Frisée salad with warm bacon vinaigrette
Indulge in the crispy frisée leaves perfectly paired with a warm bacon vinaigrette, creating a delicious blend of flavors and textures.
Ingredients:
- baguette
- oz. thick-cut bacon (about 6 slices)
- large shallot
- small bunch chives
- cups frisée (about 1 large head)
- Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- cup red wine vinegar, plus more
- Tbsp. honey
- large eggs
Instructions:
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. In the meantime, rip 1/4 of a baguette into 1-inch uneven pieces to make croutons. Slice 6 oz. thick-cut bacon into 3/4-inch strips. Peel and thinly slice 1 large shallot. Cut 1/2 bunch of chives into 3/4-inch pieces.
- Wash and dry 8 cups of frisée thoroughly and place it in a large bowl.
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- In a medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add torn bread and stir to coat evenly with oil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally until the bread turns golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes. The croutons should be crispy on the outside but not necessarily throughout. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, then transfer to a plate and let cool. Keep the skillet for later.
- Put the skillet back on medium heat. Cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until it's almost crispy, for about 4-5 minutes.
- Add shallots and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until the shallots are softened, approximately 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and mix in 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar, scraping the bottom of the skillet to incorporate all the flavorful bits.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of honey. Taste the dressing and add a splash of vinegar if you feel it needs more acidity. The amount of bacon fat can vary, and it helps balance the acidity of the vinegar, so adjust according to your taste.
- It's time to poach 2 eggs! Crack each egg into small bowls. Tilt the bowl over a fine-mesh sieve to let the excess egg white drip through, leaving behind a compact egg white surrounding the yolk. This ensures neat poached eggs without any thin, wispy bits. Transfer the eggs to a shallow bowl. Repeat for the second egg.
- Gently lower the bowl with the eggs into the boiling water. Let each egg slide into the water one by one. Turn off the heat and set a timer for 3 minutes. Poaching the eggs in hot, still water ensures a gentle cooking process.
- While the eggs are poaching, mix the lettuce, bacon vinaigrette, croutons, and chives together. Season with salt and divide the salad between bowls.
- Get back to the eggs. Use a slotted spoon to remove each egg and gently dab them with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove excess water.
- Place an egg on top of each salad and season them with salt and pepper.
Summary:
- Calories: 1544 kcal
- Fat: 117 g
- Protein: 48 g
- Carbs: 75 g
- Potassium: 1231 mg
- Magnesium: 106 mg