Salade Lyonnaise
In Lyon, fat remains king, which makes it a pleasure to eat there—assuming you can put your guilt aside. This salad is best made with a mixture of greens, some of which should be bitter, like dandelion. The poached egg (which ideally will be hot) softens everything, the bacon provides salt, crunch, and fat, the vinegar spices it all up—the combination is really a treat. One of my favorite lunches and a knockout first course, which should be followed by something light.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place the olive oil in a skillet and turn the heat to medium. Add the bacon and cook slowly until it is crisp all over, 10 minutes or more. Add the shallot and cook for a minute or two longer, until the shallot softens. Keep the bacon warm in the skillet.
Step 2
Heat a salad bowl by filling it with hot water and letting it sit for a minute. Dry it and toss in the greens. Add the vinegar and mustard to the skillet and bring just to a boil, stirring. Pour the liquid and the bacon over the greens and season to taste; they shouldn’t need much salt.
Step 3
Divide the salad among 4 plates. Top each portion with a poached egg, sprinkle with croutons if you’re using them, and serve immediately.
