Place the eggs in a pot of cold water. Bring the pot to a slow boil
on medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and allow the
eggs to simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the eggs
to sit, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Drain out the hot water, fill the
pot with very cold water, crack the eggs slightly, and allow them
to sit in the water (see Kitchen Know-How). Set aside.
Cut the bacon crosswise into lardoons (bite-size strips). Add to
a cold cast-iron pan or skillet (do not use nonstick) and slowly
raise the heat, allowing the bacon fat to slowly render and the
bacon to crisp, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cut the crusts off the bread and then cut the bread into ½-inch
cubes. In a skillet, add a layer of olive oil and add all the bread,
tossing it all around, with some salt. Turn up the heat and cook,
stirring every so often, until the croutons are toasted on all sides, 3
to 4 minutes. Set aside.
When the bacon has rendered and it’s crispy and mostly cooked
through, pour off most of the bacon fat into a bowl and set aside.
Add the maple syrup and a sprinkling of salt to the pan with the
bacon. Turn up the heat and stir until the bacon is coated. Watch
carefully or the sugar might burn! When the bacon is coated, 1 to 2
minutes, remove from the heat.
To the reserved bacon fat, add the white wine vinegar, a little
Dijon mustard, some lemon juice, and a little pepper. Stir and
carefully taste for balance and then set the bowl aside.
Add the puntarelle to a salad bowl. Pour some of the bacon-fat
dressing over the puntarelle. Toss and taste and add more dressing