Salade Niçoise is a classic French salad that originates from the city of Nice. The traditional recipe typically consists of fresh tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, green beans, potatoes, black olives, and anchovies, all dressed with a simple vinaigrette. However, there are many variations of this dish, and the one featured in this article incorporates a refreshing yogurt vinaigrette. This recipe is a healthier take on the classic, using Greek yogurt instead of oil for a creamy and tangy dressing. Additionally, it includes a few extra ingredients such as capers, red onion, and fresh herbs, adding a delightful burst of flavor and texture to the salad. This article also provides a vegan alternative to the traditional Salade Niçoise, which replaces the anchovies with roasted chickpeas for a plant-based protein source. Both recipes are easy to follow, making them perfect for home cooks of all levels looking to enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal.
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SALADE NIçOISE
This classic French salad, with its vibrant composition of fresh and cooked vegetables, unctuous oil-cured tuna, anchovies, and soft-boiled eggs, is filling enough to be a meal. Chef Boulud offers two options for dressing: a simple garnish of lemon and oil, or his grandmother's cherished vinaigrette recipe.
Provided by Daniel Boulud
Categories main-dish
Time 45m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 29
Steps:
- Potatoes: Fill a small saucepan with water. Add potatoes, thyme sprig, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Haricots vert: Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. When boiling, add a big pinch of salt, followed by haricots verts. Cook until tender with a slight snap, 4-9 minutes depending on size. Eggs: Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. When boiling, use a spoon to gently ease eggs into the water. Cook exactly 7½ minutes. Meanwhile, prepare two ice baths: Fill two large bowls with water and plenty of ice.
- Scallions: Trim away the very end of the root while keeping scallion intact; remove the thick outer layer. Cut away the dark green top, leaving a 3-inch length of white and light-green scallion. Make several 1-inch vertical cuts down the top to create a scallion "brush." Repeat with all the scallions and place them in an ice bath to preserve freshness. Radishes: Slice each radish lengthwise into thin slices. Set aside.
- When beans are mostly tender with a touch of firmness, use a strainer to transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Remove eggs and place them into the same ice bath. Check potatoes for doneness by piercing one with a knife; there should be no resistance. Remove potatoes and set aside; discard thyme and bay leaf. Peel eggs, slice in half lengthwise, and set aside.
- Assembly: On a serving platter, layer the Boston lettuce, followed by the baby gem. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and distribute evenly, followed by haricots verts, scallions, whole tomatoes, radish, large chunks of tuna, and eggs. Garnish with leaves of basil and chervil.
- Pit olives (optional): Place olives on a flat surface. Press the bottom of a small bowl on the olives to loosen their pits; remove and discard the pits. Scatter the pitted olives over the salad. Next, tuck small bunches of arugula within the lettuce. Finally, finish assembling the salad by laying about 10 anchovies evenly across the top.
- Chef Boulud offers two options for dressing the salad. Lemon & Oil Dressing: Zest lemon evenly over the salad, then sprinkle with lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil, and finish with pepper and salt. (Note: Use salt with moderation, since the tuna and anchovies are already salted.) Grand-Mère's Vinaigrette: In a bowl, add the sliced garlic and a pinch of salt. Use a fork to mash the garlic into a coarse paste. Add mustard, vinegar, and pepper; stir to combine. Add olive oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly with the fork to emulsify. Add a teaspoon of water at a time, whisking between additions, to thin vinaigrette as desired. Place vinaigrette into a serving dish and serve alongside the salad.
SALADE NIçOISE
This salad was inspired by a classic Salade Niçoise with its fresh anchovies, potatoes and green beans, and one offered to me by Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse, who comes to France every year to avail herself of, among other things, the fine green beans of summer.
Provided by Susan Herrmann Loomis
Yield Serves 8 to 10
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- Make the vinaigrette:
- In a large bowl make the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar and the mustard. Slowly whisk in the oil in a thin stream to emulsify the mixture. Stir in the garlic and the onions. Mince the parsley and add it, with the tarragon and chervil, to the dressing, mixing well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Make the Salad:
- Rinse the tuna, pat it dry and refrigerate it until just before cooking.
- Build a small fire in a barbecue. When the coals are red and dusted with ash, spread them out, and lay the rosemary atop them. Set the grill atop the coals. Rub the tuna on all sides lightly with olive oil, and place on the grill. Cover the grill, leaving the vents open, so the tuna grills and smokes at the same time. Grill until the tuna is lightly golden and almost cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully turn the tuna and cook until it is golden on the other side and opaque through, an additional 5 to 7 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the heat of the fire, so check it carefully. Transfer the tuna to a plate, season it lightly all over with salt and pepper, and let it cool to room temperature. When it is cool enough to handle, carefully remove the skin and any bones. Drizzle it on both sides with about 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, then reserve at room temperature.
- Drain the anchovies of oil and pat them dry.
- Bring 4 cups water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer. Add half the beans, cover, and steam until they are tender firm, about 6 minutes. Remove from the steamer and let cool on a wire rack covered with a cotton tea towel. Repeat with the remaining beans.
- Transfer one-third of the dressing to a medium sized bowl.
