Frisée aux Lardons Image Used Under Creative Commons License From matthieufourment.e-monsite.com
Citizens, few things in this life make your beloved leader more palatally uncomfortable than greens – salads are always dramatically improved when you add bacon, egg and powerful flavors to it!
The classic Lyon salad fits the bill for me perfectly.
As noted on gastronomersguide.com:
This is the perfect recipe to welcome spring, which just made its grand entrance this past weekend. Salade Lyonnaise is one of the most popular salads in small French restaurants and bistros.
In Lyon, from where the salad originates, it is typically found on the menus of tiny eateries called Bouchons, which specialize in comfort foods such as soups, stews, sausages, cheeses, etc.
You can most certainly also find this salad served at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon and at many of the restaurants of Lyon native Daniel Boulud. Comfort food knows no boundaries of class. It is simply just that popular that both high and low places offer it. And why wouldn’t this salad be comforting? It is made of lettuce, croutons, bacon, and a poached egg perched on top.
The newest restaurant at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY pays homage to world-renowned Chef Paul Bocuse, the father of modern French cuisine.
Among his many accomplishments, Chef Bocuse pioneered the market-inspired menu, which focuses on fresh and seasonal ingredients that set the stage for today’s local sustainable movement. The Bocuse Restaurant showcases a selection of classic mainstays, regional favorites, and iconic signature dishes. CIA Chef Sergio Remolina is the executive chef and instructor at the restaurant. To prepare for the opening, he traveled to Lyon, France to cook alongside Chef Bocuse.
One classic dish on the new menu is Frisée aux Lardons, or Lyonnaise-style Frisée Salad. “It is a great combination of salty, bitter, tangy, and smoky flavors,” says Chef Remolina. “As you cut into the poached egg, the warm yolk coats the salad and the taste is amazing.” Frisée, a member of the endive family, has a small head with spiky or frilly thin leaves.
Trim the green part of the lettuce by cutting it off with kitchen scissors, wash in cold water, spin the leaves dry, and hold in a damp towel in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Frisée aux Lardons is an impressive start to an elegant dinner or a delicious main course.
½ cup Sourdough Croutons, or as needed (recipe follows)
4 Poached Eggs, warm (recipe follows)
4 teaspoons Fines Herbes (recipe follows)
Kosher or sea salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
Sherry Vinaigrette
¼ cup sherry wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sourdough Croutons
½ cup clarified butter or as needed (see Recipe Note)
2 cups sourdough bread, cut into ½-inch croutons
Poached Eggs
2 quarts water, or as needed
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
Fines Herbes
1 teaspoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon minced chervil
1 teaspoon minced chives
1 teaspoon minced tarragon
Instructions
Sherry Vinaigrette
Whisk together the vinegar and mustard with a pinch of salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil until it is all incorporated and the vinaigrette is smooth and lightly thickened. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Whisk the vinaigrette just before using to recombine if necessary.
Sourdough Croutons
Add enough clarified butter to a sauté pan to come to a depth of about 1/2-inch. Add the croutons in batches and cook, turning as necessary, until they are an even, golden brown on all sides. Transfer the croutons to toweling, to drain once they are browned. The croutons are ready to serve now or they may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe Note: Clarified butter is whole butter that has been melted in a heavy pot and cooked over low heat until the water and milk solids separate from the butterfat and fall to the bottom of the pot. Skim off any foam that rises to the top and then pour off the clear, golden clarified butter, leaving the milk solids and water behind. Clarified butter can be used to sauté meats, fish, poultry, and vegetables.
Poached Eggs
Combine the water, vinegar, and salt in a deep pan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. There should be enough water to fill the pot to a depth of about 3 inches.
Break each egg into a clean cup, and carefully slide each egg into the simmering water. Cook until the whites are set and opaque, about 3 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and blot them on absorbent toweling. Serve the eggs immediately.
Recipe Note: To prepare the eggs in advance, poach them as directed above. Once they are poached, transfer them to a bowl of ice water to cool them rapidly. Store directly in the water in the refrigerator until needed. To warm poached eggs, lower them into simmering water for about 30 seconds, blot as directed above, and serve.
Fines Herbes
Toss the parsley, chervil, chives, and tarragon together in a small bowl and reserve until ready to serve the salad.
Frisée aux Lardons
Cut the slab bacon into lardons (sticks measuring 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch by 1 inch). Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until evenly browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and add the shallots.
Cook, stirring frequently, until they are tender and translucent but with browning, about 2 minutes. Transfer the bacon and shallot mixture to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
Separate the frisée into leaves. Rinse well with cool water and spin dry in a salad spinner (or blot with a clean towel). Place the frisée in a salad bowl, add 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette, and toss to coat evenly. Divide the frisée among 4 salad plates.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and shallot mixture and cook until just warm, about 1 minute. Divide this mixture evenly among the salads.
Top each salad with some of the croutons and a warm poached egg. Sprinkle with some of the fines herbes, season with salt and pepper, and serve at once.
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