Lyonnaise is another name for this popular French bistro salad since it is from Lyon, France. Warning: Although a salad, it is not diet food. Warning #2: Your tummy and taste buds will be doing the happy dance after just one bite!
The curly, crunchy, yet delicate lettuce is tossed with crisp bacon, (Traditionally, lardons are used.) and crunchy croutons that are cooked in the bacon fat. Finally, it’s topped with a creamy poached egg.
The lemon vinaigrette creates a perfect balance as it cuts through the heaviness of the fat from the bacon and the croutons.
This is a semi-recipe. Meaning I am listing the ingredients, but no the amounts.
Difficulty level – Intermediate
Ingredients:
- Frisée lettuce
- bacon, cup into strips and cooked until crispy
- baguette, cut into cubes and cooked in bacon fat
- Poached egg
- For the dressing, combine 1 clove of garlic, minced, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil.
Variations:
- Make it light by baking the croutons instead of cooking them in bacon fat
- Make it a warm salad – after cooking the bacon and the croutons, toss the lettuce and dressing in the pan and let it heat through and until the lettuce is a little soft. Add the bacon and croutons to the pan and toss. Serve on a plate with the poached egg on top.
Do Ahead:
- The dressing can be made about one week ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
- The bacon can be cooked a few days ahead. Bring to room temperature before using.
- The croutons can be made up to one day ahead. Bring to room temperature before using.
