Nicoise Salad
I had a nice Nicoise Salad when having lunch with Holly and Rebecca at The Grove Cafe in
Albuquerque (June 2006). I had the dressing on the side and
brought home what I didn't use. Charlie and I decided to make a
Nicoise salad on our own to use it up. The salad turned out great. We
decided it'll be something we make regularly. This is how we are making
it now. We're still experimenting with the dressing, but the one below
tastes good.
The ingredients keep well left over if you let each person mix
and dress his/her own salad, i.e., don't mix and dress it
ahead of time. Just lay out the ingredients in individual
serving plates. They look beautiful. Will make you want to
take a picture.
The Recipe
Serves 2 or 3.
It works well to cook the potatoes, eggs, and green beans
several hours ahead of time (or the day before) and store
in the frig so they are chilled. But, if you don't make
them ahead of time, just run under cold water to cool them
off before slicing for the salad.
Salad ingredients:
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, cooled, peeled, and then sliced lengthwise
into quarters
- 3 small potatoes with skins, cut into quarters and
boiled till tender (don't overcook), sliced lengthwise
after they are cooled (use something like new potatoes or
red rose potatoes)
- 1 or 2 cups cooked lightly steamed green beans (frozen works ok), cooled
- 1 can tuna, drained and flaked, or cook fresh tuna if you have it!
(or canned or fresh salmon is good, too)
- 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges or chopped coursely
- fresh leaf lettuce or raw spinach, cleaned and dried
- capers
- black olives (optional) (lots of recipes suggest nicoise olives)
Dressing ingredients:
- 6 tbsp. good olive oil
- 4 tbsp. red wine vinegar (get one that's not too acidic, we've found
5% acidity works well)
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 3 or more garlic cloves finely minced (optional)
- several leaves of fresh basil (optional)
- 1/2 t. salt, or more to taste
- 1/2 t. freshly ground pepper, or more or less to taste
Assembly:
- Mix dressing ingredients in a blender (or simply shake in jar if you don't
include garlic or fresh basil).
- Put individual salad ingredients on individual serving plates.
Don't mix ahead of time.
- Give people large bowls in which to build/mix their own
salad and dress as they like.
Variations:
- Add anchovies
- Add red onion
Here's a website with similar recipe:
http://www.mediterrasian.com/delicious_recipes_salade_nicoise.htm
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