Frisée Aux Lardons Recipes

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:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and salt and black pepper to taste. Slice the bread thinly on the diagonal, to make ovals 3 inches long; 3 per serving will be needed. Brush both sides of the bread with the oil mixture, and place on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add bacon, blanch 30 seconds, then remove and drain well. Dice bacon into 1-inch pieces. Place a medium saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until browned. Then, remove the pan from heat. Discard the fat, then set aside the bacon in the pan.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine mustard, lemon juice, sugar and white pepper. Mix well. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 cups olive oil until well blended. Season with salt to taste. Add half the mixture to the pan with the bacon, and stir. Reserve the remaining vinaigrette.
• In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine 4 cups water with vinegar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. One at a time, gently break each egg into the water. Simmer just until whites are firm, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain well in a colander.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine frisee with bacon mixture. To serve, place an equal amount of frisee in a mound in the center of each plate. Slant three croutons on top so that they touch at the center of the plate over the frisee.
• Using a cheese or vegetable peeler, cut slices of the cheese, placing one over each crouton. Place a poached egg on top of each salad, right where the croutons come together. Drizzle some of the reserved vinaigrette around the edge of each plate. Serve immediately.

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.