Frisée aux Lardons

By David Tanis

Frisée aux Lardons
Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
Total Time
About 30 minutes
Rating
5(122)
Comments
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Here is a bistro salad classic of curly endive with bacon and poached egg that demands a kind of ruthlessness from its cooks. You want curly endive with tender, blanched centers. That means the darker green outer leaves must be removed and not used in the dish. You want to expose the pale inner leaves and keep them looking as natural as possible. Don’t chop them. For the lardons, use bacon or, if you don’t want its smoky taste, unsmoked pancetta. And when you fry them, take care to brown the lardons lightly so that they are crisp, but with a little give. Don’t overcook them, or the egg.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 4handfuls tender, pale curly endive (about 10 ounces)
  • 6ounces thick-cut bacon, sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick lardons
  • 2teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • ½teaspoon finely grated garlic
  • 3tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4eggs
  • 12thin slices from a French baguette, lightly toasted and rubbed with a garlic clove
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

380 calories; 31 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 531 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Wash and dry curly endive, place in a shallow salad bowl and refrigerate.

  2. Step 2

    In a small skillet, simmer bacon for about 5 minutes in a small amount of water. Drain and dry skillet, then cook bacon over medium heat until lightly browned and crisp, but still a bit springy.

  3. Step 3

    For the vinaigrette, whisk together mustard, vinegar and garlic. Whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Put a low-sided skillet on the stove and fill two-thirds with salted water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Crack each egg into a cup and carefully lower into the water. Poach eggs for 3 to 4 minutes, until whites have set and yolks are still soft. With a slotted spoon, remove to a towel-lined plate.

  5. Step 5

    Lightly salt endive and toss with vinaigrette, coating well. Divide greens among 4 plates, place an egg in center of each, then add 3 croutons. Spoon warm lardons over salads. Shower with freshly ground black pepper and serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
122 user ratings
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Comments

seoul cooker

The classic French farmhouse salad is a great start. Here's some choice variants. 1) Frisee, or curly endive, is a good start point, but consider embellishing it with treviso, or other members of the raddicchio family. 2) Lardons are essential, but bacon is not. I like to dice up some Berkshire pork belly and throw it in wok until they're crispy. Mmmm. Delicious, and also avoids nitrates. 3) Poached eggs are a fine addition, but experiment. I like red walnuts and crumbled gorgonzola.

Kim Severson

Beautiful recipe. I prefer a touch less Dijon in the dressing.

Sue L

Yes to this--and almost any--version of this glorious salad. Just to mention, though, that some use finely minced shallot instead of the garlic in the vinaigrette, and I've had the latter made with the warm bacon fat instead of olive oil and the croutons topped with shredded, melted Gruyère. And I agree about less Dijon.

jim

Layer in blanched asparagus for a more substantial side dish - family favorite

Mathilda

Homemade unsmoked ventreche is easy to make. Pork belly, garlic, salt, pepper. (Yes, there are unsmoked versions even in France). Once cured, throw it in the freezer. Lardons for salads and thicker slabs for cassoulet whenever you like. I am eating this salad right now with cold rabbit meat. A fifty-year Columela sherry vinegar is not and not too expensive.

Sidrah

That tart from the mustard perfectly balances the rich yolk, which I leave runny because egg sauce is absolutely the best. I'll admit I eyed to my preference and when I tasted the dressing it was eyebrow raising tart. Then I ate it and happiness consumed me in return.

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