nicoise salad

[graceface66]

Mom.........snowbirdie asked me to post this for her..........

Nicoise Salad
Posted by Elise on Aug 4, 2007

Filed under Main Course, Salad, Wheat-free

Print OptionsPrint (no photos)Print (with photos)

Salad Niçoise (pronounced nee-suaz) is essentially a French composed salad, much like our American Cobb salad, but with tuna, green beans, and potatoes, instead of chicken, bacon, and avocado. Salad Niçoise hails from Nice, on the Mediterranean Sea, though like so many foods we enjoy here of French origin, has changed a bit to adapt to our tastes. According to the Wikipedia the Niçoise salads are always made with raw vegetables and served with anchovies. Nicoise salads that are served in America are typically served on a bed of lettuce and include cooked green beans and potatoes. According to our Paris insider, the Niçoise salads there are all made with canned tuna. Depending on the establishment here, I've had them either with canned or with freshly grilled tuna. Like its American Cobb salad cousin, the Salad Nicoise takes some time to prepare, given all of the ingredients. This is one dish where setting up your mise en place (all ingredients chopped and ready to go) will help the salad come together smoothly.

Nicoise Salad Recipe
Print OptionsPrint (no photos)Print (with photos)
Ingredients
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 grilled or otherwise cooked tuna steaks* (8 oz each) or 2-3 cans of tuna
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
1/4 cup niçoise olives
2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and/or several anchovies (optional)

Method
*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.

1 Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

2 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 vinaigrette; set aside.

3 While potatoes are cooking, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on a serving platter (I used two serving platters, shown in the photos). Cut tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices, coat with vinaigrette. Mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, 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.

4 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 vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste; arrange in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.

5 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.

[snowbirdie]

Since the photos did not print and you would like to see what the salad looks like here is the address http://simplyrecipes.com. 
  This salad is so pretty. The only thing I think I would add some kind of beans to dish maybe great northerns.

[mrsj]

That looks delicious!  I had to search for the picture and maybe this link will take you directly to this yummy looking stuff: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/nicoise_salad/
Thanks for sharing Judie and Kris!
mrsj

[LINDA RN]

2 Pictures!

[mrsj]

[SweetRose]

LINDA RN, your pics are always so lovely and appetizing!

SweetRose

[LINDA RN]

LOL, I did not take these. Copied them from the internt.
Pictures sure help make you want to fix it yourself.

[snowbirdie]

Thanks so much Linda that's the ones!  You know what ? I was watching our favourite soap opera coronation street and that is what they were having. Thought it might be good so looked it up. It looks yummy so I am going to have it tonite for dinner. I wont be using fresh tuna but I buy a really good tuna called tonno tuna. Better than the average tuna.
                          Judie

[SweetRose]

LINDA RN, the pics you choose to post from the internet are very lovely and appetizing!


SweetRose

[Joyful Friend]

Beautiful pictures, and it sounds delicious.  I love olives, and all the veggies--no potatoes for me, but DH could eat them.  He loves potatoes.  My weight didn't come from eating potatoes.  I have figured out how to eat some of the things  that I totally gave up without starting my cravings or gaining weight.  It is so much fun to eat out and enjoy many foods without worrying about starting cravings.  As I've said before, no white sugar products or pizza.  Those were my downers.  I'm happy for the ones of you who like your potatoes.  I hope it works for you.  I feel sooo good staying the same weight.  This is like a miracle because it was effortless. Before LDL, I controlled my weight by  losing and gaining, but making sure I stayed below size 20, but I was always hungry. Then I would binge with a whole pizza or at family dinners.  I still eat a whole lot, but not nearly what I did at the beginning. Now, I'm satisfied with great foods, no cravings.  Thanks to all the good board recipes, and this is one more. Thanks,  it. JF 

[mylifeforhim]

I am hungry now!  Thanks for sharing.