FRISÉE & LARDON SALAD
Recipe by Mon Ami Gabi
Celebrate spring greens with this Frisée & Lardon Salad from Chef Vincent Pouessel’s menu at Mon Ami Gabi – Las Vegas. This recipe is the perfect combination of crispy frisée lettuce, baby kale, and red cabbage, with a mouth-watering mix of bacon lardons and toasted baguette croutons dressed in a zesty lemon vinaigrette. And let’s not forget the pièce de résistance – a perfectly poached egg, seasoned with cracked black pepper, sea salt flakes, and chopped chives.
FRISÉE & LARDON SALAD
A Classic French Twist on A Salad Recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients:
FRISÉE & LARDON SALAD INGREDIENTS
2 ½ cups frisée lettuce, clean and dry
1 ¾ cups baby kale or spinach, stems removed
1 ½ cups sliced red cabbage 1 ½ inches long
2 ½ cups toasted baguette croutons
3 ½ cups cooked bacon lardons
4 ea. large eggs
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
4 Tbsp. chopped chives
2 Tbsp. salt flakes or fleur de sel
2 cups lemon vinaigrette
Salt and pepper to taste
BAGUETTE CROUTONS INGREDIENTS
1 ea. French baguette
Olive oil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
BACON LARDONS INGREDIENTS
2 ⅔ lbs of Hickory or Applewood Smoked Bacon
LEMON VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS
1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. white sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
FRISÉE & LARDON SALAD METHOD
1. Start by poaching the eggs in a pot of water with a couple of spoons of white vinegar. As soon as the water comes to a simmer, create a vortex with a spoon and crack the eggs one at a time. Poach them for 3 to 4 minutes until the egg white is not translucent and holds the yolk inside without separating. Make sure to keep the yolk runny, remove the eggs with a large spoon and feel, the consistency of the egg should be soft. Keep the eggs warm until plating up the salad.
2. In a large bowl place the clean frisée lettuce and pull it apart into 1 to 2-inch long pieces.
3. Add the baby kale and the sliced red cabbage and mix, making sure it’s all evenly combined.
4. Next, you will season the salad with salt and pepper to your liking, then add ¼ cup of the lemon vinaigrette into your
salad making sure it’s well incorporated. Reserve the rest of the vinaigrette for the bacon lardons.
5. Once your salad is seasoned, add the sliced baguette croutons, and divide your salad equally into your four salad bowls.
6. In a small pan with the remaining ¼ cup of lemon vinaigrette heat up the bacon lardons. Once they are warm, top off each salad with an equal amount of lardons.
7. To finish the salads, place one of the soft poached eggs on top of each salad. Season the eggs with fresh cracked black pepper, sea salt flakes and a pinch of chopped chives.
BAGUETTE CROUTONS METHOD
1. Place a French baguette in the freezer for a couple of hours so it is easier and safer to slice.
2. Slice the baguette with a sharp knife or a Japanese mandolin as thin as you possibly can. In a bowl, season slices of bread with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
3. Preheat the oven to 250 F. Place sliced bread on a baking sheet and toast it for 10 to 15 minutes until crispy golden brown. Reserve for plating.
BACON LARDONS METHOD
1. On a cutting board with a sharp knife, slice Hickory or Applewood smoked Bacon in ¼ inch lardons or sticks.
2. Preheat a nonstick pan on the stove and cooknthe bacon on medium heat for about 6 to 7 minutes or until crispy, strain the rendered fat from the lardons and reserve on a paper towel.
LEMON VINAIGRETTE METHOD
1. In a container place the lemon juice, pinch of salt and fresh cracked black pepper, add white sugar, and gradually add the olive oil while blending with a small hand blender if not available use a countertop blender until the vinaigrette is well emulsified.
2. Taste the vinaigrette to ensure it’s to your liking. Reserve for plating
