Field Greens with Smoked Eel & Bacon-Mustard Vinaigrette

This delicious salad is a slightly adapted version of a recipe by German Master Chef Marcel Biró. It combines field greens (the original recipe calls for mache) with smoked eel, creme fraiche, cherry tomatoes, and a bacon mustard vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

Bacon-Dijon Dressing:

1/2 cup coarsely chopped bacon
2 tablespoons genuine German mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

The Salad:

1 pound field greens or mâche (Feldsalat)
8 ounces smoked eel
¼ cup crème fraîche
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
Dill leaves, for garnish

Preparation:

For the Bacon-Dijon Dressing:

Fry the bacon until crispy and drain on a paper towel.

Whisk the mustard, sugar, vinegar, and water together in a mixing bowl.

Continue whisking, adding the oil in a slow, steady stream; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more sugar, if necessary. Add the bacon and mix to combine.

For the salad:

In a mixing bowl, place the mâche and pour in the Bacon-Dijon Dressing. Toss to completely coat each leaf. Slice the eel on an angle into 32 equal pieces. Place mounds of the coated mâche in the center of each serving plate (Chef Marcel Biró prefers square plates for this presentation). Place two slices of eel at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 plate positions. In each corner of the plate, shape a small quenelle of crème fraîche. Garnish with the cherry tomatoes and dill leaves.