Nicoise Salad

Niçoise is a French composed salad made with tuna, green beans, and potatoes. It’s origin stems from Nice in the Mediterranean. However, over time we have modified the salad here in the states to suit our American preferences. For example, in Paris most Nicoise salads are served with canned tuna. Here in the states Nicoise is often served on a bed of lettuce with sauteed green beans & potatoes, sometimes with canned tuna but often served with seared sliced ahi tuna.

Since there are a lot of components to this salad, setting up & prepping your ingredients ahead of time can help save time so the salad can come together quickly.

Salad Nicoise

  • For the Vinaigrette
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar or lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
  • 3 tbls finely chopped shallot
  • 2 tbls freshly chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tbls freshly chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 tbls coarsley chopped fresh oregano or terragon
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • freshly ground black pepper & salt (to taste)

For the Salad

  • 2-3 5 oz. tuna cans, drained or 2 (8 oz.) tuna steaks (grilled)
  • 6 peeled & quartered lengthwise hard cooked eggs
  • 1 1/4 pound fingerling potatoes or small red potatoes
  • freshly ground black pepper & salt (to taste)
  • 2 medium Boston or Butter lettuce heads, torn into bite size pieces
  • 3 ripe small tomatoes, peeled & cut into wedges
  • 1 thinly sliced red onion
  • 8 oz green beans, trimmed & cut into two inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup chopped Nicoise olives
  • 2 tbls capers, rinsed & chopped or anchovies (if desited)

To make the Vinaigrette

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl

  2. Pour the oil, lemon juice or vinegar, shallots, herbs, andmustard into a jar

  3. Cover with a lid and shake until everything is well combined

  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Set aside some of the vinaigrette to marinate the onion slices in

  1. In a small bowl, toss the onion pieces with 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. (By soaking the onions in the vinaigrette, they'll lose some of their sharpness.)

Cook, chop, and season the potatoes with vinaigrette

  1. Fill a big pot halfway with water and add the potatoes

  2. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to keep the mixture at a low simmer. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain

  3. Cut the potatoes into half or quarters while they are still warm, depending on their size

  4. Dress them with about 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette in a mixing dish

Cook the green beans as follows

  1. Fill a medium sized pot halfway with water and 2 teaspoons of salt while the potatoes are boiling. On high heat, bring to a boil. In a large pot of boiling water, place the green beans.

    Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft but still firm to the bite (more or less, depending on the toughness of the beans).

  2. Drain and either rinse with cold water or shock for half a minute in ice water to halt the cooking.

Arrange the salad on a lettuce bed as follows

  1. On a serving tray, make a bed of lettuce. Cut tuna steaks into 1/2-inch thick pieces if using. Place a large mound of tuna in the center of the lettuce. Around the tuna, scatter the tomatoes and onions.

  2. Place the potatoes and green beans in mounds around the lettuce's edge.

    On the lettuce bed, make mounds of hard boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using).

  1. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over everything.

    If used, top with capers. Serve right away.

    It's best to serve it warm or at room temperature.

NUTRITION FACTS:

508 Calories

35g Fat

28g Carbs

22g Protein

Main Course, Salad