combination makes an appetizing presentation. The salad dressing is very light with a combination of white or rice vinegar, lemon or lime juice, salt, pepper and a little sugar or honey to counter the acidity of the vinegar. I sometimes substitute fish sauce for the salt, for an Asian flavor variation. Fish sauce may be strong and a little goes a long way. For the dressing pictured above, I added a little sour cream for a creamier version. Serve the salad dressing on the side and sprinkle it on the salad according to taste.