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1
Remove the dark green outer leaves from: 2 large heads of curly endive (frisee).
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2
Separate into individual leaves and wash and dry well.
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3
Cut into 1/3-inch pieces: 2 bacon slices.
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4
Warm in a small heavy pan, over medium heat: 2 teaspoons olive oil.
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5
Add the bacon pieces and cook until brown and rendered, but not crisp.
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6
Remove from the pan.
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7
Pour off the fat from the pan and reserve.
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8
To make the dressing, mix together: 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper, 1 garlic clove, crushed.
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9
Whisk in: 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons bacon fat.
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10
Taste for salt and acid and adjust as needed.
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11
Fill a heavy saucepan with 4 cups of water and add: 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar.
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12
Heat to just below a simmer and slide in: 4 eggs, cracked from their shells.
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13
Poach for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes.
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14
Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water and keep warm.
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15
Put the vinaigrette into a large bowl (remove the crushed garlic clove), add the bacon, and put the bowl over the pan of hot water to warm.
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16
Add the greens and toss well.
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17
Divide the greens among 4 warm plates.
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18
Gently blot the eggs dry, and put 1 egg on top of each salad.
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19
Grind a little black pepper over the top and serve immediately.
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20
Other greens work well in this salad: try spinach, escarole, dandelion greens, or tender radicchio varieties such as Castelfranco or Sugar Loaf.
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21
The warm salad can be served without poached eggs.
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22
Omit the bacon, increasing the amount of olive oil in the dressing to make up for the loss of bacon fat.
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23
Make some rustic croutons and toss them while still hot with fine-chopped garlic.
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24
Dress the croutons with a little vinaigrette and toss with the greens.
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25
A freshly laid organic egg simply poached is an incomparable delicacy.
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26
Eggshell fragments can be easily retrieved, scooped up with half a broken eggshell.
