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I'm not exactly sure what a more traditional french version of this recipe looks like, but if you want to try making it from a French recipe, go here. I based my recipe on lots of different recipes (at least 6 or 7), my own taste buds, and how it "looked" at Bistrot du Coin. I'm patting my back after this one, ya'll.
Salade Frisée aux Lardons
cue watering mouth...
cue watering mouth...
Ingredients/Supplies
to poach the eggs:
3 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar. I recommend moderate to high quality - I use Lucini's pinot noir vinegar
4 eggs (you may need more just in case you're like me and you eff up the first couple tries)
large ladle
large saucepan or pot with 2 inches salted water
bowl of very warm salted water
for the salad:
This is really important - use endive lettuce or baby frisee. These lettuces are fairly bitter and will stand up to the hot dressing without wilting. It just doesn't taste "right" if you don't use these lettuces. As baby frisee is rather expensive, I mixed up one little bunch with endive lettuce. Gives the salad a little more color variation.
for the toppings/dressing:
Large saucepan
2 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 cup of dijon mustard (personal taste)
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, minced (again, personal taste)
Thick cut or slab bacon. The thicker the better. Chop bacon into 1.5 inch long pieces, about a finger's width thick
Croutons
Salad/pepper to taste.
Instructions
Set the pot of water to boil. Add the vinegar and a couple pinches of salt. To poach the eggs, crack the egg into the large ladle, then gently set the ladle in the boiling water with the egg and let it slide out. Add the other eggs, but do not allow them to overlap. Reduce the heat a little bit and simmer the eggs for about 3 to 4 minutes. You want the eggs to be runny when you cut into them. Use a slotted spoon to drop the eggs in the bowl of warm, salted water.
Saute the bacon on medium-high heat in a large saucepan. It should be brown on all sides. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon. You want the bacon to leave plenty of grease behind in the pan - at least three tablespoons. If there isn't enough, supplement with olive oil. Leave the heat on, turn down to medium.
With saucepan on medium, add the garlic and the shallot, cook for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. Turn heat down to low. Add the butter, red wine, and the dijon mustard. Stir until blended.
Divide the salad onto four plates, add the croutons and drizzle the dressing over the top. Top with the poached egg, then salt and pepper to taste. Keep the red wine vinegar handy in case you want a bit more of the vinegar taste.
to poach the eggs:
3 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar. I recommend moderate to high quality - I use Lucini's pinot noir vinegar
4 eggs (you may need more just in case you're like me and you eff up the first couple tries)
large ladle
large saucepan or pot with 2 inches salted water
bowl of very warm salted water
for the salad:
This is really important - use endive lettuce or baby frisee. These lettuces are fairly bitter and will stand up to the hot dressing without wilting. It just doesn't taste "right" if you don't use these lettuces. As baby frisee is rather expensive, I mixed up one little bunch with endive lettuce. Gives the salad a little more color variation.
for the toppings/dressing:
Large saucepan
2 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 cup of dijon mustard (personal taste)
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, minced (again, personal taste)
Thick cut or slab bacon. The thicker the better. Chop bacon into 1.5 inch long pieces, about a finger's width thick
Croutons
Salad/pepper to taste.
Instructions
Set the pot of water to boil. Add the vinegar and a couple pinches of salt. To poach the eggs, crack the egg into the large ladle, then gently set the ladle in the boiling water with the egg and let it slide out. Add the other eggs, but do not allow them to overlap. Reduce the heat a little bit and simmer the eggs for about 3 to 4 minutes. You want the eggs to be runny when you cut into them. Use a slotted spoon to drop the eggs in the bowl of warm, salted water.
Saute the bacon on medium-high heat in a large saucepan. It should be brown on all sides. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon. You want the bacon to leave plenty of grease behind in the pan - at least three tablespoons. If there isn't enough, supplement with olive oil. Leave the heat on, turn down to medium.
With saucepan on medium, add the garlic and the shallot, cook for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. Turn heat down to low. Add the butter, red wine, and the dijon mustard. Stir until blended.
Divide the salad onto four plates, add the croutons and drizzle the dressing over the top. Top with the poached egg, then salt and pepper to taste. Keep the red wine vinegar handy in case you want a bit more of the vinegar taste.
