ArcaMax Chef - Celebrate Autumn with a Classic Salad

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Celebrate Autumn with a Classic Salad

By Wolfgang Puck, Tribune Media Services

What makes a dish a classic? The simple answer is that it stands the test of time, being cooked, ordered and enjoyed again and again, long after the latest culinary fads have faded. But there's another explanation. Many classic dishes have a number of characteristics in common. They feature the finest ingredients, whether luxurious or humble. They showcase the best of the season, which helps make them just right for the time of year when they are enjoyed. And they have an eloquent simplicity: just a few elements, joined together in a perfect yet sometimes surprising balance of flavors, textures, tastes and colors. For a perfect example, look no further than a classic dish from Lyon in southeastern France. Called frisée aux lardons, it translates simply as "curly endive with bacon pieces." That name covers two of its four main elements. The third is a warm poached egg, which tops each serving, and the fourth is a dressing made from the bacon's rendered fat and vinegar. Sounds fairly basic, doesn't it? But let me describe to you what happens after the salad arrives at the table, as it does every day in bistros not only in Lyon but also all over France. With knife and fork, you cut the poached egg into several pieces and mix it with the salad, and the rich yolk blends with the tangy, meaty-tasting dressing, smoothly coating the greens. Each bite reveals an astonishing array of sensations: cold and hot; crispy and crunchy; rich, sharp, bitter and smoky. Once you've started, you might find it hard to stop eating the salad. To me, the combination of ingredients, flavors, textures and temperatures is perfect for autumn. That's good, since this time of year is still peak of season for curly endive -- though you can find this slightly bitter-tasting, frizzy (like its French name) leaf vegetable in markets year round. Look for fairly small heads, bright-colored, crisp and free of blemishes; you'll even find organic curly endive in some markets. When shopping, remember that you'll use only the pale inner leaves, discarding the darker, more bitter outer ones. One pound should yield about 3 cups. In France, the salad is traditionally made with plain salt-cured bacon. I like to use applewood-smoked bacon, an American variation that adds its own wonderful smoky taste. As for the eggs, if you don't want to fuss with poaching, fry them sunny side up. For a finishing touch, add croutons when you toss the salad, or garnish each plate with thin, oblong slices of baguette, brushed with olive oil, rubbed with garlic and broiled until golden brown. Either will contribute yet another dimension of texture and flavor to this true autumn classic. FRISéE SALAD WITH POACHED EGGS AND BACON LARDONS Serves 6 2 pounds frisée (curly endive) Water 3/4 cup white wine vinegar Salt 6 eggs 3 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cut crosswise into pieces 1/2 inch wide 1 teaspoon sugar Freshly ground black pepper About an hour before making the salad, remove and discard the tougher, darker-green leaves from the frisée. Tear the pale inner leaves into bite-sized pieces and put them to soak in a large bowl or clean basin filled with ice and water. Just before you start to prepare the salads, drain the leaves well, pat dry thoroughly with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, and put them in a large salad bowl. To poach the eggs, in a large, deep sauté pan, bring 2-1/2 inches of water to a full boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer, with only small, infrequent bubbles on the surface. Add a scant 1/4 cup of the vinegar and a little salt to the water. Crack 1 egg into a small bowl, making sure the yolk remains unbroken. Gently slip the egg into the simmering water, using a spoon to make sure the egg is completely immersed. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Cook the eggs to your desired degree of doneness, 3 minutes for runny yolks, and 5 minutes for firmer yolks. When the eggs are done, use a slotted spoon to lift them gently from the water, transferring them to paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to drain. Set aside. In a small sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces and set aside. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the remaining white wine vinegar and stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to dissolve any pan deposits. Simmer briskly until the vinegar is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar and cook briefly until it has dissolved. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour half of the bacon dressing over the frisée in the salad bowl and toss well. Divide the salad among 6 plates. Top each portion with a poached egg and drizzle with the remaining dressing.

This news arrived on: 09/19/2007

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