Salad Nicoise Recipe | A Heathlty and Light Dish

Salad Nicoise Recipe: a typical French essentially comprising the following ingredients: lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, green or red peppers, onions, garlic (usually in the dressing), anchovy fillets, tuna, to which hard-boiled eggs and black olives are added.

It served with one of our French dressing made with virgin olive oil.

It is hearty and healthy with its fresh ingredients with its tangy dressing.

As suggested by the name, it is a specialty of the region of Nice on the French Riviera - Cote d'Azur.

Other ingredients can include capers, finely chopped shallots, artichoke hearts.

Add your own!

This delicious salad come in many different forms and its "true" ingredients are often debated.

Anecdotal evidence has suggested that ballet choreographer George Balanchine was responsible for the creation of the Salad Nicoise during his tenure in Monte Carlo.

Contrary to what is sometimes seen in restaurants, the classic dish does not contain rice, cheese, or pasta.

This Salad Nicoise Recipe is perfect with a bottle of Rose Wine (Rosé in French) and crispy French bread!

Enjoy!

Below is the recipe I use.

Salad Nicoise Recipe - Ingredients

A - Dressing

• 1/2 cup lemon juice.
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.
• 1 minced medium shallot.
• 1 tablespoon of fresh minced thyme leaves.
• 2 tablespoons of fresh minced basil leaves.
• 2 teaspoons of fresh minced oregano leaves.
• 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (or the best one you have available locally).
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

B - Salad

• 2 grilled or otherwise cooked tuna steaks or 2-3 cans of GOOD tuna.
• 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and either halved or quartered.
• 10 small scrubbed and quartered new potatoes.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• 2 medium lettuce leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces.
• 3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths.
• 1 small sliced red onion (very thin).
• 220 grams (8 ounces) green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise.
• 1/4 cup nicoise olives (or the best ones you have available locally).
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and/or several anchovies (optional).

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Salad Nicoise Recipe - How to

Marinate tuna steaks in a little olive oil for an hour. Heat a large skillet on medium high heat, or place on a hot grill. Cook the steaks 2 to 3 minutes on each side until cooked through.
Nicoise Salad made with fresh tuna is definitely better!

• Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with 1/4 cup dressing; set aside.
• While potatoes are cooking, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup dressing in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on a serving platter. Cut tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices, coat with dressing. Mound tuna in centre of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons dressing and salt and pepper to taste in bowl; arrange tomato/onion mixture on the lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.
• Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well. Toss beans, 3 tablespoons dressing, and salt and pepper to taste; arrange in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.
• Arrange hard boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) in mounds on the lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using), and serve immediately.

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Here is a Salad Nicoise Recipe Video

(Please click on the Play Button above and be
patient, the video may take a minute to load.
It is hosted on videojug)

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Note: It seems that Search Engines don't like the ç of Niçoise. I had to take it out sometimes and to write Salad Nicoise Recipe in French instead of Salade Niçoise which is the correct word. Doing so you found my recipe on the Internet! + the main keyword to find me is Salad Nicoise Recipe...