Frisee Au Lardons Recipe

Trim and chill

Trim the frisée by removing any tough or brown outer leaves. Tear the inner, tender leaves into roughly 1–2-inch pieces. Rinse in cold water to remove grit, spin or pat dry thoroughly. Transfer to a large chilled bowl and set aside.

Thinly slice the shallot and add to the bowl with the frisée. If you prefer a milder shallot flavor, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry before adding.

Cut and render lardons

Cut the bacon into 1/4-inch lardons (short batons). In a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon lardons and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and the lardons are crisp and golden, about 8–10 minutes. Adjust heat as needed so they brown but do not burn.

Finish lardons

When the lardons are crisp, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the skillet. Reserve the lardons for tossing with the salad.

Build warm dressing

With the skillet still over low heat and about 2–3 tablespoons of bacon fat remaining (discard excess or save for another use), add the butter and a tablespoon of olive oil to the fat and let it melt. Add the sliced shallot to the warm fat and sauté gently for 1–2 minutes until softened but not browned. Remove skillet from heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey (if using), salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. The warm vinaigrette should be well emulsified.

Pour the warm dressing and shallots over the frisée and gently toss to coat the leaves evenly. The warmth will slightly wilt the frisée—toss quickly so it retains some texture.

Add the crisp lardons and gently combine. If using, scatter croutons and halved soft-boiled eggs on top and sprinkle with chopped chives or parsley.

Taste and adjust seasoning with more vinegar, salt, or pepper as needed. Serve immediately while the dressing and lardons are warm.