By The week after Teddy left. The farm in mid-April, the full spring push beginning. I turned the garden beds, worked in the compost, planted the pea seeds along the fence and the onion sets and the garlic volunteers I'd let self-plant in a corner of the herb bed. The physical work of the garden after the winter's inside work: exactly right for this time of year, exactly what my body wanted after months of long cooking and less movement.
The asparagus is coming up. The bed I planted eight years ago keeps producing better every year, the crowns fully established, the spears fat and numerous. I ate the first handful on Wednesday — snapped from the bed, washed, cooked in butter with salt — standing at the stove. The ritual. The first asparagus of spring is non-negotiable, eaten simply and immediately, before the season becomes normal and you stop noticing it's remarkable.
I've been getting a sustained increase in blog traffic since the roast chicken post. New readers who stay and read back through older posts, finding the farm notes and the maple posts and the recipe pieces. A widower in New Zealand wrote a long message about learning to cook at seventy-one after his wife of fifty years died. We've been writing back and forth. He made the roast chicken. He said it was the best thing he'd eaten in two years. I said: make it again Wednesday. He said he would.
Carol came for Sunday dinner with her sourdough starter and her second loaf, which was significantly better than her first. I told her so honestly. She said: what's still off? I said: the crust needs more steam in the first ten minutes. She wrote that down. She's not a person who receives notes defensively. That's a quality.
The asparagus I ate standing at the stove on Wednesday — that’s not a recipe, that’s a ritual, and it belongs to no one but the moment. But the week kept asking for green things, for the brightness that only shows up this time of year, and a frisée salad became the right answer for the longer meals: Sunday dinner with Carol, the evenings when the body has worked hard in the garden and wants something that tastes like spring arrived on purpose. Bitter greens, a sharp dressing, something that wakes you up the way the cold morning air does when you go out to check the beds.
Frisée Salad
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Total Time: 20 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 large head frisée, torn into bite-sized pieces, pale inner leaves preferred
- 3 oz lardons or thick-cut bacon, cut into small strips
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, plus 1 tsp for poaching water
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the greens. Wash and dry the frisée thoroughly. Tear into manageable pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Set aside in a cool spot.
- Render the lardons. In a small skillet over medium heat, cook the lardons until crisp and the fat has rendered, about 4–5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 tbsp of the rendered fat if you wish to use it in the dressing.
- Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, minced shallot, and 2 tbsp red wine vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil (and reserved bacon fat if using) until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
- Poach the eggs. Bring a small saucepan of water to a gentle simmer. Add 1 tsp red wine vinegar. Crack each egg into a small cup, then slide gently into the water. Poach 3–4 minutes until the whites are set but the yolk remains runny. Remove with a slotted spoon and blot gently on a clean towel.
- Dress and assemble. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the frisée and toss lightly to coat. Divide among plates. Top each portion with the warm lardons and a poached egg. Season with a pinch of salt and cracked pepper. Garnish with chives or parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 9g | Fat: 17g | Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 340mg