Bacon and Eggs and Asparagus Salad
I just want to say how much I’ve been enjoying participating in French Fridays with Dorie. It’s been great fun cooking a recipe from the same cookbook each week, especially knowing there are home cooks around the country (and world!) cooking along with me. I really enjoy seeing all the variations people come up with. I am also learning new skills and improving old ones.
One of my favorite things about FFwD is trying recipes I may have skipped over. Take for example the Eclairs we made last month. I would have drooled over that recipe every time I saw it, but probably would never had made them because they seemed like so much work.
Then there are the recipes that just don’t appeal to me but become happy surprises. Like this week’s recipe, Bacon and Eggs and Asparagus Salad. The recipe sounded find to me, but I was turned off by the picture of the yolk running into the salad. I don’t like runny egg yolks.
At first I considered making myself a hard-boiled egg to put on top of my salad, but in the spirit of FFwD I decided to compromise. Rather than following the salad recipe to cook the eggs, I used the “old-school” poached egg recipe on page 492, but cooked the eggs a little longer than recommended. I ended up with yolks that were not quite completely cooked through, but also not runny. Perfect!
The eggs is cooked perfectly (for me)
We really enjoyed this lovely salad. The flavors of the mild vinaigrette blended very nicely with the asparagus, greens, bacon, eggs and walnuts. To turn this into a main course dinner salad, I gave each person a few extra asparagus spears and an extra handful of lettuce.
Served with white wine, cheese and bread, this was a perfect Spring dinner!
From Scratch 
I totally agree with you about FFWD..funny how things don’t appeal to you and then you try them and wow! I’ve had a few of those with this group. Your salad looks wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it. Nice post!
Oh hey, you even have the bread and cheese on the side of the plate as suggested in the recipe! Glad you found a way to enjoy this dish.
Sounds like a perfect Springtime meal – glad you guys enjoyed this one, too! 🙂
You poached your eggs to perfection, this is probably the way I’ll make the salad the next time (and there will be a next time!). I was pleasantly surprised by this salad too, it didn’t seem appealing to me at first.
I was sooo close to poaching those eggs, too! I was nervous at first to go by her method, but I’m glad it worked out in the end.
Love that plate with the bread and cheese…perfect meal, indeed!
I feel the same way about FFwD, Karen. I have gotten to know such wonderful people, like you, and have enjoyed cooking along with everyone. If I had not joined this group I would probably have only cooked a few recipes at most out of the cookbook before going on to a new one. I am so glad you found a way to cook your egg just the way you like it so you could enjoy this salad. It looks beautiful!
Karen, I share your sentiments about being part of FFwD. I’ve “met” so many interesting people that share my love of cooking. And, I’ve never made so many recipes from one book before.
Your salad looks great! I think we all grow as cooks when we adapt the recipe parts that don’t “work” for our taste to something that does. Nice job!
Hi Karen, I agree I’m having fun cooking along with the FFwD group. I’m trying and finding recipes that I love from Around My French Table. I think I’m also developing quite the appreciation for what has gone into the creation of a cookbook like this one. I think your salad looks great and I’m glad you enjoyed it! I also checked out your blog and see we have a few hobbies in common, gardening and sewing, although my sewing machine is growing cobwebs since I started my food blog, keep thinking I’ll get back into the sewing but so far….have not been inspired to do so. I guess it’s a good problem to have too many interests;-)
Glad you enjoyed. Honestly, sometimes I think I enjoy the sense of community of FFwD even more than the food (although its a close race…). And that eclair on your header has me drooling every time.
FFwD has been a great experience – not just discovering the recipes and learning from each other, but also reading the stories everyone has been telling along the way.
I would have passed this recipe by had it not been for the group – I’m so glad to have made it. We’re going to be having this one whenever asparagus is in season!
I also agree with Cher – your eclair photo is just fantastic. It makes me want to run straight to a bakery (or, in a more energetic mood, straight to my stand mixer to make some more).
This looks wonderful. I’m new to your blog and have spent some time browsing through your earlier entries. I’m so glad I did that. I really like the food and recipes you feature here and I’ll definitely be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Great job on the salad. I love your version with the poached egg.
You summed up perfectly what is so great about the French Fridays with Dorie group! You photos look so delicious!