In this recipe, breakfast meets salad and makes for a great casual dinner. This is a French bistro classic and one that we often return to.
This recipe comes from Gordon Hamersley’s Bistro Cooking at Home (2003). Hamersley’s Bistro was a Boston favorite from 1987 to 2014. Sadly we never made it there but a few of my family members did and loved it. While his restaurant may no longer be around, Hamersley’s cookbook is one that we often return to when looking for some inspiration. You can still find it on Amazon despite being over 20 years old.
‘Lardon’ is French for thick or slab bacon. I like to get bacon for this salad from the deli counter which allows me to get the thickness I want along with just the right quantity for the salad. Last time I made this salad, the person in front of me at Wegmans’ deli counter was also ordering bacon. He wanted it really thick (almost half an inch) – an 8 on the meat slicer. When it was my turn I asked for thick cut bacon but not that thick, we settled on a 3 and all wondered what the gentleman before me was cooking!
I’ve included directions as to how to poach eggs – you can use your own method here if you prefer. I used silicone egg poacher cups for cooking the eggs so they don’t look quite like they would if they were cooked directly in water.
I highly recommend making croutons for this recipe and not purchasing them. They are easy to make and can be made with regular or gluten-free bread. Check out Croutons (Gluten-Free) for a simple recipe. If you don’t have time to prepare croutons, serve with a nice French bread instead.
Since this is a dinner salad, pair a lovely French wine with it such as a Pinot Noir from Burgundy or Rosé from Provence.
Check out a few more recipes from Gordon Hamersley’s Bistro Cooking at Home on Riegl Palate. Some are from the very early days of my site – my photography has improved!
| Salad with Lardons and Poached Eggs | Print |
- 3 slices of thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch sticks
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon white or white wine vinegar
- 4 eggs
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 heads of frisée (curly endive), outer leaves and tough core removed, remaining leaves separated and washed and dried well or 4 ounces spring mix
- 4 ounces homemade croutons (see Notes)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels. Reserve the bacon fat and keep it warm.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, shallot, garlic, thyme, and red wine vinegar. Whisk the extra virgin olive oil and about 2 tablespoons of the warm bacon fat into the shallot-vinegar mixture until the fats are incorporated and an emulsion forms.
- Poach Eggs: Bring about 2 quarts of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the white vinegar and lower the heat to a steady simmer. Fill a medium bowl with warm water and position it near the pot. Break each egg into a small cup or ramekin. Gently slide each egg into the saucepan of simmering water by bringing the small cup close to the water's surface and letting the egg slide out. Adjust the heat to just under a boil.Cook the eggs until the whites are cooked and the yolks are just set, about 4 minutes. Lift the eggs out of the cooking water with a slotted spoon and place them in the bowl of warm water. The eggs will stay warm in the water for a few minutes but will not overcook. (Alternatively, you can poach the eggs anyway you like and skip the warm water step.)
- Place the lettuce and croutons in a large bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat lightly. Reserve remaining dressing.
- Divide the lettuce and croutons among two plates. Lift the eggs out of the warm water with a slotted spoon and let them drain briefly. Put two eggs on top of the greens on each plate and sprinkle each salad with the bacon pieces and parsley. Drizzle the remaining dressing over each salad and serve immediately.
* I use silicone egg poacher cups for cooking the eggs so they don’t look quite like they would if they were cooked directly in water.
Source: Adapted from Gordon Hamersley’s Bistro Cooking at Home (2003)
Nicole, in France this is Salade Lyonnaise and it is only fitting that you like this salad which originated in Lyon, the city your French ancestors came from. It is one of my favorites too.
Dad – That is quite fitting! Thank you for sharing this.