Salade Niçoise – slightly deconstructed

  Salade Niçoise (knee-swahz) is a classic example of making a harmonious dish by building on flavors, using fresh ingredients, and presenting it in a way that looks sumptuous and colorful.  

The other day I spotted a row of gorgeous-looking Boston lettuce at the grocery store.  I’m not a big fan Boston lettuce as the leaves tend to be too soft and fragile for most salads I make but somehow this one beckoned me…perhaps it was so green and fresh looking.

Set your table, pour a glass of wine and enjoy this protein-rich salad from Provence. Bon appétit!

Serves 2
6 to 8 new baby potatoes
2 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cucumber, seeds removed and chopped
1 can of tuna, drained
1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced
Boston lettuce
roasted cherry tomatoes, on the vine
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (or white wine vinegar)
1 to 2 anchovy fillets, minced (optional)

In a saucepan add potatoes and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook potatoes just until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly enough to cut in half or quarters if large.

To make the dressing, place oil, chopped parsley, mustard, honey, lemon juice and minced anchovies in a jar with a fitted lid. Shake vigorously until emulsified. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350f. Place cherry tomatoes on a roasting pan, splash olive oil over, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until the skin starts to shrivel. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes.

To serve, arrange a couple of leaves on a plate followed by tuna chunks, avocado slices, chopped cucumber, potato halves, sliced eggs, and crown with the roasted cherry tomatoes.  Give the dressing a quick shake and drizzle over the salad.

The Culinary Chase’s Note:  Add steamed French string beans and Niçoise olives for a more authentic dish.  Enjoy!

The post Salade Niçoise – slightly deconstructed appeared first on The Culinary Chase.