Frisée Salad with Lardons and Poached Egg Recipe

This Frisée Salad with Lardons and Poached Egg recipe combines crisp bacon, tender poached eggs, peppery watercress, and pleasantly bitter frisée with a tangy shallot vinaigrette. Breaking into the poached egg releases the warm yolk, adding richness to the fresh greens and balancing the sharp sherry vinegar.

The Inspiration

Frisée salad with lardons and poached egg is closely associated with classic French bistro cooking. Often known as salade Lyonnaise, the dish demonstrates how a few carefully prepared ingredients can produce an impressive balance of flavour and texture.

Frisée is a member of the chicory family and has slender, curly leaves with a pleasantly bitter flavour. The tender inner white portions are especially suitable for salads because they provide a delicate texture while remaining sturdy enough to hold the vinaigrette.

This Frisée Salad with Lardons and Poached Egg comes directly from Martha: The Cookbook and is featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3 with host Shahir Massoud. The recipe presents a polished French-inspired salad that comes together in approximately 15 minutes.

Ingredients

1 medium shallot, finely chopped
4 ½ tsp sherry vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 large eggs
3 heads of frisee, inner white part only, washed well and spun dry, torn into bite-size pieces
1 small bunch watercress, washed well and spun dry

Method

In a salad bowl, combine the shallot, vinegar, and mustard; whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in the oil until well combined; season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown and the fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with ap paper towel to drain.
Fill a large, deep skillet two-thirds full of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
Break an egg into a small bowl, holding the bowl just over the simmer water, gently slide the egg into the water. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Poach 1 to 2minutes (longer for firm yolk). Use a slotted spoon to remove the poached eggs, and place on a paper towel to drain.
Add the frisee, watercress, and bacon to the salad bowl, and toss gently with the vinaigrette to combine. Divide evenly among 5 serving plates. Top each salad with one poached egg. (I love to slice the egg to show the yolk.) season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Frisée Salad with Lardons and Poached Egg immediately after assembly. Encourage guests to slice into the egg so the warm yolk flows over the crisp bacon, frisée, watercress, and tangy vinaigrette.

The salad makes an elegant brunch dish when paired with toasted baguette, roasted potatoes, or fresh fruit. It can also be served as a refined appetizer before roast chicken, steak, fish, or another French-inspired main course.

For a light meal, present each salad in a wide, shallow bowl with crusty bread on the side. The bread can absorb the vinaigrette and rich egg yolk remaining at the bottom of the bowl.

Final Thoughts

This Frisée Salad with Lardons and Poached Egg recipe creates an irresistible balance of crisp, tender, bitter, salty, tangy, and rich elements. The bacon provides smoky depth, while frisée and watercress keep the dish fresh and lively.

Featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3, the recipe allows host Shahir Massoud to prepare an elegant bistro favourite directly from Martha: The Cookbook. The shallot and Dijon vinaigrette brings the greens together, while the poached egg turns each serving into a satisfying complete dish.

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