Salade Lyonnaise (Warm Bacon and Poached Egg Salad)

Method

1. 1

   Cook the bacon lardons in a dry skillet over medium heat until crisp and the fat has rendered, about 6 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan.

2. 2

   Fry the torn bread pieces in the rendered bacon fat until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes, then set aside with the bacon.

   💡 The croutons should soak up real bacon flavor — don't wipe the pan out first.

3. 3

   Whisk the dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, diced onion, salt and pepper together, then stream in the olive oil to make the vinaigrette.

4. 4

   Bring a small pot of water to a bare simmer and add a splash of vinegar. Slide in each egg and poach until the white is set but the yolk stays runny, about 3 minutes.

   💡 Keep the water at a bare simmer, not a boil — a rolling boil shreds the whites into ribbons.

5. 5

   Toss the spinach with most of the vinaigrette in a large bowl and divide among plates.

6. 6

   Scatter the bacon lardons and croutons over each plate.

7. 7

   Lift the poached eggs out with a slotted spoon, drain briefly on a towel, and set one on top of each salad.

8. 8

   Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and serve immediately, breaking the yolk into the salad at the table.