Frisee Lardon Salad Food

FRISEE-LARDON SALAD

Steps:

• Pour water into a large saucepan to a depth of 2" and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so water is at a gentle simmer and add white vinegar (it helps the egg whites stay compact). Crack an egg into a small bowl, then gently slide it into the water. Repeat with remaining eggs, waiting until the whites are starting to set before adding the next one (about 30 seconds apart). Cook eggs until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to paper towels as they finish cooking.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered and bacon is starting to brown, 5-8 minutes. Add shallot, season with kosher salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is translucent and softened but hasn't taken on any color, about 5 minutes. Add red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by threequarters, 5-8 minutes. Taste bacon vinaigrette and adjust seasoning with kosher salt and pepper if needed.
• Place frisée in a large bowl and drizzle warm bacon vinaigrette over top. Gently toss until frisée is evenly dressed and slightly wilted and season with fleur de sel and pepper.
• Divide frisée salad among plates and carefully set an egg atop each. Season eggs with fleur de sel and pepper and scatter chives around.
• Eggs can be poached 4 hours ahead. Place in a bowl of ice water; cover and chill. Reheat in barely simmering water 1 minute before serving.

FRISéE AUX LARDONS

Steps:

• Wash and dry curly endive, place in a shallow salad bowl and refrigerate.
• In a small skillet, simmer bacon for about 5 minutes in a small amount of water. Drain and dry skillet, then cook bacon over medium heat until lightly browned and crisp, but still a bit springy.
• For the vinaigrette, whisk together mustard, vinegar and garlic. Whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Put a low-sided skillet on the stove and fill two-thirds with salted water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Crack each egg into a cup and carefully lower into the water. Poach eggs for 3 to 4 minutes, until whites have set and yolks are still soft. With a slotted spoon, remove to a towel-lined plate.
• Lightly salt endive and toss with vinaigrette, coating well. Divide greens among 4 plates, place an egg in center of each, then add 3 croutons. Spoon warm lardons over salads. Shower with freshly ground black pepper and serve.

FRISEE AUX LARDONS

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until browned and slightly crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
• Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepot over high heat. Add the vinegar and stir to combine. Working one at a time, crack each egg into a small dish and slowly lower it into the water, sliding the egg out. Reduce the heat to maintain a light simmer and poach the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Chop the frisee into 2-inch pieces, place in a large bowl and toss with the cooked bacon, crumbled blue cheese and vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper and toss until well combined. Divide the salad among 4 plates and gently place a poached egg in the center of each "nest" of salad. Divide the baguette slices among the plates and serve immediately.
• Put the garlic cloves in a small saucepan and add enough olive oil just to cover. Cook over low heat until the garlic is soft and melting, 35 to 45 minutes, to make garlic confit.
• Combine the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper with 2 tablespoons garlic confit and 2 tablespoons water in a blender and blend on medium speed until smooth. (Reserve the remaining garlic confit for another use.) With the motor running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream until it has been incorporated.
• Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. The vinaigrette will keep for up to 1 week.

FRISEE AUX LARDONS

Steps:

• For the dressing, saute the chicken livers until cooked through. In a blender, puree liver with oil, vinegar, and shallots. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. For the salad, saute the lardons in a medium saute pan over medium heat until crispy. Transfer with bacon fat into mixing bowl. Toss with frisee and enough dressing until coated lightly. Generously spread cheese on croutons. Serve salad in individual plates topped with 1 crouton.

FRISEE SALAD WITH LARDONS AND POACHED EGGS

Steps:

• Fill a large, deep skillet 2/3 full with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add white vinegar. Place frisee in a large bowl; set aside.
• Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Remove bacon, reserving fat, and set aside. Add shallot to pan; cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar; bring to a boil, swirling to combine. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Add bacon.
• Break an egg into a small bowl; holding bowl just over simmering vinegar water, gently slide egg into water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Poach 1 to 2 minutes (longer for firm yolks). Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Return vinaigrette to stove to rewarm if necessary. Pour over frisee and toss gently to combine. Divide evenly among 4 serving plates. Use a slotted spoon to remove poached eggs, and place on the slice of white bread to drain. Top each salad with one egg. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

WARM FRISéE-LARDON SALADE WITH POACHED EGGS IN RED-WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Cook shallots in 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and boil until reduced to about 1 cup, 25 to 40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Meanwhile, cook lardons in a small heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned but not crisp. Drain on paper towels.
• Strain wine mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids. Return to saucepan, then stir in veal demi-glace and bring to a simmer.
• Stir together flour and remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to make a beurre manié, then whisk into sauce and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Add half of lardons to sauce and keep warm off heat, covered. Wrap remaining lardons in foil and keep warm on rack in lower third of oven.
• Cook eggs and toasts:
• Brush baguette slices with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toast in upper third of oven until pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Rub garlic on toasts.
• Meanwhile, fill a deep large skillet with 1 1/4 inches water, then add vinegar and bring to a simmer. Break 1 egg into a cup and slide egg into water. Repeat with remaining eggs, spacing them apart, and poach at a bare simmer until whites are firm but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Make salad while eggs poach:
• Toss frisée with vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then with oil, and divide among 4 plates.
• To serve:
• Lift each egg out of poaching liquid with a slotted spatula and gently pat dry (still on spatula), then transfer to a toast. Season eggs lightly with salt and pepper and divide among salads. Pour sauce over eggs and sprinkle salads with remaining lardons.