Savoury Salad à la Française

Description
I modeled this salad after the kind you get in French bistros -- more a meal than a salad and great for taking as a packed lunch. A little bit of blue cheese mixed in would be divine, if you enjoy that kind of thing.



Ingredients

 * 1 large potato
 * 2 eggs
 * 6-8 slices bacon
 * 1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
 * 4 mushrooms, sliced (preferrably chestnut)
 * 1 small red onion, finely chopped
 * 2 cloves garlic, minced
 * 10 cm length cucumbers, finely chopped
 * 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
 * 1-2 teaspoon mustard
 * 200 g mixed salad greens
 * 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
 * 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
 * pepper, to taste

Directions
Wash the potato, then cut it into small wedges. Boil the potato until just tender and let cool when done. At the same time, boil the eggs until hard boiled (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile, fry the bacon until it is as crispy as you like it. Once the bacon is cooked, use the fat in the pan to cook the mushrooms and onions. Set the mushrooms and onions aside when done. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and mustard. Throw the cucumber into the bowl, along with about half the herbs and the garlic. When the eggs are cooked, peel and let cool. When all the ingredients have cooled, get a big bowl and put the lettuce in, along with everything else prepared to this point except the eggs. Use your hands to mix the salad, making sure the dressing coats everything. Put salad evenly into two bowls. Chop the eggs into four wedges each and use as a garnish. Sprinkle remaining herbs on top and serve with a touch of pepper, if desired.