When I worked in restaurants, I always loved when I was assigned to the salad station. Compared to the chaos of the grill station where you are constantly dodging flames and burning your forearms, the salad station felt almost artistic. It was all about precision, balance, and assembly.

One of my favorite dishes to make was a classic Lyonnaise salad. At its core it is simple: crisp frisée, smoky lardons, a punchy Dijon vinaigrette, and a perfectly poached egg that melts into the greens when you cut into it. But the magic is in how it all comes together. The warm bacon fat vinaigrette sets this salad apart. It is one of those classic French bistro dishes that proves a salad can be just as satisfying as any main course.

• Frisee Lettuce – You can use any lettuce here, but frisee is classically used.
• Bacon – Bacon is necessary for this recipe because that fat is also used to make the dressing. You can use pancetta if needed.
• Eggs – These are used to poach and top the salad. Omit if desired.
• Sherry – This is the vinegar I use for the vinaigrette. You can also use red wine vinegar.
• Dijon Mustard – This is used for the vinaigrette and necessary for binding and making creamy. It also is pivotal to the flavor. Use normal mustard if needed.