Classic Salade Lyonnaise
This classic salade Lyonnaise recipe makes a light breakfast salad of soft poached eggs atop frisée lettuce, crispy bacon and croutons with a dressing of olive oil and vinegar. The idea is that you get some frisée, egg white and yolk, a crouton and some bacon in every mouthful. It’s a brilliant mix of textures and a perfect marriage of flavours.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 glug olive oil
- 1/2 baguette (sliced)
- 100 g bacon (sliced, preferably poitrine salée)
- 250 g frisée lettuce (torn into pieces)
- 4 large fresh eggs (fresher the better for poaching)
- 1 sprinkle salt and pepper or to taste
- 3 parts extra virgin olive oil
- 1 part vinegar (whichever type you like)
- Dijon mustard
- lemon juice
- freshly ground salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1
In a saucepan over high heat bring a few centimetres of water to the boil – you want small bubbles rather than a rolling boil.
- 2
Heat a non-stick pan to medium heat and add the butter and olive oil.
- 3
Add the baguette slices and fry each side until golden brown.
- 4
Remove the baguette slices and add the bacon to the pan. Cook until crisp.
- 5
If you’re a pork lover (and not on a diet – these two things may be mutually exclusive), set the rendered pork fat aside to add to the salad dressing. It’s delicious!
- 6
To poach the eggs, break each egg into a small tea-cup and gently immerse the cup into the water allowing the water to start cooking the egg in the cup. Then gently release the egg into the water. Start a timer for two minutes.
- 7
At two minutes, the whites should be set but the yolk runny. Remove with a slotted spoon.
- 8
Chop the toasted baguette into crouton-sized pieces, except for four slices.
- 9
Place the frisée leaves into a salad bowl and add the bacon and croutons.
- 10
To make the salad dressing, pour the olive oil and vinegar into a sterilised jar, along with your optional extras. Shake vigorously. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- 11
When your poached eggs are ready – or ready to be reheated – mix the salad with the dressing and place the salad into the bowls in a nice mound. Place the piece of baguette on top.
- 12
Place the poached egg on top of the piece of baguette and serve. Serve with salt and pepper.