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Warm Frisée-Lardon Salade with Poached Eggs in Red-Wine Sauce

This sophisticated frisée and lardon salad brings the authentic flavours of a French bistro into your home kitchen. A balanced high-protein dish, it combines crisp, bitter salad leaves with salty bacon lardons and the richness of a glossy red wine sauce. The addition of perfectly poached eggs creates a luxurious texture as the golden yolks mingle with the savoury demi-glace reduction.

Ideal for an elegant brunch or a light evening meal, this homemade salad showcases traditional culinary techniques like making a beurre manié and a wine reduction. The contrast between the crunchy garlic-rubbed baguette and the tender eggs makes it a satisfying choice for those seeking a restaurant-quality meal that is both comforting and nutritious. Serve immediately to enjoy the various temperatures and textures at their best.

Continue reading below

Ingredients for Warm Frisée-Lardon Salade with Poached Eggs in Red-Wine Sauce

  • 110g chopped shallots

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste

  • 1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine

  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped

  • 4 thyme sprigs

  • 1 large parsley sprig

  • 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

  • 1 (1/4-pound) piece slab bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch sticks (lardons)

  • 160ml veal demi-glace or 2 tablespoons demi-glace concentrate plus 120ml water

  • 1/2 tablespoons plain flour

  • 8 (1/2-inch-thick) baguette slices

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 garlic clove, halved

  • 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

  • 8 large eggs

  • 230g frisée, trimmed and torn into pieces (950ml )

  • 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

How to make Warm Frisée-Lardon Salade with Poached Eggs in Red-Wine Sauce

Cook shallots in 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoons pepper and boil until reduced to about 240ml , 25 to 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 177°C with racks in upper and lower thirds.

Meanwhile, cook lardons in a small heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned but not crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Strain wine mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids. Return to saucepan, then stir in veal demi-glace and bring to a simmer.

Stir together flour and remaining 1/2 tablespoons butter to make a beurre manié, then whisk into sauce and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Add half of lardons to sauce and keep warm off heat, covered. Wrap remaining lardons in foil and keep warm on rack in lower third of oven.

Brush baguette slices with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toast in upper third of oven until pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Rub garlic on toasts.

Meanwhile, fill a deep large skillet with 1 1/4 inches water, then add vinegar and bring to a simmer. Break 1 egg into a cup and slide egg into water. Repeat with remaining eggs, spacing them apart, and poach at a bare simmer until whites are firm but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes.

Toss frisée with vinegar and 1/4 teaspoons salt, then with oil, and divide among 4 plates.

Lift each egg out of poaching liquid with a slotted spatula and gently pat dry (still on spatula), then transfer to a toast. Season eggs lightly with salt and pepper and divide among salads. Pour sauce over eggs and sprinkle salads with remaining lardons.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Article history

The information on this page is peer reviewed by qualified clinicians.

  • 16 Jan 2026 | Originally published

    Authored by:

    UK recipe editors

    Peer reviewed by

    UK recipe editors
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