The Lyonnais salad — frisée, a poached egg, and crisp lardons fumés tossed in a hot vinaigrette of bacon fat and red-wine vinegar. A bistro classic from Lyon, eaten as a starter or a light lunch.
Serves 4Prep 15 minCook 12 min
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Ingredients
- 200 g lard fumé, cut into 1 cm batons
- 1 head frisée, washed and torn
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (for the poaching water)
- 2 garlic cloves, halved
- —
- For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Method
- 1Render the lardons in a wide cold pan over medium heat. Cook until crisp at the edges and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. Lift the lardons out with a slotted spoon. Reserve the fat in the pan.
- 2Bring a wide pot of water to a bare simmer with the wine vinegar. Crack each egg into a small bowl and slip into the simmering water. Poach 3 minutes for soft yolks. Lift onto kitchen paper.
- 3Rub a large salad bowl with the cut garlic. Pile in the frisée.
- 4Whisk the mustard and red wine vinegar into the warm bacon fat. Add the shallot, season.
- 5Pour the warm dressing over the frisée and toss immediately — the leaves should wilt slightly.
- 6Plate. Top each portion with crisp lardons and a poached egg. Crack pepper over the top. Eat at once.
Chef's tip
The dressing must be warm but not hot when it hits the leaves — too hot and the frisée collapses; cold and it doesn't wilt at all.