This is the sort of green salad that you will find in a French bistro. In the most basic form, it may be simply a mix of seasonal greens served with a dressing. However, it can be easily made a startling dish by adding some bacon, egg and croutons. This may be served as a starter, but also hearty enough to be a meal on its own, especially if you also add some boiled potatoes into the salad.
Frisée, Romaine or cos lettuce , red and green oakleaf lettuce, radicchio, lamb’s lettuce, rocket, baby spinach leaves and boiled green beans are great choices for the salad greens.
For the croutons, you may cut the bread into cubes with a knife. For a more rustic presentation, I suggest tearing it into small pieces with rough edges that add extra texture to the dish.
In Lyon, frisée is often the choice of the salad green (salade Lyonnaise), and the dish is topped with poached egg instead of boiled egg.
Ingredients
- 150g bacon, cut into lardons
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 70g scourdough or bread, cut into cubes, or torn into pieces by hand
- 250g of red cherry tomatoes, or a mix of yellow and red cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
- 120g a mix of salad leaves of your choice
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
For the French vinaigrette:
- 2 tsp red or white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- For the French vinaigrette, put all ingredients in a jar, screw the lid on tightly, and shake until you have an emulsion. Or whisk rigorously in a bowl. (You may use a food processor if you are making a larger amount for more servings of this salad.)
- Fry the bacon over medium heat until it is just starting to crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels.
- Put the eggs in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil. Then turn the heat down to simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of very cold water with some ice cubes. Cool for 10 mins, and remove the shells. Cut the eggs into halves.
- To make the croutons, heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook until it is browned and the oil is infused with its flavour. Remove the garlic. Then add the bread. Stir the bread in the oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Cook for about 5 minutes until they are browned and crispy on all sides.
- Mix the bacon, croutons, salad leaves, tomatoes and parsley together. Divide them into two plates, with two egg halves on each plate. Serve with the vinaigrette.
Tag us on Instagram at @coquendum, or share a photo with the hashtag #coquendum.