Salade Lyonnaise

Doesn't this look tempting especially during summer months?  

If you think this is just a "simple salad" made with endive lettuce, bacon, croutons and medium boiled eggs, guess again as this salad approaches perfection in a way others do not. We think it's the special dressing that takes this "normal" salad and makes it extra special --but that's just us. Let us know what you think below.

The French Cooking Academy notes that this salad shines when using quality ingredients.  It can also be served with cold meats or slices of cold sausages if eaten as a main course instead of an entrée. 

Using the French Cooking Academy's recipe below, we here at Au Bon Goût Boutique made it as a starter for a casual dinner party and everyone loved it.  We served it in Pillivuyt Sancerre salad bowls, and served it using Garnier-Thiebaut table linens.

Degree of Difficulty:  Easy

INGREDIENTS - Serves 2

For the Salad itself:

⦁ 1 small endive (curly leaf) lettuce
⦁ 2 eggs
⦁ 4 to 6 slices French style bread (baguette) for the croutons
⦁ 100 grams smoked pork belly (cut into thin matchsticks)
⦁ 1 peeled garlic clove
⦁ Butter

For the Dressing:

  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 5-6 tbsp walnut oil
  •  2 pinches of salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

⦁ Trim the rind from the pork belly and cut into thin matchsticks

⦁ Slice bread into thin slices (say 1 cm)

⦁ Wash lettuce leaves thoroughly – preferably twice.

⦁ Bring the eggs to room temperature and place them gently into a pot of boiling water. When the water comes back to the boil, time the eggs to boil for 6 minutes. Pour out the hot water and refill with cold water, then peel the eggs and halve them.

⦁ Brown the bacon matchsticks (lardons) and dry them on a paper towel.

⦁ Wipe the pan clean and melt a good pat of butter. Brown the bread slices (croutons) for about 2 minutes each side, dry them on a paper towel and rub each side thoroughly with halved garlic clove.

⦁ Put the salt and pepper in a bowl, pour the vinegar over it and whisk in, then whisk in the walnut oil.

⦁ Put the lettuce into a bowl, pour most of the dressing over it and mix well.

⦁ Place the dressed leaves into a salad bowl and sprinkle with the lardons. Place the croutons round the bowl perimeter and then add the halved eggs. Pour the remaining dressing over the eggs and croutons and garnish with roughly chopped parsley. 

Here is The French Cooking Academy's instructional video for making the Salade Lyonnaise. Bon Appétit

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