Lamb's Lettuce with Egg and Bacon — the Swiss Winter Salad in 15 Minutes
Wash the lamb's lettuce thoroughly and spin dry. Fry the bacon until crisp, hard-boil the eggs for 8 minutes. Dressing of 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp cream, mustard, salt and pepper. Dress only just before eating — lamb's lettuce wilts in the dressing within minutes.
Lamb's lettuce is the Swiss winter salad — from October to March the only green leaf grown in the country. With egg and bacon it goes from starter to light supper. What you need to know: it is delicate. Sandy if not washed thoroughly, and wilted if the dressing goes on too early.
Ingredients
- 200 g Lamb's lettuce
- 4 pieces Eggs
- 120 g Diced bacon
- 2 slices Bread (day-old, for croutons) (optional)
Dressing
- 2 tbsp White wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp Rapeseed oil
- 2 tbsp Double cream
- 1 tsp Mustard
- 1 piece Shallot
- ½ tsp Salt
- Pepper
Method
- 1
Boil the eggs
Lower the eggs into boiling water and cook 8 minutes. Cool under cold water, peel, quarter.
- 2
Wash the lamb's lettuce
Trim the root ends without breaking up the rosettes. Swish in a large bowl of cold water and lift out — do not pour off, the sand stays at the bottom. Repeat twice, then spin dry.
- 3
Bacon and croutons
Fry the bacon in a dry pan for 5 minutes until crisp. Remove, and toast the bread cubes in the bacon fat for 3 minutes until golden.
- 4
Dressing
Chop the shallot very finely. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper, beat in the oil and cream, add the shallot.
- 5
Serve
Only now toss the lamb's lettuce with the dressing and divide between plates. Top with the eggs, bacon and croutons. Eat straight away.
Tips
- Washed and dry in a cloth in the fridge, lamb's lettuce keeps two days. Unwashed in the bag, three. Once dressed, it lasts ten minutes.
- The cream dressing is the classic Swiss version — mild enough that children eat the slightly bitter leaves. A few drops of lemon juice freshen it.
- As a main: 200 g lamb's lettuce for two, with a fried rösti or boiled potatoes. Or lukewarm with bacon and sliced potatoes — the pub version.
What can I substitute?
The vegetarian version. Walnuts with lamb's lettuce is the classic pairing — both are bitter-nutty.
Yoghurt makes the dressing sharper and lighter, mayonnaise thicker — then add a little water.
Endive and sugarloaf are the other winter salads and tolerate the dressing longer. Butterhead is milder and available all year.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
How do I wash lamb's lettuce properly?
Swish in plenty of cold water and lift the salad out — never pour the water off, as the sand sinks and would be washed back over the leaves. Two or three rounds until no sand remains on the bottom of the bowl. Then dry in a salad spinner.
Why does my lamb's lettuce wilt?
Because the dressing went on too early. Lamb's lettuce has tender leaves that vinegar and salt soften within minutes. Dressing in the bowl, salad on top, toss only at the table.
When is lamb's lettuce in season?
Swiss-grown from October to April — it grows even in frost. In summer it is imported and less aromatic. Often cheaper from farms and markets than in shops.
What goes with lamb's lettuce?
Egg, bacon, croutons and walnuts are the classics. In winter with fried mushrooms or a piece of warm goat's cheese. As a side for fondue, raclette and Käseschnitte — something fresh against the cheese.
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