Frisée Aux Lardons
The French are so lovable. Yes, of course I’m a tad bit biased but how can you deny a country that has heavenly desserts, spectacular wines, a thousand varieties of cheese and a salad with bacon and poached eggs? They are just so damn irresistible.
The impromptu purchase of a package of frisée was sparked by the fact that I thought they looked cute. Such a girly moment for me. And after a week in the bottom drawer of our refrigerator, they met their perfect destiny. Frisée aux lardons et œufs poché, a classic French bistro salad, sat alongside my boyfriend’s favorite French dish, steak tartare for a Sunday dinner at home.
The bitterness of these curly little leaves create a wonderful canvas for the saltiness of the bacon, the creaminess of the poached egg and the tart vinaigrette. This bistro salad has quickly topped the charts for me and I’m definitely looking forward to another rendezvous.
| 4 | ounces frisée, torn into bite-size pieces |
| 4 | slices thick-cut peppered bacon |
| 1 | Tbsp olive oil |
| 4 | Tbsp red wine vinegar |
| 2 | eggs |
| salt & pepper |
- In a heated skillet, cook bacon until lightly crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon and place on a paper towel to drain. In the same skillet, add olive oil to the rendered bacon grease. Turn off the heat and whisk 2 tablespoons of vinegar with the oil (be careful, it might sizzle!). Season with salt & pepper. Transfer vinaigrette to a small container and keep warm. Chop bacon into large chunks.
- For perfectly poached eggs, bring 3 inches of water and remaining vinegar to a slow boil in a large, shallow pan (the vinegar is key to perfectly shaped eggs because it helps congeal the egg whites faster). After it begins to boil, turn down the heat and simmer. Crack one egg into a small ramekin and gently slide the egg into the simmering water. Use a large spoon to help shape the egg whites that might float away. Repeat this step for the second egg. For runny eggs, poach for approximately 3 minutes. Remove eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
- Toss together bacon, frisée and warm vinaigrette in a large bowl. Separate salad on two separate plates and top with poached egg. Serve immediately.
November 23rd, 2009 at 13:22
I love frisée aux lardons et œufs poché, but did not know the formal technique to make this class Frnech salad. There are so many great tips in this post! Thanks for sharing!
November 23rd, 2009 at 13:59
@Christine: I’m so glad you found this post helpful. I was a mess whenever I tried to poach an egg until I came across this vinegar trick. It works wonders!
November 24th, 2009 at 10:48
Dhaleb you are such a wonderwoman behind that camera let me tell you what — your shots are beautiful and not to mention the wonderful recipes that follow
I love adding poached eggs to my salad, the runny yolk is such a delight. Thanks for sharing this, it looks exquisite!
November 25th, 2009 at 10:39
@Joy: Awww thank you! Still learning the tools of the trade but having tons of fun at the same time. Poached eggs are such a nice surprise to any old salad