One of my favorite summer salads is a Salade Niçoise. The first time we vacationed in France this was all I ate, mostly because I was afraid of ordering something with frog legs. But even after I have become acquainted with "safe" menu choices, this salad has remained my all time favorite.
I love the briny flavors of the olives and anchovies with the mild egg and potatoes. I still order this when we are in Provence. The ingredients are NEVER the same, from restaurant to restaurant as everyone has "improved" it with their own touches and normal variances according to what is in season but core ingredients are tuna, anchovies, green beans, eggs, potatoes, lettuce with a Dijon vinaigrette.
The salad in this photograph is Salade Niçoise interpreted by an outdoor café in Menerbes where we had lunch after a bit of site-seeing this past weekend.
Dijon mustard
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Pepper
— pour la salade:
Tomatoes in boats
Cooked potatoes sliced
Spring onions chopped
Mixed lettuce cleaned and crisp
Cooked egg in boats
Tuna in olive oil
Anchovies (give them a try - this gives the salad a nice salty flavor)
Good quality green or black olives
Artichoke hearts (marinated)
Green beans (lightly steamed and chilled)
Basil leaves
Toss the greens with the vinaigrette and arrange the remaining ingredients decoratively on the salad!
Voila´
After a nice lunch we got to watch some local beekeepers remove a hive that had unfortunately placed itself in the middle of the market area. It was a perfect amount of drama after a nice lunch and wander about the hillside village.
When we got home I had to make one. Here is a pic of My Salad Nicoise. It's only fair to say that this salad received an embarrassing 4 of 10 from hubby. I think it has to do with his dislike of anchovies but also the mildness of the dish.
I love the briny flavors of the olives and anchovies with the mild egg and potatoes. I still order this when we are in Provence. The ingredients are NEVER the same, from restaurant to restaurant as everyone has "improved" it with their own touches and normal variances according to what is in season but core ingredients are tuna, anchovies, green beans, eggs, potatoes, lettuce with a Dijon vinaigrette.The salad in this photograph is Salade Niçoise interpreted by an outdoor café in Menerbes where we had lunch after a bit of site-seeing this past weekend.
La Salade Niçoise
— pour la vinaigrette:Dijon mustard
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Pepper
— pour la salade:
Tomatoes in boats
Cooked potatoes sliced
Spring onions chopped
Mixed lettuce cleaned and crisp
Cooked egg in boats
Tuna in olive oil
Anchovies (give them a try - this gives the salad a nice salty flavor)
Good quality green or black olives
Artichoke hearts (marinated)
Green beans (lightly steamed and chilled)
Basil leaves
Toss the greens with the vinaigrette and arrange the remaining ingredients decoratively on the salad!
Voila´
After a nice lunch we got to watch some local beekeepers remove a hive that had unfortunately placed itself in the middle of the market area. It was a perfect amount of drama after a nice lunch and wander about the hillside village.
When we got home I had to make one. Here is a pic of My Salad Nicoise. It's only fair to say that this salad received an embarrassing 4 of 10 from hubby. I think it has to do with his dislike of anchovies but also the mildness of the dish.
