Classic Bistro Salad
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No sad desk lunch here.
by Erin Henderson
I took a French cooking course a few years ago. My teacher, a charming man with a captivating accent, would throw out irreverent, yet hilariously true, statements each class.
One workshop, while showing us Salade de Chèvre Chaud, a salad comprised of frisée and loaded with plump lardon and mounds of melting Crotin de Chavignole, Chef Jean-Jacques (JJ for short), matter-of-factly stated the French love salads, but only if there's cheese and bacon.
The French seem to really enjoy spindly frisée, the curly, bitter endive with the texture of twigs. I'm less partial to it, so I opt for its peppery cousins of endive, arugula, or radicchio, depending on wht's available.
In my version of a bistro salad, I take the flavours of the French starter, but tweak it to my preferences. Of course, you should do the same.
Classic Bistro Salad
If I’m really feeling the French vibe, I serve this as a starter to classic duck confit, but it’s hearty enough for a simple lunch. You can easily make this ahead of time and add the dressing right before serving.
Serves: 4
Chef level: easy
Ingredients:
- 4 Belgian endive, leave separated
- 250 g cubed bacon or pancetta
- 2 large shallot, sliced thin
- 125 g blue cheese, crumbled
- ½ c walnuts, toasted and chopped
- ¼ c red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and left whole
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ c extra virgin olive oil
How to Make It:
- Heat a dry pan over medium. Add the bacon and fry until cooked through but not super crispy, about 5 minutes.
Remove from pan, reserve fat for another use, and drain on paper towels. - Meanwhile, into a jar, add the garlic clove, salt, and honey and cover with the red wine vinegar. Swirling the jar occasionally, allow to sit until the salt and honey has dissolved and the garlic has gently flavoured the vinegar. About 15 minutes.
- Remove the garlic from the vinegar, add the pepper and Dijon and pour in the oil. Secure the lid and shake what your mama gave ya until the dressing is creamy and emulsified.
- In a serving bowl, add the endive, bacon, walnut pieces, shallot, and blue cheese, tossing to combine.
- Pour in the dressing, toss again, and serve immediately.
Wine Pairing
Blue cheese is arguably the strongest flavour here, along with the satisfying tang of the dressing. Lardon loans richness and fat. Despite being a salad, this is a mid-weight dish, so you need a wine with a bit of gusto to stand up to all that’s going on here.
This is a salad that can handle a red wine.
My choice is red Burgundy. A young Pinot Noir from Mercurey or Santenay, is smooth and silky with tart red fruit flavours and a lively acidity to lift up the fat of the cheese and bacon.