- 1 cup day-old baguette, cut into 1½-inch dice
- 1 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1¼ cup white wine vinegar
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 head (about 1½ pounds) curly endive or 2 heads frisee, cut into bite-size pieces, well washed, and dried
- Preheat the oven to 325° F.
- Spread out the bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake until golden, about 7 minutes. Turn the oven off, open the door slightly, and keep the croutons warm in the oven while you make the rest of the salad.
- Warm a saute pan over low heat. Put in the bacon and saute until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Pour off and discard all but 2 tablespoons rendered fat from the pan. (Leave more drippings in the pan for a richer dressing.) Add the shallots to the pan over low heat, stir in the mustard and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil to make an emulsified dressing.
- Put the endive into a salad bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the greens, add the bacon and croutons, and toss.
- Divide the salad among 4 to 6 salad plates and serve while the dressing is still warm and fragrant.