Recipe: BLT and Poached Egg Salad

BLT AND POACHED EGG SALAD

"The classic French salad of frisee, chewy bacon, and a runny poached egg has been updated here with sweet cherry tomatoes and crisp Little Gem lettuces. Don't cook the bacon too long; you want it to be a bit chewy rather than crunchy."



FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp minced shallot1⁄4 tsp sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp (2 fl oz/60 ml) white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE SALAD:
6 slices thick-cut bacon, coarsely chopped
6 heads Little Gem lettuce, or 4 romaine lettuce hearts, halved
2 cups (3⁄4 lb/375 g) halved cherry tomatoes or 3 large tomatoes, chopped
4 to 6 large eggs

TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE
In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, shallot, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Let stand for 10 minutes to allow the flavor of the shallot to mellow, then add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until the dressing is smooth. Set aside.

TO PREPARE THE SALAD:
In a frying pan, saute the bacon over medium heat until most of the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp on the edges but still chewy at the center, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels.

Half-fill a wide saute pan with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt.

Divide the lettuce among individual plates and distribute the tomatoes and bacon pieces evenly among the servings. Drizzle each serving with vinaigrette to taste and season with salt and pepper.

Working quickly, crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl and slide them into the simmering water. Poach until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft, 3-4 minutes. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon, blot the underside with a paper towel, and slide onto a salad. Season the eggs with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings
Source: Williams-Sonoma Salad of the Day by Georgeanne Brennan