Nicoise Salad, or Salade Nicoise is a delectable, customary, bright, summer salad originating from Nice in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in France. Typically, utilizing produce from the open markets and balanced with distinctive Provencal seasonings.
Commonly known as Salade Nicoise, this classic salad is in harmony with the cooking style of the invigorating, sunny city of Nice in Provence. With respect to this traditional dish and to yourself as well, it should only be prepared with the freshest available ingredients.
Allow the warmth of France’s sunny Côte d’Azur to come alive on your plate by taking pleasure in this crudités salad which characteristically includes tomatoes, anchovies, black olives, capers, French beans and lemon juice. C’est Magnifique!
Osyth, Did I get the facts correct? 😉 Please visit my dear, sweet friend at “Half Baked in Paradise.” Her blog is overflowing with fun and brimming with the precious enjoyment of life’s surprises. One visit will make your heart smile 🙂 Osyth, you know how I adore you!
Ingredients:
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 2-3 cans of tuna, drained…may use freshly grilled tuna, sliced
- 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and either halved or quartered
- 10 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1 1/4 pounds total), each potato scrubbed and quartered
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium heads Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
- 1 small red onion, sliced very thin
- 8 ounces green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise; blanched
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
- 1/4 cup niçoise olives
- 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and/or several anchovies (optional)
Directions:
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with 4 quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain.
- Toss warm potatoes with 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.
- While the potatoes are cooking, in a separate pot, add a quart of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil.
- Add the green beans to the pot. Blanch until tender but still a little firm, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the beans from the pot and place in ice water to stop the cooking. After about 30 seconds, drain the beans. Toss the beans in 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and add salt and pepper to taste.
- While potatoes and green beans are cooking, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated.
- Arrange bed of lettuce on a serving platter
- Cut tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices, coat with vinaigrette. Mound tuna in center of lettuce.
- Toss tomatoes, red onion and red peppers in 3 tablespoons vinaigrette; add salt and pepper to taste in bowl; arrange tomato/onion/red pepper mixture on the lettuce bed.
- Arrange the potatoes and green beans in mounds 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.
Makes 2 generous entree or 4 small side dish servings
Looks most delicious, yum!
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Thanks so much! It’s a keeper for sure!
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I am liking this! And Osyth does have a lovely blog. Thanks Lana, have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
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Thanks so much, spearfruit! Yes, Osyth is one of the best 🙂 So are you! 🙂
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Very sweet of you – thank you! 🙂
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Gorgeous salad, Lana! I hope you have a great Memorial Weekend!
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Thanks, Sweetie! You too xoxo
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This salad is a winner! So many beautiful colors and delicious flavors/textures. Salade Nicoise is definitely one of my favs!
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Thanks, Jean! It’s one of my favorites too…so complete!
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Ma chere Lana … you are factually entirely and 100% accurate. I have a very dear friend from Nice who makes us Niçoise often and he would clap his hands for joy to find an Italian making it so beautifully given that his family name is actually Piccoli! In France we call the region PACA and it is absolutely stunning. By the way, you are far to kind about my nonsense …. I’m just a purveyor of drivel and tripe really but along the way I pick up stars like you which makes me smile tremendously 🙂
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Another amazing recipe – with our Farmer’s Markets bursting with fresh produce, I’ll be making this soon.
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Farmer’s Markets are a Godsend!! Thanks so much! We make this salad often!!
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Gorgeous and refreshing Salad, Lana!
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Thank you, Freda! It’s so complete! xoxo
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This looks delicious!!
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Thank you, Mita!! It’s always a house favorite! So full of flavor!
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