Frisee Aux Lardon

Bouchon located in Yountville, California is a particularly dreamy restaurant. Located in the small strip of the downtown area, Bouchon invites you to come on in and enjoy the best the region has to offer. I personally prefer to dine at the bar, as I enjoy seeing the raw bar and chatting it up with the knowledgeable and fun tenders of the bar. The French Onion soup is a MUST as are the Moules Frites- above you will see a classic French salad of frisee, lardons, poached egg, chives and a crusty baguette made right next door at the Bouchon Bakery. Visitors beware- the line at the bakery can be up to 30minutes to order, luckily the classic scenery makes the wait all the more fabulous.

Today I decided to recreate this lovely salad for lunch- and I'd like to share my recipe with you! 

Shopping List:

-Frisee

- Organic Fresh Eggs (Belcampo I swear has the best)

- Slab thick cut bacon (Belcampo again is the winner) 

-White Vinegar

- Red Wine Vinegar

- Shallot

-Chive

- Crusty Baguette (Rustic Bakery) 

Make it on your own:

First off, I feel as though frisee is an under appreciated salad option. The bitter lettuce is available year round and can be found in all markets. I always like to rinse mine under cold water before plating to insure it's nice and crisp as well as bright and green. Rinse the frisee under cool running water, then towel dry and set aside. 

Cut the bacon into nice sized cubes, and place into a deep skillet over medium heat. Remove once the bacon is golden and pat dry. Reserve the bacon fat for the dressing- trust me, you will be happy that you did. Add diced shallot into the bacon fat and begin to sauté over low/med heat. 

With a large spoon remove the sautéed shallots, try and scoop out some of the yummy bacon fat as well. In a small bowl with the shallots and heavenly drippings, add a dash of white and red wine vinegar. Dress the frisee and add salt and pepper to taste. 

I have had a hard time mastering the traditional way of poaching eggs, so I found something that we can all do! Sur la Tab sells a handy dandy egg poaching device which hooks onto your saucepan and guarantees the perfect poach every time. 

http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1453562/Cuisipro+Egg+Poaching+Set

Next, top your dressed salad with a poached egg and garnish with thinly diced chives and fresh cracked pepper. Sever with some crusty bread and a glass of your favorite french wine. Jouir!