- Bring a medium-sized pot of salted water to a boil, and add the potatoes. Cook just until they are tender through, about 15 minutes. Drain. If you want to peel them, do so as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Add them, still warm, to the one-third of the vinaigrette. Toss, and reserve.
- To assemble the salad, just before serving toss the beans and the peppers with enough vinaigrette to fully moisten them, and arrange them in the center of a serving platter. Top them with the anchovy fillets, arranging them attractively on top. Quarter the eggs, and place them, with the tomatoes, around the beans and peppers. Drizzle them with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
- Place the potatoes on another platter. Break the tuna apart into large pieces, and arrange the pieces attractively atop the potatoes. Sprinkle with the olives. Drizzle with any remaining vinaigrette, and garnish with several sprigs of parsley and chervil. Serve immediately.
CLASSIC NICOISE SALAD
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 55m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl; drizzle with the wine and let cool. Reserve the saucepan.
- Meanwhile, bring a separate saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with salted ice water. Add the haricots verts to the boiling water; cook until crisp-tender and bright green, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water to cool; drain and pat dry.
- Place the eggs in the reserved saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to cool. Peel under cold running water.
- Make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.
- Toss the tomatoes ian a small bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Add about 1/4 cup dressing to the potatoes and toss. Quarter the hard-cooked eggs.
- Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Arrange the potatoes, haricots verts, radishes, hard-cooked eggs and tuna on top. Pour any juices from the tomatoes into the dressing, then add the tomatoes to the plates. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the olives.
VEGETARIAN SALADE NIçOISE
Provided by Elaine Louie
Categories dinner, lunch, salads and dressings
Time 45m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- For the dressing: In a mixing bowl, combine Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, olive oil, vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper. Whisk to blend, add 1/4 cup water, and whisk again. Cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
- For the salad: In a medium saucepan, combine potatoes, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme and one tablespoon of the sea salt. Cover with cold water. Place over high heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand in saucepan; do not drain.
- While the potatoes are simmering, place the eggs and two tablespoons salt in a saucepan. Cover with cold water. Place over high heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand in saucepan; do not drain.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 3 cups water and 1 cup ice cubes; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine 3 cups of water and 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil, add green beans, and blanch until crisp-tender, 1-2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and transfer to ice water. Allow to sit for 2 minutes, then drain.
- Cut the tomatoes into 12 irregular chunks, and sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sea salt. Drain and peel the eggs, and cut each egg lengthwise into quarters. Drain the potatoes, and cut into 1/3-inch rounds.
- In a wide, shallow serving bowl, mix romaine, arugula and baby greens. Add 3 tablespoons of the dressing to the greens and toss, adding additional dressing as needed. Arrange the tomatoes, eggs, potatoes and green beans around the greens, and sprinkle with olives. Drizzle with some of the remaining dressing. Refrigerate leftover dressing and reserve for another use.
SALADE NICOISE WITH VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
Make and share this Salade Nicoise With Vinaigrette Dressing recipe from Food.com.
Provided by mommyoffour
Categories Salad Dressings
Time 25m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- Mix dressing together by mixing all ingredients in jar.
- Shake again, just before serving.
- Mix potatoes and mayonnaise to coat thoroughly.
- Toss tomatoes lightly in a small amount of vinaigrette.
- In a separate bowl, toss green beans in a small amount of vinaigrette, let marinate while preparing the rest of the salad.
- When ready to serve, toss lettuce lightly in a small amount of vinaigrette until leaves are barely coated.
- Place around the edge and bottom on the bowl, using all the leaves.
- Place tuna in the center of the bowl.
- Arrange tomatoes, green beans, potatoes around the outside in an interesting pattern.
- Decorate with olives, onion slices, green pepper rounds, celery and eggs.
- Garnish with herbs and anchovies.
- Serve immediately with additional vinaigrette dressing.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 416.8, Fat 27.9, SaturatedFat 4.5, Cholesterol 96.9, Sodium 520.8, Carbohydrate 29.3, Fiber 5.7, Sugar 4.8, Protein 14.5
Tips:
- Fresh Ingredients: Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. Look for ripe tomatoes, crisp green beans, and tender tuna.
- Cook Vegetables Properly: Blanch the green beans briefly to preserve their color and crunch. You can also roast or grill the bell peppers for a smoky flavor.
- Use a Good Quality Tuna: Opt for tuna packed in olive oil or brine, as it will be more flavorful and moist. Flake the tuna gently to avoid breaking it up too much.
- Make Your Own Vinaigrette: The yogurt vinaigrette is a key component of this salad. Use a good quality olive oil and Greek yogurt for the best results.
- Assemble the Salad Just Before Serving: This will prevent the vegetables from wilting and the vinaigrette from watering down.
Conclusion:
This salade niçoise with yogurt vinaigrette is a refreshing and flavorful dish that is perfect for a summer meal. It is packed with fresh vegetables, tuna, and hard-boiled eggs, and the yogurt vinaigrette adds a creamy and tangy touch. With a few simple tips, you can easily make this delicious salad at home. Serve this salad as a main course or as a side dish. It is also great for packing in a lunch box. Enjoy!
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