6160 A Diary of the Urban Gardener and Cook

Several years ago there was a wonderful French restaurant with vaulted, tin covered ceilings and seventeen foot tall windows covering a wall which looked out across a turn of the century cafe.  In the brasserie section of the restaurant, sepia toned posters of old French wineries from the 1920s covered the walls while a richly carved oak bar boasted a pair of giant silverplated espresso makers like something from a vintage italian cafe.  While the restaurant was reknowned for its desserts (like tarte tatin), the entire menu hit it out of the park start to finish.  Although the restaurant is long since gone (not sure St Louis' French cuisine has rebounded from that loss), I have never forgotten it served the best salad lyonnaise I've ever had. 

Salad Lyonnaise is one of the most popular salads in French restaurants and bistros. And what's not to love?  A simple salad of frisse, bacon, and a poached egg, with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, it can be put together in minutes and sits squarely in that wonderful, narrow category of year round comfort food.

You will need:

Frissee, six to eight ounces

Six strips bacon cut into lardons

Four eggs

Balsamic vinegar

Fleur de Sel

Course Black Pepper

With a skillet set to medium-high heat, add the lardons and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon.  With the skillet still hot, drop the frissee in and toss gently, removing quickly.  Add the crisped bacon to the frissee and set aside.

Carefully crack each egg into a small bowl.  Bring a shallow saucepan with three to four inches of water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Carefully slide the eggs into the pan of water. Poach for two to three minutes, using spoons to gently wrap white around the yolk.  Do not overcook the yolk, as it is an integral component for dressing the salad. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs and place atop the frissee.  Drizzle balsamic vinegar onto the salad, and add a pinch of Fleur de Sel and Black Pepper.

The restaurant always served the salad with two to three sliced pears on the side (it really made a nice presentation; this of course is optional...).  Serve while the salad is still slightly warm.