This is a classic French salade aux lardons; thick-cut bacon, croutons, and poached egg. Since the frisée is a relatively delicate and airy lettuce, vegetable oil is used instead of olive oil, which might prove too ­heavy. The vinaigrette can be made in advance and kept in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Use it on any type of salad or ­greens.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound slab bacon (or pancetta), cut into 1/4­-­inch ­cubes
• 3 tablespoons sherry ­vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon ­mustard
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup vegetable ­oil
• 1 teaspoon white ­vinegar
• 6 ­eggs, poached for 2 to 3 minutes each (see Note)
• 1 1/2 pounds chicory or baby frisée (3 heads), washed, broken into small pieces, and ­dried
• Croutons (recipe follows)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf ­parsley

Instructions

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and blanch the bacon in it for 2 minutes to remove the excess fat. Drain in a colander.

2. Place the bacon in a small pan over medium heat and fry it until crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on paper ­towels.

3. Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the sherry vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl with a wire whisk. Continue whisking vigorously while slowly adding the vegetable oil.

4. Fill a shallow saucepan with enough water to submerge the eggs, add the white vinegar (never any salt), place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer (not a rolling boil). Crack the eggs carefully, just above the water, and let them slide into the water so they don’t break up. (Alternatively, crack them into a small cup or bowl and carefully pour them into the water.) Poach the eggs in batches of two for 2 to 3 minutes apiece. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the poached eggs to a plate covered with paper towels to drain. Serve while still ­warm.

5. Toss the salad in a bowl with the vinaigrette, add half the bacon, and add the croutons. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Place the salad on individual plates and place a poached egg on each. Sprinkle with the remainder of the bacon and the parsley.

Note: If you choose to poach the eggs in advance, they can be stored in a bowl of ice-cold water in the refrigerator for the day. To reheat, drain the water, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and heat in the microwave on the high setting for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Soft­-­boiled eggs can be substituted for poached eggs in this recipe. To soft-boil an egg, plunge it into a saucepan of salted boiling water for 7 minutes. To prevent eggs from cracking during boiling, be sure there are no hairline cracks in the eggs when raw, and add about 2 tablespoons of salt per quart of water. Remove the eggs from the water and peel under a stream of cold water. Once peeled, slice the eggs and fold them into the ­salad.

Croutons

• 1/2 loaf of crusty bread, cut into 1/2­-­inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive ­oil
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan ­cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 ­F.

2. Combine the bread, olive oil, Parmesan, and salt and pepper in a large bowl, and toss well.

3. Transfer the bread cubes to a baking sheet and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden ­brown.

Other Salad Recipes

Arugula Salad
Caesar Salad
Cucumber, Tomato, and Feta Salad
Greens Salad
Insalata Tricolore
Mixed Green Salad
Salad of Baby Greens
Salad of Mixed Greens