Salade lyonnaise
Photo: Sebleouf · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

The salade lyonnaise is the starter that separates a bouchon from a restaurant: frisee was the cheap green of the Lyonnais working table, bacon fat the luxury the weaver's kitchen could afford in modest quantity. The warm format, with a poached egg releasing its yolk into the vinaigrette, appeared in Lyon bouchon recipes from the 19th century. It travels poorly to other cities because the frisee needs to be dressed at the last second with the hot fat, which is why the best versions are always eaten two minutes after leaving the kitchen.

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Common allergens: Eggs, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 20 minTotal 20 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 head of frisee (curly endive), outer leaves discarded
  • 150g lardons or thick-cut streaky bacon, cut into cubes
  • 2 slices sourdough bread, cubed for croutons
  • 2 very fresh eggs
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (plus 1 tbsp for the poaching water)
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Dry the frisee in a salad spinner and divide between two plates.
  2. Fry the lardons in a dry pan over medium heat until the fat renders and the edges colour, about 6 minutes. Add the bread cubes and fry in the bacon fat until golden, 2 minutes more.
  3. Whisk the mustard and 2 tbsp vinegar in a bowl; whisk in the oil to form an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Bring a pan of water with 1 tbsp vinegar to a gentle simmer. Crack each egg into a cup and slide into the water; poach 3 minutes until the white sets but the yolk is still liquid.
  5. Pour the dressing over the frisee and toss. Top immediately with the hot lardons and croutons from the pan (with the residual fat), then crown with the poached egg. Serve at once.

Tip from the editors. The dressing goes on at the last second, not ahead; the frisee should wilt only slightly from the heat of the bacon fat, not steam.

Where to eat salade lyonnaise

Salade lyonnaise in Lyon

Cafe-Comptoir Abel ★ 4.4

€€ Lyonnais Bouchon2e

Cafe-Comptoir Abel in Lyon's 2e is the 1928 bouchon on Rue Guynemer where the wood-panelled dining room and Label Bouchons Lyonnais menu survive unchanged.

OrderSalade lyonnaise with a poached egg, then the chicken vinaigrette.

TipClosed Sunday; cash and card. The pichet of cotes-du-rhone is the order.

Directions Book

Le Garet ★ 4.5

€€ Lyonnais Bouchon1er

Le Garet on Rue du Garet in Lyon's 1er is the canonical bouchon, four blocks from the Opera, with a chalkboard menu rooted in the classic Lyonnais repertoire.

OrderTablier de sapeur to start, then the quenelle de brochet with sauce Nantua.

TipClosed Sunday-Monday; book a fortnight ahead for the dinner service.

Directions

Le Bouchon des Filles ★ 4.4

€€ Lyonnais Bouchon1er

Le Bouchon des Filles in Lyon's 1er is the all-woman-run bouchon on Rue Sergent Blandan, where a fixed-price set lunch runs the dining room and the kitchen.

OrderThe set menu with saucisson chaud and cervelle de canut for dessert.

TipOpen evenings only Wed-Sat plus Sunday lunch; book a fortnight ahead.

Directions Book

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