A salad, in its simplest form, can be just greens tossed together with a little seasoning. And who says that can’t be decadent? But sometimes I like a little more. When I have a salad, I want a balance of protein, greens and some crunch. This is a quintessential French lunch, hailing from the Lyon region, that features bitter greens, bacon lardons, a poached egg and a tangy vinaigrette. For the perfect bite, I like to sauté the bacon until it’s slightly crispy, but still has some chewiness.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 25 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 8 to 12 pieces of very thin slices (on a bias) of baguette
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 10 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick lardons
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 head frisée, washed and dried thoroughly
- 1 head chicory, washed and dried thoroughly
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the croutons: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Lightly brush the bread with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toast until crispy and lightly toasted, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
- Make the lardons and dressing: In a heavy-bottomed skillet, add the bacon and enough water to almost cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 8 minutes, then drain the water. Continue to cook the bacon until lightly browned and slightly crisped but still tender, 4 to 5 minutes; don’t let it get too crispy. Add the shallots and cook for a minute or two. Add the mustard and vinegar to the pan of lardons and stir until the dressing is emulsified. Keep warm.
- Poach the eggs: Fill a sauté pan three-quarters of the way to the top with water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, crack each egg into a separate bowl or ramekin. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low so there are just slight bubbles rising to the surface. Add some salt and the vinegar and stir in a circle to create a vortex. Working with one egg at a time, slide each egg gently into the water. When the whites are cooked through, but the yolks are still soft and jiggly, about 4 minutes, transfer the eggs with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Assemble the salad: With scissors, snip the frisée and chicory into 2-inch pieces, leaving 2 inches of the root/core, into a large mixing bowl. Add the lardons and dressing and toss to coat evenly. Pile the salad onto 4 plates and arrange 2 croutons side by side on top of each salad. Place a poached egg on top of the croutons on each plate and season with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 297 |
| Total Fat | 23 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 13 g |
| Cholesterol | 155 mg |
| Sodium | 500 mg |
Reviews
Best salad I’ve ever had, the contrast with the vinegrette and the egg yolk, WOW
You can continue frying your bacon in the water. Water evaporates and bacon crisps perfectly…why dirty another skillet