← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 1 head of frisée (about 200 g), torn into bite-sized pieces
• 150 g smoked bacon lardons
• 2 slices thick slices of day-old bread, cut into cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for the croutons
• 4 very fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp white vinegar, for poaching
• 1 Shallot, very finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp Olive oil
• salt and black pepper

Method

1. Whisk the shallot, mustard and wine vinegar with a pinch of salt, then whisk in the oil until thick. Put the frisée in a big bowl.
2. Fry the lardons in a dry pan over medium heat for 6–8 min until crisp, then lift out. Add the oil and bread cubes to the fat in the pan and fry for 3–4 min, tossing, until golden.
3. Bring a wide pan of water to a gentle simmer and add the white vinegar. Crack each egg into a cup, stir the water into a slow whirl and slide the eggs in one at a time. Poach for 3 min, until the whites are set and the yolks runny, then lift out onto kitchen paper.
4. Toss the frisée with the dressing, warm lardons and croutons, then divide between plates and top each with a poached egg and a grind of pepper. Serve straight away and break the yolk over the leaves.

Tips

• Frisée is sturdy enough for the warm toppings; a mix of chicory and rocket works too.
• Very fresh eggs keep their shape best when poached.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food olive magazine Great British Chefs