Could any salad that includes bacon, buttered croutons and a poached egg really be a salad? Of course! Salad Lyonnaise is a well-known brunch salad. I was introduced to it when enjoying a lazy weekend brunch at a friend's home north of Boston, so it's always evoked images of New England for me. I want to grab my plate, head for a beach chair and enjoy it with hot coffee and a newspaper while enjoying the waves lapping at the rocks along the shore.
The recipe I'm including here has you making croutons from scratch -- which is a delightful thing. However, if you want to save a little time, consider choosing your favorite premade variety from the store. The dressing is so easy to make, I'd recommend putting it together, even if you have a nice salad dressing sitting in your refrigerator already. Summer is here. Enjoy!
Salad Lyonnaise
- 4 strips bacon
- 2 slices French or Italian bread and a little butter to make buttered croutons
- 2 poached eggs
- 2 handfuls of fresh frisee lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons chopped shallots
- 2 T. olive oil
- 2 T. wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the bacon on medium heat until done, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, let it drain of excess fat on a paper towel. Once it's cool, chop.
Cut the French or Italian bread into cubes. Toast the bread on medium high heat in a small saucepan with a teaspoon or two of melted butter. Do not stir bread unless to turn to a different side once one side is toasted.
Poach the eggs your favorite way and set aside.
Layer the frisée, bacon, shallots, and croutons on a salad plate. In a small jar, mix the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad. Top with the poached egg.
- Yields: 2 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 mintutes