Salade Lyonnaise with Smoked Sardines

Tear frisée into bite-sized pieces, wash and spin completely dry, then arrange in four wide shallow bowls and refrigerate. Drain sardines, reserving all tin oil. Remove any visible bones and break each fillet into 3–4 large pieces. Slice shallots, mince garlic, pick parsley, and measure all remaining ingredients.

Heat 2 tbsp of the extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add torn sourdough chunks and toss to coat.

Fry the bread, tossing every minute, until deep golden and crisp on all sides, about 5–7 minutes. Season with flaky salt, transfer to a plate, and wipe the pan clean.

Bring a wide, deep saucepan of water to a bare simmer (around 90°C — bubbles rising lazily from the base but no rolling boil). Add a splash of white wine vinegar.

Crack each egg into a small cup and slide them one at a time into the water. Poach undisturbed for 3 minutes for a fully liquid yolk. Use pasteurised eggs if serving anyone pregnant, elderly, very young or immunocompromised — a poached egg with a liquid yolk is not cooked through. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto a clean cloth and trim any ragged whites.

While eggs poach, return the wiped skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil plus all reserved sardine tin oil. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to colour, about 4 minutes.

Add garlic to the shallots and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.

Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, and caster sugar directly in the pan, scraping up any fond. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper — the dressing should be bracingly sharp.

Pour the warm dressing over the chilled frisée immediately and toss to wilt the leaves just slightly. Divide the croutons and sardine pieces over each bowl, lay a poached egg on top, and finish with chopped parsley and cracked black pepper. Serve at once.