This is a dreamy dinner salad and, of course, a Parisian bistro classic, with a forceful mustard dressing, bacon fat–fried croutons, and a soft poached egg with a yolk that functions as a second dressing for the salad. Do take time to get the details right here—slow-toasting the croutons in the bacon fat and trimming the frisée carefully. Make sure to serve the salad right away so the egg is seductively warm (you can take some pressure off by poaching the eggs earlier in the day and then re-warming them in simmering water just before serving). – Renee Erickson
Ingredients
For the Dijon vinaigrette:
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons excellent-quality white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
- 6 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil
For the salad:
- 8 to 10 ounces (225 to 280 g) thick-cut bacon, cut on a bias into about ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces
- 2 heads frisée, when trimmed about 12 ounces (340 g), green parts cut off
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 6 cups torn crustless bread (about 1 pound/455 g)
- 4 large eggs Fancy olive oil
- Flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper
- A handful of matchstick-cut chives
Instructions
Make the vinaigrette:
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste, then whisk in the vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking. Set aside. This is a super easy and stable dressing.
Make the salad:
Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it is crispy. Scoop the bacon out of the fat (reserve the fat!) and lay the bacon pieces on a plate lined with paper towels.
While the bacon is cooking, put the frisée in a large bowl.
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add the vinegar and turn the heat down to a very lazy simmer.
Return the skillet with the bacon fat in it to the stovetop and heat over medium heat. Add the bread and toast the croutons, taking care to turn the croutons individually and brown them deeply on all sides. If you run low on fat, you can add a bit of olive oil to the pan to aid the browning.
When the croutons are halfway done, gently slide the eggs to be poached into the boiling water. Try to keep the water at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, or you will separate the whites of your eggs. They will take 2 to 3 minutes to poach (for a very soft set egg), and it is easiest to do two at a time rather than all four. Using a slotted spoon or a spider, lift the eggs from the water when they are done and dab them gently with a paper towel to remove any excess water. You can poach the eggs in advance and remove them to an ice-water bath when finished. Before serving, put them in a bath of simmering water to warm through; this takes less than 1 minute.
Once the croutons are browned on all sides and crispy, lift them out of the bacon fat and put them in the bowl with the frisée. While the croutons are warm, pour over the Dijon vinaigrette, sprinkle in most of the chives, and toss everything well. Double-check the salt and pepper and adjust as desired. Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates.
Place a poached egg on each salad. Drizzle fancy olive oil over the egg and finish with a pinch of flaky salt, more freshly ground pepper, and chives. Eat right away so the egg yolk will run into the salad.
