You can make this French bistro classic any number of ways, adding croutons, grated Parmesan, even sliced fennel or apple. But at heart, this warm salad is nothing more than bacon and poached eggs on a bed of frisée lettuce, dressed with olive oil and red-wine vinegar. Most vinaigrette recipes for this dish call for shallots (and, occasionally, garlic) simmered with the bacon fat; if you’re short on time or ingredients, just scatter some sliced scallions over the finished salad.

Steps

1. Divide the frisée lettuce between four small salad plates. Drizzle the warm, cooked bacon bits and bacon fat over the lettuce. Place one freshly poached egg atop each salad. Drizzle a bit of olive oil and vinegar over each salad and pass the salt and pepper at the table.