Salade Lyonnaise (Lyon-Style Frisée Salad with Bacon and Egg)

A bistro favourite of crisp frisée, warm bacon lardons, garlicky croûtons and a soft poached egg in a tangy vinaigrette.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 30 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 large frisée lettuce, pale inner leaves only, torn
  • 200g smoked bacon lardons
  • 2 thick slices day-old baguette, cut into cubes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, halved
  • 4 very fresh eggs
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (for poaching)
  • For the dressing: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • For the dressing: 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • For the dressing: 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • For the dressing: 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • Black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Put the frisée in a large salad bowl. Fry the lardons in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 6 minutes until crisp and golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon, keeping the fat in the pan.

  2. Fry the bread cubes in the bacon fat with the olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes until golden, rubbing them with the cut side of the garlic once cooked. Drain on kitchen paper.

  3. Whisk the dressing ingredients together. Pour into the hot pan juices for 20 seconds to warm, then pour over the frisée and toss.

  4. Bring a wide pan of water to a gentle simmer and add the white wine vinegar. Swirl the water, crack in the eggs one at a time and poach for 3 minutes. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper.

  5. Divide the salad between four plates, scatter with the lardons and croûtons, top each with a poached egg and finish with black pepper.