If the stands of ramps, daffodils lining the road, and forsythia in full bloom wasn’t enough, walking into First Bloom this week there was no avoiding that spring is well underway in the Catskills. I was greeted with a pile of fava beans (irresistible), snap peas, pea shoots, bundles of asparagus, tender herbs, and so much more. The theme is green, and I’m here for it.
The loose inspiration here was frisée aux lardons, a French bistro staple that combines frisée with crumbles of bacon and a poached egg. Here, pea shoots, blanched snap peas, and thinly sliced watermelon radishes make up the salad. There’s hunks of fried bread, 7-minute eggs, and bacon too, all which get tossed in a warm bacon vinaigrette. After frying the bacon, the dressing is made directly in the pan, which ensures that salty bacon flavor touches every bite of this salad.
If you’re interested in seeing what else I’ve been cooking lately, I’ve shared two more videos on Instagram in my new series Cooking for Friends. First up, a chicken dinner, followed by a Mediterranean-inspired feast.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 large eggs
8 ounces snap peas, thinly sliced on the bias
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 slices sourdough, roughly torn
8 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 medium garlic clove, grated
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces pea shoots, or greens of choice
1 small bunch parsley, leaves and tender stems roughly chopped
1 watermelon radish, thinly sliced
Directions
Bring a medium pot of water to a low boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and gently add the eggs. Simmer for 7 minutes, or until your eggs are your desired jamminess, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Peel the eggs then slice in half.
Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the snap peas and cook until bright green and just barely tender, about 1 minute. Drain the snap peas in a colander or fine mesh sieve and run under cold water.
Add the olive oil to a medium pan over medium high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the bread and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the bread to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
Set the same pan back over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until your desired crispiness —for me that’s about 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
Set the pan back over low heat with the bacon fat in the pan and immediately add the shallot, vinegar, mustard, garlic, and pepper and whisk to combine. Simmer, whisking, for 30 seconds.
Add the pea shoots, parsley, radish, snap peas, crispy bread, and bacon to a large bowl and drizzle with the vinaigrette, tossing until just combined. Top with the eggs and serve immediately.